Parasites and Food: Ripe for Exploitation

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Parasites and Food: Ripe for Exploitation MURDOCH RESEARCH REPOSITORY This is the author’s final version of the work, as accepted for publication following peer review but without the publisher’s layout or pagination. The definitive version is available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.pt.2013.09.006 Thompson, R.C.A. (2014) Parasites and food: ripe for exploitation. Trends in Parasitology, 30 (1). pp. 1-3. http://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/20310/ Copyright: 2013 Elsevier Ltd. Parasites and food: ripe for exploitation R.C. Andrew Thompson School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA 6150, Australia Parasites are often exploited for emotive or political purposes. This is especially so for a number of foodborne parasitic zoonoses, where this exploitation may not necessarily best serve the public good. Keywords: Toxoplasma; Taenia solium; Trichinella; foodborne; media; politics The media Toxoplasma must be one of the most susceptible parasites for media exploitation. The association of Toxoplasma with congenital disease and abortion during pregnancy was understood from the late 1930s but once the role of the cat as the definitive host was reported in 1969 [1] the cat has been vilified in the media with alarmist and often misleading reports. Admittedly, it has taken longer to determine the importance of foodborne transmission in the epidemiology of Toxoplasma infections in humans, but this risk factor has been known for at least the past 30 years. Cats generally shed oocysts only once in their lifetime, for a period of approximately 2 weeks [2], and thus the chances of transmission to humans is limited although oocysts can survive in the environment for variable periods depending on temperature and moisture (reviewed in [3]). Given the diversity of intermediate hosts that can act as sources of meat for human consumption and the reported high rates of infection in various domestic and wild food animals globally, transmission via food is an important risk factor. Further, transmission is not necessarily as a consequence of eating raw or undercooked meat, but handling meat during food preparation and not washing hands is also an important risk factor (reviewed in [3]). But, it would seem that given the chance, the media will grasp the opportunity to denigrate the cat and distort the facts knowing that the emotional aspects will guarantee a readership. This happened recently following the release of a UK Government report by the Food Standards Agency on Toxoplasma in the Food Chain. The Agency's media release did not mention the cat (http://www.food.gov.uk/news-updates/news/2012/sep/toxoplasma#.UjExC-ASgtw), and the focus of the full report (www.food.gov.uk/multimedia/pdfs/committee/acmsfrtaxopasm.pdf) was on the importance of foodborne transmission, yet the report resulted in a global burst of hysterical, cat orientated, media reports with headlines such as ‘Cat infection being passed on to thousands’ (http://news.sky.com/story/980722/cat-infection-being-passed-on-to-thousands; Figure 1). This was further compounded by publication of a review on Toxoplasma oocyst contamination in the USA[4], where the risk posed to vulnerable populations from eating undercooked or raw meat was not accurately portrayed, even if oocyst shedding by cats is a source of meat contamination, although vertical transmission must also be considered [5]. Urban expansion and the recolonization of wildlife habitats in urban areas by wildlife species will expose them to Toxoplasma [6]. Sources of infection include environmental contamination by domestic cats but also food, particularly meat scraps left in gardens to encourage wildlife. In Perth, recent cases of neurological disease in bandicoots taken to wildlife carers has been shown to be due to Toxoplasma infection, most likely as a result of eating household scraps, but local media reports put the blame on cats (http://www.inmycommunity.com.au/news-and-views/local-news/Bandicoots- under-threat/7614966/), thus missing an opportunity for community education [7]. There is clearly a need to educate and limit such misleading media reports. It was therefore gratifying to see that a recent media splurge concerning a parasite-infected rock star proved very educational (http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/music/frenzal-rhomb-frontman-jay-whalley-reveals-pig- tapeworm-egg-infected-his-brain/story-e6frfn09-1226587106839). The band member required surgery to remove a cysticercus ofTaenia solium from his brain forcing the band to cancel a tour of Australia. This received considerable media exposure including detailed interviews with the affected band member. The fact that he is a vegetarian and his questioning of how he could have therefore become infected with a ‘pig tapeworm’ resulted in the valuable explanation by the quoted doctor that T. solium eggs are shed by human definitive hosts, and poor personal hygiene is a risk factor for Figure 1. Cats are not the enemy. Some media