Food Safety in the 21st Century

Public Health Perspective

Puja Dudeja, Rajul K Gupta, Amarjeet Singh Minhas

• Publisher: Academic Press
• Year: 2016
• Print ISBN: 9780128017739
• eBook ISBN: 9780128018460
• Topic: Technology & Engineering
• Subtopic: Food Science
• Index: Technology & Engineering

Food Safety in the 21st Century: Public Health Perspective is an important reference for anyone currently working in the food industry or those entering the industry. It provides realistic, practical, and very usable information about key aspects of food safety, while also systematically approaching the matter of foodborne illness by addressing the intricacies of both prevention and control.This book discusses ways to assess risk and to employ epidemiological methods to improve food safety. In addition, it also describes the regulatory context that shapes food safety activities at the local, national, and international levels and looks forward to the future of food safety.- Provides the latest research and developments in the field of food safety- Incorporates practical, real-life examples for risk reduction- Includes specific aspects of food safety and the risks associated with each sector of the food chain, from food production, to food processing and serving- Describes various ways in which epidemiologic principles are applied to meet the challenges of maintaining a safe food supply in India and how to reduce disease outbreaks- Presents practical examples of foodborne disease incidents and their root causes to highlight pitfalls in food safety management

Section 1

Epidemiological aspects of foodborne diseases

Chapter 1: Foodborne diseases—disease burden

Chapter 2: Foodborne infectious diseases

Chapter 3: Outbreak investigation of foodborne illnesses

Chapter 4: Surveillance of foodborne illnesses

Chapter 5: Role of risk analysis and risk communication in food safety management

Chapter 1

Foodborne diseases—disease burden

S.V. Bhaskar Armed Forces Medical Services, New Delhi, India

Abstract

Foodborne diseases are globally important because of their high incidence and the cost that they impose on the society. There looms a potential threat of large outbreaks of foodborne illness in both developing and developed countries. More than 200 different diseases may be transmitted through contaminated food or water. Growing international trade, migration, and travel increase the spread of dangerous pathogens and contaminants in food. In today’s interconnected and interdependent world, local foodborne disease outbreaks have become a potential threat to the entire globe. As only a fraction of the people who become sick after consuming contaminated food seek medical care, an inherent challenge in measuring the burden is present. Out of these, only few are reported to the public health authorities/official morbidity statistics. Thus, foodborne diseases would always be underreported. WHO has been involved in several initiatives designed to enhance laboratory-based surveillance and to determine the burden of disease in countries and regions lacking such estimates. WHO published a comprehensive report on the impact of contaminated food on health and well-being, namely, “Estimates of the Global Burden of Foodborne Diseases” in 2015. The assessment of the impact of the global burden would be an active process with an ever-changing disease profile. There is a need to foster communication between researchers and to create a forum for sharing information about the design, implementation, and analysis of studies on the burden of illness. This would help in providing the necessary assistance to countries wishing to conduct burden of illness studies and enable countries to contribute to global foodborne disease burden estimates.

Keywords

foodborne diseases

disease burden

surveillance

health impact

1.1. Introduction

Every year, thousands of people suffer from foodborne diseases (FBD). These diseases are globally important because of their high incidence and the costs that they impose on the society. There looms a potential threat of large outbreaks of FBD in both developing and developed countries.

More than 250 different FBD have been described. Most of these diseases are infections, caused by a variety of bacteria, viruses, and parasites that can be foodborne. Salmonella, Campylobacter, and enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli are among the most common foodborne pathogens that affect millions of people annually—sometimes with severe and fatal outcomes. Other diseases are poisonings, caused by harmful toxins or chemicals that have contaminated the food, for example, poisonous mushrooms. Health departments commonly conduct surveillance for diseases potentially transmitted by food to monitor trends and outbreaks to aid prevention efforts. However, only a small proportion of cases are reported to the health departments because infections due to some pathogens are not notifiable and patients do not seek medical attention or receive a specific diagnosis for their illness.

The achievement of various development goals, including the overarching goal of poverty reduction, in part depends on a successful reduction of the burden of FBD, particularly among vulnerable groups. Without reliable information on disease burden, policy-makers cannot assess the effectiveness of their investment in FBD prevention and control nor reduce their burden.

1.2. Factors Affecting Burden of FBD

The factors responsible for emergence of FBD are almost similar to those, which affect an emergence of other infectious diseases. Few of the factors contributing to the increase in the FBD burden are: (1) increase in trade and travel, (2) newer food technologies, (3) changes in life style, (4) changes in animal husbandry, and (5) increase in the susceptible population. Changes in human demographics and behavior, industrial growth, international travel and commerce, microbial adaptation, economic development, and probable lacunae in the public health setup has played a major role in the emergence of these diseases.

The rise in cases due to Salmonella has been attributed to centralized food production and large-scale distribution in many countries. E. coli O571:H7 was one of the first recognized human pathogen and was found during an outbreak associated with consumption of undercooked hamburgers from a fastfood restaurant chain. Increased susceptibility of population to FBD is associated with comorbities, namely, immunodeficiency states; chronic illnesses; changes in eating pattern among individuals; emergence of food eateries, such as, fast food restaurants; poor awareness of food safety; and inadequate public health infrastructure.

The food we eat is sourced from several places around the globe and distributed over large distances. This global trade provides opportunities for the exporting countries to earn foreign exchange and drives the increase in the standard-of-living in the developing countries. Not only have supply chains become longer, but the global trade in food has become more specialized also. International travel has also contributed to the global burden of FBD. Changes in the globalization of food trade have important implications for food safety. The increase in imported foods and food ingredients suggests that we depend on the food-safety systems of other countries. The reliance on the centralized production of foods has a disadvantage; when a problem occurs, it can lead to a widespread outbreak. In this setting, contaminated food can rapidly cause a geographically widespread or “dispersed scenario” type of FBD outbreak.

Pathogenic (disease-causing) microorganisms can be introduced at any point i...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title page
• Table of Contents
• Copyright
• List of Contributors
• About the Editors
• Acknowledgments
• Introduction
• Section 1: Epidemiological aspects of foodborne diseases
• Section 2: Food safety issues in contemporary society
• Section 3: Food contamination and adulteration
• Section 4: Food safety from farm-to-fork
• Section 5: Food safety is a shared responsibility: role of various stakeholders in implementing food safety
• Section 6: Food safety in large eating establishments
• Section 7: Food safety in small eating establishments and in special situations
• Section 8: Domestic regulatory scenario of food safety and interface of food safety laws, standards, regulations, and policies at the international level
• Section 9: Food safety concerns in context of newer developments in agriculture/food science/food processing
• Index