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Food safety

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Food safety
Terms
Critical factors
Bacterial pathogens
Viral pathogens
Parasitic pathogens

Food safety is a scientific discipline describing handling, preparation, and storage of food in ways that prevent foodborne illness. This includes a number of routines that should be followed to avoid potentially severe health hazards. Food can transmit disease from person to person as well as serve as a growth medium for bacteria that can cause food poisoning. Debates on genetic food safety include such issues as impact of genetically modified food on health of further generations and genetic pollution of environment, which can destroy natural biological diversity. In developed countries there are intricate standards for food preparation, whereas in lesser developed countries the main issue is simply the availability of adequate safe water, which is usually a critical item.[1]

Regulatory agencies

United Kingdom

The UK Food Standards Agency[2] is the body responsible for food safety policy and legislation, with enforcement carried out by 'Food Authorities' which are the local authorities and, in respect of imports, port health authorities. The Agency provides guidance and information to food businesses as well as enforcement bodies, and mounts publicity campaigns aimed at informing the public about food safety.

The official control of food is governed by criminal law, with the main primary legislation in the form of the Food Safety Act 1990. There is a raft of subordinate regulations, many of which implement European Union directives and regulations, prescribing requirements for hygiene, limits for contaminants, controls over the use of additives, and labelling requirements, together with other matters related such as food quality and authenticity.

Regulatory control by food authorities is based on inspection of premises supplemented by sampling of food for analysis by public analysts (chemical analysis for contaminants etc) and food examiners (microbiological examination for bacteria).

Australia

Australian Food Authority is working toward ensuring that all food businesses implement food safety systems to ensure food is safe to consume in a bid to halt the increasing incidence of food poisoning, this includes basic food safety training for at least one person in each business. Smart business operators know that basic food safety training improves the bottom line, staff take more pride in their work; there is less waste; and customers can have more confidence in the food they consume. Food Safety training in units of competence from a relevant training package, must be delivered by a Registered Training Organization (RTO) to enable staff to be issued with a nationally-recognised unit of competency code on their certificate. Generally this training can be completed in less than one day. Training options are available to suit the needs of everyone. Training may be carried out in-house for a group, in a public class, via correspondence or online. (To find Food Safety Training available search Google or contact the local Health Department ) Basic Food Safety Training includes:

• Understanding the hazards associated with the main types of food and the conditions to prevent the growth of bacteria which can cause food poisoning

• The problems associated with product packaging such as leaks in vacuum packs, damage to packaging or pest infestation, as well as problems and diseases spread by pests.

• Safe Food handling. This includes safe procedures for each process such as receiving, re-packing, food storage, preparation and cooking, cooling and re-heating, displaying products, handling products when serving customers, packaging, cleaning and sanitizing, pest control, transport and delivery. Also the causes of cross contamination.

• Catering for customers who are particularly at risk of food-borne illness, including allergies and intolerance.

• Correct cleaning and sanitizing procedures, cleaning products and their correct use, and the storage of cleaning items such as brushes, mops and cloths.

• Personal hygiene, hand washing, illness, and protective clothing.

People responsible for serving unsafe food can be liable for heavy fines under this new leglislation, consumers are pleased that industry will be forced to take food safety seriously.

United States

Federal-level regulation

The Food and Drug Administration publishes the Food Code, a model set of guidelines and procedures that assists food control jurisdictions by providing a scientifically sound technical and legal basis for regulating the retail and food service industries, including restaurants, grocery stores and institutional foodservice providers such as nursing homes. Regulatory agencies at all levels of government in the United States use the FDA Food Code to develop or update food safety rules in their jurisdictions that are consistent with national food regulatory policy. According to the FDA, 48 of 56 states and territories, representing 79% of the U.S. population, have adopted food codes patterned after one of the five versions of the Food Code, beginning with the 1993 edition.[3]

In the United States, federal regulations governing food safety are fragmented and complicated, according to a February 2007 report from the Government Accountability Office.[4] There are 15 agencies sharing oversight responsibilities in the food safety system, although the two primary agencies are the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), which is responsible for the safety of meat, poultry, and processed egg products, and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which is responsible for virtually all other foods.

State and local regulation

A number of U.S. states have their own meat inspection programs that substitute for USDA inspection for meats that are sold only in-state.[5] Certain state programs have been criticized for undue leniency to bad practices.[6]

However, other state food safety programs supplement, rather than replace, Federal inspections, generally with the goal of increasing consumer confidence in the state's produce. For example, state health departments have a role in investigating outbreaks of food-borne disease bacteria, as in the case of the 2006 outbreak of Escherichia coli O157:H7 (bad E. coli bacteria) from processed spinach.[7] Health departments also promote better food processing practices to eliminate these threats.[8]

In addition to the US Food and Drug Administration, several states that are major producers of fresh fruits and vegetables (including California, Arizona and Florida) have their own state programs to test produce for pesticide residues.[9]

Restaurants and other retail food establishments fall under state law and are regulated by state or local health departments. Typically these regulations require official inspections of specific design features, best food-handling practices, and certification of food handlers.[10] In some places a letter grade or numerical score must be prominently posted following each inspection.[11] In some localities inspection deficiencies and remedial action are posted on the Internet.[12]

China

Main article: Food safety in the People's Republic of China

Food safety is a growing concern in Chinese agriculture. The Chinese government oversees agricultural production as well as the manufacture of food packaging, containers, chemical additives, drug production, and business regulation. In recent years, the Chinese government attempted to consolidate food regulation with the creation of the State Food and Drug Administration of China in 2003, and officials have also been under increasing public and international pressure to solve food safety problems.

