Safe food as global imperative World Food Day 2010 United against hunger Jarmila Turkalj, AMES, B.Sc.of Food Technology
OBJECTIVES OF WORLD FOOD DAY encourage attention to agricultural food production and to stimulate national, bilateral, multilateral and nongovernmental efforts to this end; encourage economic and technical cooperation among developing countries; encourage the participation of rural people, particularly women and the least privileged categories, in decisions and activities influencing their living conditions;
OBJECTIVES OF WORLD FOOD DAY heighten public awareness of the problem of hunger in the world; promote the transfer of technologies to the developing world; and strengthen international and national solidarity in the struggle against hunger, malnutrition and poverty and draw attention to achievements in food and agricultural development.
HUNGER FACTS About 24,000 people die every day from hunger or hunger-related causes. This is down from 35,000 ten years ago, and 41,000 twenty years ago. Three- fourths of the deaths are children under the age of five. Today 10% of children in developing countries die before the age of five. This is down from 28% fifty years ago. Famine and wars cause just 10% of hunger deaths, although these tend to be the ones you hear about most often. The majority of hunger deaths are caused by chronic malnutrition. Families simply cannot get enough to eat. This in turn is caused by extreme poverty.
HUNGER FACTS Besides death, chronic malnutrition also causes impaired vision, listlessness, stunted growth, and greatly increased susceptibility to disease. Severely malnourished people are unable to function at even a basic level. It is estimated that some 800 million people in the world suffer from hunger and malnutrition, about 100 times as many as those who actually die from it each year.
HUNGER FACTS Often it takes just a few simple resources for impoverished people to be able to grow enough food to become self-sufficient. These resources include quality seeds, appropriate tools, and access to water. Small improvements in farming techniques and food storage methods are also helpful. Many hunger experts believe that ultimately the best way to reduce hunger is through education. Educated people are best able to break out of the cycle of poverty that causes hunger.
HUNGER MAP
IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION Better food production Better food handling and preservation Ensuring that citizens' health and safety are properly protected Ensuring food and other products on sale to consumers are safe Taking action against other threats to health, such as infectious disease Food safety frameworks National and international legislation Decision making based on science-based risk assessmenet
WHO s POLICY GUIDANCE ON FOOD SAFETY AND SECURITY WHO s s Policy Guidance on Foods derived from Biotechnology Fears from consumers Scientific debate Trade and health disputes WHO (WHO s Scientific Advisory Body) WHO s Policy Guidance Codex Alimentarius Commission (165 Member States) National legislation in WHO Member States Possible health and trade disputes in WTO, etc.
FOOD SAFETY FOOD SECURITY The term "food security" - "food safety" means a comprehensive and dynamic policy that is implemented on the basis of strategic documents, and is aimed at protecting the health and interests of consumers and ensure freedom of movement of food in the market.
FOOD SAFETY FOOD SECURITY Croatia has ranked food safety as a priority issue in its political programs and has prepared a national strategy for the transposition and implementation of legislation in food safety, veterinary and phytosanitary policy o An integrated approach to food safety o An integrated approach to food safety o Occurrence of many diseases transmitted by food, causing increasing concern of consumers around the world o Have economic consequences o Responsibilities at different levels of access "from farm to table" as an effective way of reducing the risks arising from food o Ensure the protection of health and consumer interests
FOOD-BORNE DISEASES - major public-health problem We have to bear in mind that every person can get a food-borne disease. WHO estimated that 30% of inhabitants from industrial WHO estimated that 30% of inhabitants from industrial countries contract a food-borne disease every year.