reports following release of a UK Government report by the Food Standards Agency on Toxoplasma in the Food Chain, in 2012. contracting neurocysticercosis, something that is not often stressed in information given to tourists going to areas where T. solium is endemic. Politics Trichinellosis in humans is typically related to cultural food practices (e.g., [8]), including the consumption of raw, undercooked, fermented, or cured meat, and there has been an increasing reliance on testing to demonstrate food safety [9]. With the control ofTrichinella, much of the emphasis has focused on domestic environments and the role of pigs and synanthropic hosts such as the rat in transmission. However, globally, wildlife are now seen as playing the major role in maintaining cycles of transmission [10]. Anthropogenic activities may exacerbate opportunities for spillover from wildlife to domestic foci, which may threaten biosecurity for pig producers [7]. Thus, there are growing demands for producers, not only to demonstrate that their pigs are Trichinellafree but that there is no risk of Trichinella infection spilling over to their pigs from wildlife. The situation is exacerbated by the insensitivity of current diagnostic assays used in meat inspection and the growing demand for free-range pork 11 and 12. It appears that political maneuvering associated with market access may be serving to artificially inflate this as an issue. This appears to be the case in the UK where there is a perceived need for data gathering and assessment of Trichinella in UK wildlife even though it has rarely been detected in the past [13]. In practice, however, end product testing in countries where trichinellosis is endemic is best suited to initially validate and then verify risk management along the supply chain. There remains the potential for meat and wildlife testing to be required for trade and market access purposes disguised under the cloak of food safety. From a global perspective, trade oriented policy should not trump public health obligations in dealing with Trichinella in the food supply chain. In less well developed countries where meat testing and post-processing controls cannot be reliably applied, an emphasis on improving primary production practices rather than post-slaughter testing would in all likelihood result in a decrease in disease burden. Reduced incidence in humans will not be achieved by advocating for post- slaughter controls in resource poor countries. Many developing countries are experiencing a boom in tourist numbers together with an increasing local demand for meat. Where Trichinella is endemic in the meat supply chain and local food customs include eating raw or undercooked meat, there is a high risk of becoming infected. This may have particular importance for tourists partaking in ‘food adventurism’. Sage advice for tourists to avoid undercooked, cured, and fermented meat dishes when visiting developing countries would undoubtedly improve the travel experience and prevent tourists returning home with unwanted internal companions. Travel related trichinellosis is well documented 14 and 15, and this advice would equally apply to wild game hunting tourists visiting areas of endemic trichinellosis. Take home message Foodborne parasites need not be exploited for emotive or political purposes. The public are best served by accurate and measured information upon which to make informed decisions. References 1. Hutchison, W.M. et al. (1969) Life cycle of Toxoplasma gondii. Br. Med. J. 4, 806 2. Tenter, A.M. et al. (2000) Toxoplasma gondii: from animals to humans. Int. J. Parasitol. 30, 1217– 1258 3. Food Standards Australia New Zealand (2013) Toxoplasma gondii. In Agents of Foodborne Illness. (2nd edn), pp. 103–114, Food Standards Australia New Zealand 4. Torrey, E.F. and Yolken, R.H. (2013) Toxoplasma oocysts as a public health problem. Trends Parasitol. 29, 380–384 5. Hide, G. et al. (2009) Evidence for high levels of vertical transmission in Toxoplasma gondii. Parasitology 136, 1877–1885 6. Lehrer, E.W. et al. (2010) Prevalence of antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii in woodchucks across an urban-rural gradient. J. Wildl. Dis. 46, 977–980 7. Thompson, R.C.A. (2013) Parasite zoonoses and wildlife: One health, spillover and human activity. Int. J. Parasitol. 43, 1079– 1088 8. Jenkins, E.J. et al. (2013) Tradition and transition: parasitic zoonoses of people and animals in Alaska, northern Canada, and Greenland. Adv. Parasitol. 82, 33–204 9. Dorny, P. et al. (2009) Emerging food-borne parasites. Vet. Parasitol. 163, 196–206 10. Pozio, E. et al. (2009) Molecular taxonomy, phylogeny and biogeography of nematodes in the Trichinella genus. Infect. Genet. Evol. 9, 606–616 11. Newell, D.G. et al. (2010) Food-borne diseases – the challenges of 20 years ago still persist while new ones continue to emerge. Int. J. Food Microbiol. 139, S3–S15 12. van der Giessen, J. et al. (2013) How safe is the meat inspection based on artificial digestion of pooled samples for Trichinella in pork? A scenario from wildlife to a human patient in a non-endemic region of Europe.
