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Food
safety is a shared responsibility of everyone involved in the food
chain from farm to fork. This includes primary producers, food companies,
establishments which serve food, and consumers. At the farm level,
there are critical control points at every stage in animal rearing
and crop agriculture where contamination of produce can be minimised
by following good practices. After slaughtering, for example, inspections
are carried out to separate diseased meat from healthy meat, However,
even healthy animals can carry human pathogens and their meat can
also become contaminated during slaughtering. These pathogens can
be difficult to eradicate.
Fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs can also become contaminated if they
are fertilised with animal manure or come into contact with impure water.
Crop plants may be treated to destroy pathogens - for example using
biocidal washes - but such treatments are not always carried out. At
the food manufacturer level, the majority of companies have in-house
quality assurance systems to ensure the safe production of food. Throughout
the European Union, there are moves towards less prescriptive regulation
and greater emphasis on industry responsibility. Measures currently
used to help prevent contaminated food from reaching the consumer include:
- using
good quality raw materials from assured suppliers.
- following
Good Manufacturing Practices. Using management systems which allow
the identification, monitoring and control of hazards during production,
processing and sale of food.
- providing
training programmes for all food industry personnel.
- carrying
out research on pathogens and how best to control them.
- exchanging
information on food safety
At the next level of the food chain from farm to fork, many foodborne
diseases occur either as a result of mishandling in catering establishments
or in the home. A number of simple rules are recommended by the World
Health Organization to ensure the safe preparation of foods:
- avoid
contact between raw and cooked foods, to reduce the risk of cross-contamination.
Wash hands before handling and after handling raw foods, to mimalise
possible contamination.
- cook
food thoroughly in order to kill any microbes present. All parts
of the food should reach a temperature of at least 70 degrees Celsius.
- cool
cooked foods as quickly as possible and then refrigerate. This slows
down or stops microbial growth, which occurs best at 10-60 degrees
Celsius.
- reheat
cooked foods thoroughly, to kill tiny microbes which may have developed
during storage.
- keep
all kitchen surfaces clean to prevent cross-contamination.
- protect foods from insects, rodents and other animals which may
carry pathogenic microbes.
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