REASONS OF INCREASING RISKS FROM FOOD As a result of enhanced socio-economical life style there is increased consumption of meat, meat products and other products of animal origin; Increased need for food of animal origin resulted in increased production of animals infected with potentially pathogenic microorganisms; Primary production contamination - more frequent use of pesticides and antybiotics lead to increased residues in food; More frequent use of various food aditives during food processing for commercial use; Fast-paced life style has changed eating habits and imposed more frequent use of ready- to-eat food from restaurants and similar establishments where likelihood of food contamination is much higher; More frequent travel results with increased travel-induced diseases Irregularities during comercial food production, handling, distribution, transport and storage;
MORE REASONS FOR INCREASING PROBLEMS WITH FOOD-BORNE DISEASES Emergence of new food-borne pathogens Industrialized/centralized food production and processing Improper food preparation practices Better understanding of risks of toxic chemicals Urbanization... Urbanization U rb an p o p u latio n (% ) 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 1955 1975 1995 2025 Source : United Nations,World Population Prospects, the 1996 Revision Consequences : longer food-chain increased opportunities for food contamination survival and growth of pathogens
FOOD SAFETY SYSTEM This term is used related to governmental activities assuring safe food for consumers in compliance with national and international legislation. Those activities include: legislation, surveillance, inspection, consulting with the industry, education and informing of consumers
THE ROLE OF GOVERNMENT IN FOOD SAFETY SYSTEM consumer protection from food-borne diseases safe food appropriate for human consumption confidence in international trade health education programs (food hygiene principles for consumers and industry)
IT MEANS Full traceability Responsibility for safe food production lies with the food industry Transfer from orders and control to adopting RISK concept FROM FARM TO FORK
FOOD SAFETY STANDARDS Codex Standards and Poverty Reduction - from a developing country s viewpoint- Application to Domestic legislation (by health sector) Improvement of Health Codex Standards (by 165 Member States) Application to export products (by trade sector) Safety assurance and improved access to Importing country 1 Increased foreign exchange earnings Economic and Social Development & poverty reduction Note: WTO/SPS Agreement requires its Members States to base their sanitary measures on international standards (i.e. Codex Standards on Food Safety)
CODEX ALIMENTARIUS Joint FAO / WHO Food Standards Programme Protection of consumers health, Insuring fair trade of food, Promotion of coordination of all international and NGO s food standards
CODEX FRAMEWORK science politics RISK ASSESSMENT hazard identification hazard characterization exposure assessment risk characterization RISK MANAGEMENT risk evaluation option assessment option implementation monitoring and review RISK COMMUNICATION interactive exchange of informations and opinions
SAFETY AND RISK Safety means without adverse effects, 100% safety does not exist, There is always a possibility of adverse effects caused by a particular food / pathogen combination, Risk assessment anticipates this possibility, Risk analysis provides a risk management framework.
REDUCING THE RISK Reducing the likelihood and severity of damage Enhancing food safety BASIC PRINCIPLES OF RISK ANALYSIS
SURVEILLANCE OF FOODBORNE DISEASE (Joint activity with APH) WHAT WE KNOW Burden WHAT WE NEED TO KNOW
DECREASE THE BURDEN? Good Hygiene (Traditional approach) Burden Mitigation options (Risk analysis)
FOOD SAFETY SYSTEMS IN THE WORLD Globalization requests that different countries ensure similar food safety systems Food safety policy should be based on comprehensive approach Food safety responsibility assigned to food producers Implement from farm to fork principles, covering the whole food chain Food safety policy based on risk assessment
FAO MISSION Our mission:...improve human health through safer food Our goals: Reduce global burden of foodborne disease Advocate a human health focus in food production and trade Minimise the effect of new foodborne hazards Provide a scientific basis for food safety standards Raise the importance of food safety as a health issue Improve countries capacities to improve food safety
HAH GOAL Together with other institutions involved in food safety system in Croatia IMPROVE HUMAN HEALTH THROUGH SAFER FOOD based on effective Food policy Food standard setting Enforcement Surveillance
HAH MAIN GOAL Introducing the new concepts in the area of food safety as insurance of safe food and health insurance
Thank you for your attention! Sources (by paragraph): 1) The Hunger Project, United Nations; 2) CARE; 3) The Institute for Food and Development Policy; 4) United Nations World Food Program (WFP); 5) Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO); 6) Oxfam; 7) United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)