European Union

The parliament of the European Union (EU) makes legislation in the form of directives and regulations, many of which are mandatory for member states and which therefore must incorporated into individual countries' national legislation. As a very large organisation that exists to remove barriers to trade between member states, and into which individual member states have only a proportional influence, the outcome is often seen as an excessively bureaucratic 'one size fits all' approach. However, in relation to food safety the tendency to err on the side of maximum protection for the consumer may be seen as a positive benefit. The EU parliament is informed on food safety matters by the European Food Safety Authority.

Individual member states may also have other legislation and controls in respect of food safety, provided that they do not prevent trade with other states, and can differ considerably in their internal structures and approaches to the regulatory control of food safety.

Manufacturing control

HACCP guidelines

Main article: Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points

The UK Food Standards Agency publishes recommendations as part of its Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) programme. The relevant guidelines at http://www.food.gov.uk/multimedia/pdfs/csctcooking.pdf state that:

"Cooking food until the CORE TEMPERATURE is 75 °C or above will ensure that harmful bacteria are destroyed.
However, lower cooking temperatures are acceptable provided that the CORE TEMPERATURE is maintained for a specified period of time as follows :

  • 60 °C for a minimum of 45 minutes
  • 65 °C for a minimum of 10 minutes
  • 70 °C for a minimum of 2 minutes"

Previous guidance from a leaflet produced by the UK Department Of Health “Handling Cooked Meats Safely A Ten Point Plan” also allowed for:

  • "75 °C for a minimum of 30 seconds
  • 80 °C for a minimum of 6 seconds"

as well as the above. Secondary references for the above may be found at:

Note that recommended cooking conditions are only appropriate if initial bacterial numbers in the uncooked food are small. Cooking does not overcome poor hygiene.

Consumer labeling

United Kingdom

Food stuffs in the UK have one of two labels to indicate the nature of the deterioration of the product and any subsequent health issues:

Best before indicates a future date beyond which the food product may lose quality in terms of taste or texture amongst others, but does not imply any serious health problems if food is consumed beyond this date (within reasonable limits).

Use by indicates a legal date beyond which it is not permissible to sell a food product (usually one that deteriorates fairly rapidly after production) due to the potential serious nature of consumption of pathogens. Leeway is sometimes provided by producers in stating display until dates so that products are not at their limit of safe consumption on the actual date stated (this latter is voluntary and not subject to regulatory control). This allows for the variability in production, storage and display methods. [www.city-and-guilds.org.uk/documents/ind_hospitality-catering/HC-33-7247.pdf]

United States

With the exception of infant formula and baby foods which must be withdrawn by their expiration date, Federal law does not require expiration dates. For all other foods, except dairy products in some states, freshness dating is strictly voluntary on the part of manufacturers. In response to consumer demand, perishable foods are typically labeled with a Sell by date.[13] It is up to the consumer to decide how long after the Sell by date a package is usable. Other common dating statements are Best if used by, Use-by date, Expiration date, Guaranteed fresh <date>, and Pack date.[14]

Codex Alimentaurius

In 2003, the WHO and FAO published the Codex Alimentarius which serves as a guideline to food safety.[15]

References

  1. ^ I. A. Shiklomanov, Appraisal and Assessment of World Water Resources, Water International 25(1): 11-32, 2000
  2. ^ "Food Standards Agency - Homepage".
  3. ^ "FDA Food Code". Food and Drug Administration. 2007-10-05. Retrieved 2008-09-01.
  4. ^ "GAO-07-449T, Federal Oversight of Food Safety" (PDF).
  5. ^ "State Meat Inspection Programs".
  6. ^ "USDA Allowed State Meat Inspection Programs To Operate Even After Finding Cutting Boards Contaminated With Old Meat And Soot-Like Residues On Swine Carcasses" (PDF).
  7. ^ "State Health Department announces test results: Match genetic fingerprints to E. coli outbreak, Press Release, October 12, 2006".
  8. ^ "CDHS Education Training Unit".
  9. ^ "Pesticides and food: How we test for safety. California Department of Pesticide Regulation, June 2003" (PDF).
  10. ^ "New York Restaurant Inspection Information".
  11. ^ "NYC Health Dept. Launches Restaurant Cleanliness Certificate".
  12. ^ "A Guide to Food Safety Practices in Virginia Restaurants".
  13. ^ "Expiration, Use-by, and Sell-by Dates, Part 1: Expiration dating is not federally required on all products".
  14. ^ "Expiration, Use-by, and Sell-by Dates, Part 2: Deciphering food expiration codes can be tricky".
  15. ^ Codex Alimentarius. "Codex Alimentarius and Food Hygiene" (PDF). Retrieved 15 October. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)

Further reading

See also

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