FOOD SAFETY

Innovations that are guided by smallholder farmers, adapted to local circumstances, and sustainable for the economy and environment will be necessary to ensure food security in the future. –Bill Gates

Food is vital for survival, but it may also bring disease and even death if it is contaminated. Risk of mortality linked with the millions of instances of food contamination throughout the world has major social and economic impacts.

The discovery and following avoidance of naturally toxic foods may have begun the history of food safety, which is likely to be almost as old as human history itself. Early people began to create basic food preservation techniques like drying and salting, which made food safer, most likely via experimenting. Food safety grew more formalized as habits and foods evolved over time. Some foods should be avoided at all costs. The food hygiene and the manner in which it is prepared are as important. Food safety is critical since it helps to protect consumers from risks of foodborne diseases.

The World Health organisation (WHO) defines foodborne disease as “any disease of an infectious or toxic nature caused by, or thought to be caused by, the consumption of food or water”. This includes any dangers found in food or drink. Aside from naturally toxic foods, there is a danger of contamination at every step starting from the producer up until to the consumer. Food safety attempts to guarantee that food is safe to eat during processing, preparation, or handling.

The discovery of microorganisms has an influence on food safety. The golden era of food microbiology began after Pasteur. It's easy to think that food safety issues have been solved after thousands of years of experience, 150 years of food microbiology, and the newest molecular biology techniques. Increased reports of foodborne illness, on the other hand, indicate the reverse. Since the days of Louis Pasteur, who stressed the significance of hygiene in connection to fermentation, it has been recognized that techniques are easily impacted by different elements during processing, and that if not performed appropriately, the end product's safety and quality may be compromised. Foods are frequently contaminated with infections, especially in poorer countries, as a result of inadequate hygiene and improper application, and are thus a primary cause of baby diarrhea and nutritional deficiencies. The previous century's industrial activities have resulted in huge increases in human exposure to hazardous metals, which are now abundant throughout the food chain. Contaminants in food can originate through the use of veterinary medicines on animals and the spraying of food crops, both of which can leave residues. Other food pollutants can be leached from packaging or storage containers. Because public worries about the potential health dangers of genetically modified foods have not been brought to light, regulatory authorities throughout the world are facing new problems. The rising usage of nanoparticles, which are currently utilized in packaging materials, might pose a danger to food safety, given the fact that their toxicity is mostly unknown.

However, it is becoming increasingly apparent that many of the chemicals to which we are exposed on a daily basis are widespread, resulting in exposure through air, food and drink. The food chain, like any other chain, is only as strong as its weakest link. All in all, not only the manufacturer but everyone in the chain bears responsibility. For the sake of public health and food safety, we expect that we will be able to make our food supply safer by learning more about the dangers of numerous consecutive exposures.

REFERENCES OR FURTHER READING:

[1] Borchers, A., Teuber, S. S., Keen, C. L., & Gershwin, M. E. (2010). Food safety. Clinical reviews in allergy & immunology, 39(2), 95-141.

[2] Griffith, C. J. (2006). Food safety: where from and where to?. British Food Journal, 108(1), 6-15.

[3] Nout, R. (2001). Fermentation and food safety. M. R. Adams, & M. R. Nout (Eds.). Gaithersburg, Meryland: Aspen Publishers.