Safe Food
Safe Food would be food that does not contain physical, chemical or biological contaminants at levels that would be detrimental to health if consumed. It is a common practice now to consume industrial food. Any industrial food is subject to pollution unless made it safe through immense precautions. It is a major responsibility of government to look into the safety of industrial food. It is the food processing industry responsibility to meet consumer expectations that their products are safe, and meet all legal requirements. Food processors rely on modern quality management systems to ensure the quality and safety of the products. The three key systems in use are:
Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) entail the processing conditions and procedures that have been proven to deliver consistent quality and safety based on long experience.
Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) a recent proactive technique, focuses on identifying potential problems and controlling them during the design and the production process itself.
Quality Assurance Standards' Adherence to standards established by the International Standards Organisation (ISO 9000) and the European Standard (EU 29000) ensures that food processing, catering and other food-related industries conform to prescribed and well-documented procedures. Independent experts regularly assess the effectiveness of these programmes.
These quality management systems used by food processors also involve working with the suppliers (individual farmers and raw material wholesalers), transporters, product wholesalers and retailers to ensure quality assurance procedures at each level. From the manufacturer to the consumer, protecting food through packaging after the product is processed, food packaging ensures that food reaches the consumer in peak condition. Packaging preserves the integrity, safety and quality of food products in transport, wholesale warehouses, and retail stores and in the home. It helps maximise the shelf life of the product while carrying important information on the label. Besides, bar codes on packaging containing the date and the location of manufacture enables processors, transporters and retailers to keep track of products for both inventory control and identification of potential hazards.
The potential for food to become contaminated with chemical substances and microorganisms start from the time it is harvested and continues right through until the time it is eaten. In general, the risks to food safety fall into two broad categories: a) Microbiological contamination (eg bacteria, fungi, viruses or parasites). This category results in most cases in acute symptoms; b) Chemical contaminants, comprising environmental chemicals, veterinary drug residues, heavy metals or other residues unintentionally introduced into the food supply during farming, processing, shipping or packing.
Whether a contaminant will pose a health hazard or not depends on many factors including the absorption and toxicity of the substance, the level of the contaminant present in the food, the amount of contaminant food that is consumed and the duration of exposure. Besides, individuals differ in their sensitivity to contaminants and other factors in the diet can have an impact on the contaminant's is toxic consequences. A further complicating factor concerning chemical contaminants is that many of the studies on the toxicity of contaminants must, by necessity, be extrapolated from animal studies and whether or not the subsistence exert the same effects in human is not always known with absolute certainty.
Food safety is an increasingly important public health issue. Governments all over the world are intensifying their efforts to improve food safety. These efforts are in response to an increasing number of food safety problems and rising consumer concerns. Foodborne diseases are a widespread and growing public health problem, both in developed and developing countries. Such as: a) The global incidence of foodborne diseases is difficult to estimate, but it has been reported that in 2005 alone 1.8 million people died from diarrhoeal diseases. A great proportion of these cases can be attributed to contamination of food and drinking water. Additionally, diarrhoea is a major cause of malnutrition in infants and young children; b) In industrialised countries, the percentage of the population suffering from foodborne diseases each year has been reported to be up to 30%. In the United States of America (USA), for example, around 76 million cases of foodborne diseases, resulting in 325,000 hospitalisations and 5,000 deaths, are estimated to occur each year; c) While less well documented, developing countries bear the brunt of the problem due to the presence of a wide range of foodborne diseases, including those caused by parasites. The high prevalence of diarrhoeal diseases in many developing countries suggests major underlying food safety problems; d) While most foorborne diseases are sporadic and often not reported, foodborne disease outbreaks may take on massive proportions. For example, in 1994, an outbreak of salmonellosis due to contaminated ice cream occurred in the USA, affecting an estimated 224,000 persons. In 1988, an outbreak of hepatitis A, resulting from the consumption of contaminated clams, affected some 300,000 individuals in China; e) In 2008, milk powders consumed by children and manufactured in China, contained high level of melamine. It affected hundreds of children. As an importing country, Bangladesh had to ban this product and brand along with some other imported products from other advanced countries. Ultimately, all products were subjected to test in Bangladesh and abroad and only these found to be in order were released for sale following a court order.