Recommended publications
  • Producing and Sharing Allergen Information a Guide for Early Years Settings in England
    Eat better, start better Producing and sharing allergen information A guide for early years settings in England. Introduction New allergen labelling requirements were introduced in December 2014. This guide outlines the changes and provides information to help you meet them. The new requirements There is no known cure for food allergies. People with allergies need to avoid the foods The new laws require food businesses to which they are allergic. To do this, they including restaurants, cafes, hospitals, early need accurate ingredients information about years settings and schools providing non- the allergens that are present in food and prepacked food to provide information drinks – whether prepacked, or provided by about the allergens present as ingredients an early years setting or other food business. in the food they serve. These requirements are included in EU and UK laws1,2 and apply Early years settings are required to obtain across Europe. information about children’s special dietary requirements – including food allergies and intolerances – before they attend, and record and act on the information provided about Why is it important to provide 4 allergen information? children’s dietary needs. It is important that requests for special In the UK, it is estimated that around 2 diets are handled sensitively and million people (1-2% of adults and 5-8% of appropriately, and this can be included children) have a food allergy.3 This is when as part of a policy, describing how the body’s immune system reacts unusually these are managed, and a procedure to a specific food, because it mistakenly to follow.
    [Show full text]
  • Acdp-M-Bovis-Working-Group.Pdf
    1 Report of the Advisory Committee on Dangerous Pathogens, Mycobacterium bovis Working Group Introduction Bovine tuberculosis (bTB1), caused by Mycobacterium bovis (see Appendix 1), poses a significant and growing animal health and economic problem in the UK. Although historically an important zoonosis, and still so in many parts of the world, a combination of pasteurisation of milk (raw milk is the main source of human infection (de la Rua-Domenech, 2006)) and regular testing of cattle, and culling of those found to test positive on herd screening, has reduced the zoonotic risk enormously, such that bTB is no longer seen as a major zoonotic problem in the UK. However, the number of ‘reactor’ cattle (i.e. cattle testing positive for bTB) slaughtered each year has risen in recent years from 5,200 in 2001 to more than 30,000 per year (National Statistics, 2014). Furthermore, although the number of human cases diagnosed in the UK each year is small, the death in 2013 from bTB of a person who had worked in an abattoir raised the issue of a potentially growing risk of occupational infection. In November 2013, this issue was brought before ACDP, who agreed to set up a Working Group with the purpose of assessing the risks of M. bovis exposure and transmission to those who work in abattoirs and similar facilities handling cattle known or suspected to be infected with M. bovis. The Working Group was tasked with producing a report for ACDP that would provide an evidence base for future ACDP guidance on risk and risk management options in abattoirs dealing with cattle to be applied in this particular occupational setting.
    [Show full text]
  • An Evaluation of the Uk Food Standards Agencys Salt
    HEALTH ECONOMICS Health Econ. 22: 243–250 (2013) Published online 6 January 2012 in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com). DOI: 10.1002/hec.2772 HEALTH ECONOMICS LETTER AN EVALUATION OF THE UK FOOD STANDARDS AGENCY’S SALT CAMPAIGN BHAVANI SHANKARc,*, JOSE BRAMBILA-MACIASa, BRUCE TRAILLa, MARIO MAZZOCCHIb and SARA CAPACCIb aUniversity of Reading, Berkshire, UK bUniversity of Bologna, Bologna, Italy cLeverhulme Centre for Integrative Research on Agriculture and Health and School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, London, UK ABSTRACT Excessive salt intake is linked to cardiovascular disease and several other health problems around the world. The UK Food Standards Agency initiated a campaign at the end of 2004 to reduce salt intake in the population. There is disagreement over whether the campaign was effective in curbing salt intake or not. We provide fresh evidence on the impact of the campaign, by using data on spot urinary sodium readings and socio-demographic variables from the Health Survey for England over 2003–2007 and combining it with food price information from the Expenditure and Food Survey. Aggregating the data into a pseudo-panel, we estimate fixed effects models to examine the trend in salt intake over the period and to deduce the het- erogeneous effects of the policy on the intake of socio-demographic groups. Our results are consistent with a previous hy- pothesis that the campaign reduced salt intakes by approximately 10%. The impact is shown to be stronger among women than among men. Older cohorts of men show a larger response to the salt campaign compared to younger cohorts, while among women, younger cohorts respond more strongly than older cohorts.
