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Food safety
and population growth
October
2004
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In industrialized countries as much as 33% of the population suffer from food-borne disease every year. In the US because of food-borne an estimated 200,000 people are sickened every year. Additionally 900 people are hospitalized and 14 die every day. |
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Demographic change, increasing demand for food, globalization of food trade, urbanization, intensification of food production imposes new threats and challenges in effectiveness of food safety systems. |
World population is increasing at alarming pace. It is expected that around 2030, the number of humans living on earth will be around 8,000 million.
What is even more indicative of the future needs is that 2 out of 3 people will live in towns and cities. This means that over the next 30 years, the demand in food will rise significantly. At the same time food production will need to increase by 60%.
Developing countries will have the major role in contributing to this massive increase of food demand. The achievement of this task, will necessitate more water, more efficient use of land, better workforce and adequate application of fertilizers.
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Food safety is a priority for consumers, farmers, processors,
retailers and governments.
Protecting the food chain from the multitude of hazards present from production to consumption is a serious painstaking enterprise. |
Microbe-contaminated food and water kill up to 2 million children in developing countries each year. This is mainly caused by microbe contaminated food and water.
Intensification of agriculture means that overall yield increases may be achieved by getting more yield per unit time and per unit area. There is a danger in this as data show that fertilizer application might increase to alarming levels.
In 1950 Northern European farmers used 45kg/ha of fertilizer whereas today they use 250kg/ha. Half a century ago, 17 millions tones were used by farmers for their land. Today this quantity is multiplied by eight.
The impact of increased and intensified food production on soil fertility is going to grow. The use of fertilizers and composts have to be used in a sensible manner to maximize efficiency and minimize toxicity.
Enhanced food production is possible without a proportional increase in the use of fertilizer nutrient use. Improved management practices can increase nutrient use efficiency.
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In industrialized countries as much as 33% of the population suffer
from food-borne disease every year. In the US because of food-borne an estimated 200,000 people are sickened every year. Additionally 900 people are hospitalized and 14 die every day. |
In the US, health authorities requested the recall of animal feed supplements containing "elevated levels" of the toxic chemical, dioxin. Italian police impounded buffalo milk contaminated with dioxin, apparently leaked from industrial waste dumps.
Industrial contaminants such as dioxin are a threat to human health. Dioxin is formed from combustion of municipal wastes and fuel and it is transmitted through intake of animal fats. Dioxin can cause skin disease, liver damage and possibly cancer
High levels of pesticide were found in samples of
spinach taken from supermarket shelves in the UK, and in bottled water in
India. Widely used pesticides may suppress immune responses to
infection, making people more vulnerable to disease
In July 2000, sixteen healthy young farmers in Senegal's Kolda region
suddenly fell sick and died. All suffered the same symptoms - severe
swelling of the face, limbs and abdomen, heart pains and breathing
difficulties - and all were dead within a week.
A team of government disease and poisoning specialists quickly located the probable cause: two pesticide powders, Granox TBC and Spinox T, which the victims had used to protect newly planted groundnut seeds against fungus and insects.
| These data show that the demographic change, increasing demand for food, globalization of food trade, urbanization, intensification of food production imposes new threats and challenges in effectiveness of food safety systems. |
The Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations is aiming to continuously support its member countries in issues of food safety and quality issues in view of the growing population problem.
In a report to the Organization's high-level Committee on Agriculture (COAG), it proposes a comprehensive new system that would share the responsibility for providing safe food among all players in the food and agricultural sector, from food producers and processors to retailers and consumer households.
This "food chain approach" would be strengthened by development of Good Agricultural Practices that would help farmers remove threats to food safety at source.
Parallel with consumer pressure for safer food, economic globalization has raised significantly the risks and costs of food-borne diseases.
According to FAO as international trade in food and farm products increases, it will become increasingly difficult to resolve food safety problems of any one country without collaborative international efforts.
Once unsafe or contaminated food enters the food chain, it is distributed more rapidly and a greater number of consumers are exposed to risk.
| The economic consequences of contaminated food and farm products can be devastating - the BSE crisis (mad cow diesease) cost the UK an estimated US$6,000 million, and aflatoxin problems in groundnuts have caused significant financial losses for some food exporting developing countries. |
A holistic food chain approach would recognize that responsibility for supplying safe food lies with all those involved in food production.
This "at-source" responsibility encompasses all stakeholders throughout the food chain, including farmers and the suppliers of farm inputs (especially animal feed and veterinary drugs), slaughterhouse and packing-house operators, food manufacturers, transport operators, wholesale and retail traders, caterers and street food vendors.
Responsibility also extends to the end consumer, who must be educated to ensure that food is properly stored, hygienically prepared and food shelf lives are respected. Such an approach would permit greater traceability of food products, facilitating not only the withdrawal from markets of hazardous or contaminated food but also the identification of weak links in the chain.
Bibliography:
- Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
- United States Department of Agriculture
- Environment
- Europa
- Environmental Protection Agency
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- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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