In partnership with other stakeholders, WHO is developing policies that will further promote the safety of food. These policies cover the entire food chain from production to consumption and will make use of different types of expertise.
The work of the WHO Department of Food Safety and other WHO programmes and departments includes strengthening food safety systems, promoting good manufacturing practices and educating retailers and consumers about appropriate food handling. Education of consumers and training of food handling is one of the most critical interventions in the prevention of foodborne illness.
WHO is promoting in-country laboratory-based surveillance of priority foodborne diseases in humans and animals, as well as the monitoring of pathogens in food. In cooperation with its Member States, WHO is working to support the development of internationally agreed-upon guidelines for data collection in countries. WHO is also compiling outbreak and surveillance databases, and is broadening its epidemic surveillance capacity to include foodborne disease outbreaks. This organisation is expanding its global network and enlargement of participating related institutions to monitor chemical contamination of the food supply, particularly in developing countries. It is promoting the use of all food technologies which may contribute to public health, such as pasteurisation, food irradiation and fermentation. WHO has undertaken an important new initiative to strengthen the scientific basis of food safety activities through the establishment of a WHO/FAO (Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations) expert advisory body to assess microbiological risks in food. It is increasing its involvement in the work of the WHO/FAO Codex Alimentarius Commission, whose standards, guidelines and recommendations are regarded as the international reference for food safety requirements by the World Trade Organisation. Biotechnology has become a major issue in developed as well as developing countries. WHO, jointly with FAO, has convened a series of expert consultations to assess the safety and nutritional aspects of foods derived from genetically modified plants, microorganisms and animals. WHO has initiated work to establish a knowledge base focusing on a broader evaluation of risks, benefits and other considerations related to the production and consumption of foods derived from biotechnology.
Bangladesh food safety laws and regulations Pure Food Ordinance, 1959 and Pure Food Rules, 1967; The Animals Slaughter (Restriction) and Meat Control (Amendment) Ordinance - 1983; BSTI Ordinance 1985 (has been amended as BSTI (amendment Act 2003); Destructive Insects and Pests Rules (Plant Quarantine) 1966, amended up to 1989; Agricultural Produce Market Act 1964 (revised in 1985); Fish Protection and Conservation Act, 1950 (latest amendment in 1995); Marine Fisheries Ordinance 1983 and Rules 1983; Fish and Fish Products (Inspection and Quality Control Ordinance, 1983; Fish Products (Inspection and Quality Control) Rules' 1997; The Essential Commodity Act 1957, 58, 64; The Food or Special Courts Act 1956; The Food Grain Supply (Prevention of Prejudicial Activity) Ordinance 1956; The Pesticides Ordinance 1971 and The Pesticide Rules-1985.
Policy linkages Food Safety in all stages of the food chain, that is, from farm to table has been focused with due importance in all the relevant policies of GOB. The policies are Bangladesh Environment Policy; Bangladesh Food and Nutrition Policy 1997 and NPAN 1997; Bangladesh Food Policy 1998; Comprehensive Food Security Policy 2001 and New National Food Policy 2006; National Agriculture policy 1999; Bangladesh Health Policy 2001; and The Export Policy etc. Though Food Safety has been focused in all relevant policies of GOB, the basic food laws, Pure Food Ordinance 1959 and the Pure Food Rules 1967, did not fully accommodate Codex standards, guidelines and practices including (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point). However, Fish and Fish Products (Inspection and Quality Control Ordinance 1983 and Fish and Fish Products Inspection and Quality Control Rules 1997) have received due importance of HACCP principles. The Bangladesh Standard and Testing Institution (BSTI) also adopted HACCP as Bangladesh standard.
The government of Bangladesh had approved a food safety project in 2008. The project will be funded by two development partners and executed by FAO and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. It is expected that, upon completion of the project, regulatory and institutional structure will be strengthened along with capacity building of the food testing laboratories.
Food standards 107 food items are covered under Pure Food Rules 1967; 190 food standards by BSTI of which 52 should have compulsory certification marks; 28 Codex standards adopted as Bangladesh standards. [AMM Shawkat Ali]