    [Show full text]
  • Food Standards Agency Departmental Report
    Putting the Consumer First Departmental Report Spring 2005 This is part of a series of Departmental Reports (Cm6521 to 6548) which, along with the Main Estimates, the document Public Expenditure: Statistical Analyses 2005, and the Supply Estimates 2005-06: Supplementary Budgetary Information, present the Government’s expenditure plans for 2005-2008. The complete set of Departmental Reports and Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses 2005 is also available as a set at a discounted price. Food Standards Agency Departmental Report Presented to Parliament by the Secretary of State for Health and the Chief Secretary to the Treasury by Command of Her Majesty June 2005 Cm 6525 £17.00 © Crown copyright 2005 The text in this document (excluding the Royal Arms and departmental logos) may be reproduced free of charge in any format or medium provided that it is reproduced accurately and not used in a misleading context. The material must be acknowledged as Crown copyright and the title of the document specified. Any enquiries relating to the copyright in this document should be addressed to The Licensing Division, HMSO, St Clements House, 2–16 Colegate, Norwich, NR3 1BQ. Fax: 01603 723000 or email: [email protected] Departmental Report Spring 2005 Contents Page Foreword 3 Chapter 1: Who we are and what we do 5 Chapter 2: How we are doing 9 Chapter 3: Better regulation 39 Chapter 4: The next five years – our Strategic Plan 49 Appendix 1: About the FSA 54 Appendix 2: Our Chief Executive and Board 58 Appendix 3: How we are organised 62 Appendix 4: Performance against Spending Review 2002 Service Delivery 64 Agreement targets Appendix 5: Common core tables 73 Appendix 6: Expert and strategic advisory committees 80 Appendix 7: Glossary of terms 81 The purpose of this report is to present to Parliament and the public a clear and informative account of the expenditure, activities and performance of the Food Standards This report and those of 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004 are available on our website at Agency.
    [Show full text]
  • FSA Nutrient and Food Based Guidelines for UK Institutions
    www.food.gov.uk FSA nutrient and food based guidelines for UK institutions Revised October 2007 - 1 - Healthy Eating Advice 1. The Government recommends that all individuals should consume a diet that contains: • plenty of starchy foods such as rice, bread, pasta and potatoes (choosing wholegrain varieties when possible) • plenty of fruit and vegetables; at least 5 portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables a day • some protein-rich foods such as meat, fish, eggs, beans and non dairy sources of protein, such as nuts and pulses • some milk and dairy, choosing reduced fat versions or eating smaller amounts of full fat versions or eating them less often • just a little saturated fat, salt and sugar 2. The Eatwell plate is a pictorial representation of the proportion that different food groups should make to the diet. This representation of food intake relates to individuals over the age of 5. 3. Although most individuals should be able to get all the nutrients they need from following a healthy balanced diet, certain groups within the population may need to take supplements, these include: - 2 - • Women who could become pregnant or who are planning a pregnancy are advised to take an additional 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid per day as a supplement from before conception until the 12th week of pregnancy. In addition to this, they should also eat folate rich foods such as, green vegetables, brown rice and fortified breakfast cereals (making a total of 600 mcg of folate per day from both folate rich foods and a supplement). Pregnant and breastfeeding women should also take a daily 10mcg supplement of vitamin D.
    [Show full text]
  • Legal Definition of Foods That Would Be Included in Food Advertising Restrictions
    Legal definition of foods that would be included in food advertising restrictions High Fat, Sugar and salt foods (HFSS) The term ‘junk food’ is not used. Foods and drinks high in fat, sugar and salt (HFSS) are disproportionately marketed and promoted to children in Australia [1‐4]. Excess consumption of these HFSS foods, usually energy dense and with relatively little nutrient content, is considered detrimental to health and counter to the recommendations of the Australian Dietary Guidelines[5]. In terms of food and drink products marketed to children, the majority fall within the ‘Big Five’ product categories: pre‐sugared breakfast cereals, soft drinks, confectionery, savoury snacks and fast food outlets[6]. The legal definition is based on the UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) extensive nutrient profiling of foods to define a criteria for the purpose of Ofcom broadcasting restrictions to reduce the exposure of children to television advertising of foods high in fat, sugar or salt. The nutrient profiling model (NPM) was used to differentiate these foods while encouraging the promotion of healthier alternatives. The FSA NPM underwent rigorous scientific scrutiny and extensive consultation. It has strong backing from a wide range of nutritional experts including the independent Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) and is supported by Public Health and Broadcasting Ministers. The FSA's NP model uses a straightforward scoring system which recognises the contribution made by beneficial nutrients that are particularly important in children's diets (protein, fibre, fruit and vegetables, and nuts) and penalises food with components that children should eat less of (energy, saturated fats, salt and sugars).
