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Part I
Introduction, Genomics, Proteomics, and Bioinformatics
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CHAPTER 1
Food Quality and Food Safety
An Introduction
Umar Farooq, Afshan Shafi, Muhammad Shahbaz, Muhammad Zaki Khan, Khizar Hayat, Muhammad Baqir, and Mariam Iqbal
Contents
1.1 Introduction
1.2 Food Quality
1.3 Food Safety
1.3.1 Foodborne Illnesses
1.3.2 Traceability
1.3.3 Food Biotechnology
1.3.4 GMO Food Regulations
1.4 Food Quality and Safety Standards
1.4.1 Food Quality Standard (ISO 9001)
1.4.2 Food Safety Standards
1.4.2.1 British Retail Consortium
1.4.2.2 International Food Standard
1.4.2.3 Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point
1.4.2.4 ISO 22000
1.4.2.5 Food Distribution Systems
1.5 Conclusion
References
1.1 Introduction
Food and Agriculture Organizations (FAOs) characterize food quality as being “a dynamic aspect of food, which defines its significance or acceptability by consumers.” While the nutritional value as well as the physiological and sensory attributes of a food corresponds to its presumed quality, another factor is the safety of a food. A safe food is one devoid of contaminants that may jeopardize a person’s health. The hierarchy of responsibility for food safety was quite limited during prehistoric times, when human groups were primarily composed of hunter-gatherers and their relatives. But, as communities began to grow larger and more diverse, and as trade routes broadened and food was transported across long distances, the burden to provide safe food became more prominent. In recent decades, food safety control programs have been established, such as Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP), Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP), and Good Hygiene Practice (GHP). “Food safety” is a confirmation that food is fit for consumption. Characterizing two other terms–“toxicity” and “hazard”–can enhance our understanding of food safety. Toxicity is a substance’s potential under any circumstances to cause damage or injury of some sort. Hazard is the associative risk of damage or injury if a product is not used in a controlled way. There are three main categories of hazards i.e. physical, chemical, and biological as shown in Table 1.1.
TABLE 1.1 Potential Hazards in Food (FDA 2016)
Hazard Category | Hazard Sub-Category | Examples |
Biological | Bacteria | Bacillus cereus (B. cereus) |
Campylobacter jejuni (C. jejuni) |
Clostridium botulinum (C. botulinum) |
Clostridium perfringens (C. perfringens) |
Shiga-toxin producing Escherichia coli such as O157:H7 (E. coli O157:H7) |
Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes) |
Salmonella spp. |
Shigella spp. |
Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) |
Protozoa and parasites | Cryptosporidium parvum |
Cyclospora cayetanensis |
Giardia lamblia (G. intestinalis) |
Trichinella spiralis |
Viruses | Norovirus |
Hepatitis A |
Rotavirus |
Chemical | Pesticide residues | Organophosphates |
| Carbamates |
| Chlorinated hydrocarbons |
| Pyrethroids |
|
Heavy metals | Lead |
| Arsenic |
| Cadmium |
| Mercury |
|
Drug residues (veterinary antibiotics) | Chloramphenicol |
| Beta-lactams |
|
Industrial chemicals | Ammonia |
|
Environmental contaminants | Dioxins |
|
Mycotoxins | Aflatoxin |
| Patulin |
| Ochratoxin |
| Fumonisin |
| Deoxynivalenol |
|
Allergens | Milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, and soybeans (commonly called “the Big 8”) |
|
Unapproved colors and additives | FD&C Red #4 |
| Melamine |
|
Substances associated with a food intolerance or food disorder | Lactose |
| Yellow #5 |
| | Sulfites |
| | Carmine and cochineal |
| | Gluten |
|
| Radionuclides | Radium 226 and 228 |
| | Uranium 235 and 238 |
| | Strontium 90 |
| | Cesium 137 |
| | Iodine 131 |
Physical | — | Metal |
| | Glass |
| | Hard plastic |
1.2 Food Quality
Food quality encompasses environmental factors including physical appearance (size, gloss, color, consistency, and shape), flavor, and microbial, chemical, nutritional, and physical aspects (Perez-Gago et al. 2006). It applies not only to the physical characteristics of food but also to the manner in which the end consumer perceives the product (Grunert 2005). This includes the microbial, textural, and flavor dimensions. Quality assurance is responsible for the production, auditing, distribution, certification, and expense of food as well as the technical advancements that generate greater productivity and reduce costs. New technological advancements include time-temperature integrators, measures that are used to enhance temperature control across the distribution network (Giannakourou and Taoukis 2003) thereby improving the shelf life of food items (Dalgaard et al. 2002; Raab et al. 2008). The Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI), British Retail Consortium (BRC), International Organization for Standardization (ISO), Safe Quality Food (SQF), and International Food Standard (IFS), are by far the most significant quality control systems in the food industry.
Food quality is an essential prerequisite for food production, since food consumers are vulnerable to any sort of infection which may arise even during the production process. Most customers also depend on quality and processing standards to identify ingredients related to dietary (kosher, halal, vegetarian), nutritional needs, or medical circumstances (diabetes and allergic reactions).
In addition to product consistency, sanitation criteria often apply. It is critical to ensure that the food manufacturing system is just as healthy as possible so that the customer receives the safest food possible.
Food safety also coincides with product traceability, tracking the suppliers of ingredients in case of a product recall. This also involves concerns related to labeling to ascertain that listed ingredients are accurate and that complete details related to nutrition are included. Food quality seems to have become a dominant focus in agriculture and food processing, and a challenging technical and scientific discourse on the concept of quality is currently under way. Dramatic incidents of food contaminated with toxins from dioxin, hormones, pesticides, and BSE, and also the rising number of pollution-related cancers, concentrate the focus of consumers and industry on food safety.
Respect for the past is gaining momentum through a new perception of efficiency, the modern definition of which is summed up in a product’s “price profile” which involves multiple aspects of its quality. Infact, manufacturers and consumers are now making proposals for reliable warranty and quality. Performance requires a profound restructuring of farming and technology for development. Control structures, quality requirements, and the entire management of the company must be reviewed according to this new perspective.
Scientific organizations may assist producers by establishing novel technologies (biological, operational and computerized), based on quality and safety considerations. Evaluation of food composition and emerging food processing techniques are the primary objectives of this approach, and they have resulted in significant improvements in the production and distribution of some food groups (organic foods and light products) over the past few decades.
Farmers continue to work to achieve strategic targets intended to meet both the requirements of industrial processes and the safety regulations in order to enhance their productivity in the global marketplace. The development of crop variants including the use of modern cultivation and food preservation techniques (integrated pest control, conservation of cereal crops by cold storage) are some of the examples.
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