    [Show full text]
  • The Eatwell Guide Helping You Eat a Healthy, Balanced Diet
    The Eatwell Guide Helping you eat a healthy, balanced diet Public Health England in association with the Welsh Government, Food Standards Scotland and the Food Standards Agency in Northern Ireland. Get started now Eating well and having a healthy lifestyle can help us feel our best – and make a big difference to our long-term health. So why not make a change today? The Eatwell Guide shows the proportions in which different types of foods are needed to have a well-balanced and healthy diet. The proportions shown are representative of your food consumption over the period of a day or even a week, not necessarily each meal time. Is the Eatwell Guide for me? The Eatwell Guide applies to most people regardless of weight, dietary restrictions/ preferences or ethnic origin. However, it doesn’t apply to children under 2 because they have different nutritional needs. Between the ages of 2 and 5, children should gradually move to eating the same foods as the rest of the family, in the proportions shown on the Eatwell Guide. Anyone with special dietary requirements or medical needs might want to check with a registered dietitian on how to adapt the Eatwell Guide to meet their individual needs. How can the Eatwell Guide help? The Eatwell Guide shows the different types of foods and drinks we should consume – and in what proportions – to have a healthy, balanced diet. • Eat at least 5 portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables every day • Base meals on potatoes, bread, rice, pasta or other starchy carbohydrates; choosing wholegrain versions where possible • Have some dairy or dairy alternatives (such as soya drinks); choosing lower fat and lower sugar options • Eat some beans, pulses, fish, eggs, meat and other proteins (including 2 portions of fish every week, one of which should be oily) • Choose unsaturated oils and spreads and eat in small amounts • Drink 6-8 cups/glasses of fluid a day If consuming foods and drinks high in fat, salt or sugar have these less often and in small amounts.
    [Show full text]
  • Water Fluoridation
    Water Fluoridation Health monitoring report for England 2018 Water Fluoridation: Health monitoring report for England 2018 About Public Health England Public Health England exists to protect and improve the nation’s health and wellbeing, and reduce health inequalities. We do this through world-leading science, knowledge and intelligence, advocacy, partnerships and the delivery of specialist public health services. We are an executive agency of the Department of Health and Social Care, and a distinct delivery organisation with operational autonomy. We provide government, local government, the NHS, Parliament, industry and the public with evidence-based professional, scientific and delivery expertise and support. Public Health England Wellington House 133-155 Waterloo Road London SE1 8UG Tel: 020 7654 8000 www.gov.uk/phe Twitter: @PHE_uk Facebook: www.facebook.com/PublicHealthEngland © Crown copyright 2018 You may re-use this information (excluding logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0. To view this licence, visit OGL. Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned. Published March 2018 PHE publications PHE supports the UN gateway number: 2017777 Sustainable Development Goals 2 Water Fluoridation: Health monitoring report for England 2018 Contents About Public Health England 2 Glossary of acronyms 5 Short lay summary 7 Executive summary 9 Background 9 Methods 9 Results and discussion 11 Conclusion
    [Show full text]
  • Food Allergen Labelling and Information: Technical Guidance
    Food allergen labelling and information requirements Technical Guidance Published: June 2020 Revision history Revision Date Purpose of revision Revised by number 2 18 June Complete document has been Food Allergy, 2020 updated into the latest FSA Intolerance and guidance format. Additional text Food and examples have been added on Hypersensitivity prepacked for direct sale Team specifically paragraphs 16 to 18, 86 to 99 and the Reference and Resources page, Paragraph 32 has also been updated in light of Regulation 828/2014. References to Scotland have been removed throughout the document. 1 10 April Updated advice in paras 1, 10, 14 - Food Allergy 2015 20, 31, 33, 34, 36, 39, 40, 48 – 50, Branch 52, 55, 56, 58, 59, 65, 66 (example), 72, 73, 74 – 76, 78, 79, 82, 83, 90 – 93, 95 – 98 and References and Resources page FSA Food Allergen Labelling and Information Requirements: Technical Guidance – June 2020 2 Summary Purpose This publication aims to help food businesses follow allergen labelling requirements. It will also help authorised food officers enforce these measures. Legal status This is best practice and regulatory guidance intended to accompany the allergen provisions of the EU Regulation on the provision of food information to consumers (Regulation (EU) No. 1169/2011) and Food Information Regulations 2014 (SI 2014/1855) as amended and corresponding Regulations in Wales, and Northern Ireland. Intended Audience This guidance is for: • all food manufacturers, importers and producers • retailers, institutional caterers and other food businesses • packers • enforcement authorities Applicable to which UK Nations • England • Wales • Northern Ireland Review date We will review this guidance before December 2021.
    [Show full text]
  • View Food Handlers and Norovirus Transmission: Report As
    Food handlers and Norovirus transmission: Social science insights Report Ipsos MORI Social Science Research Unit Food Standards Agency June 2017 © Crown Copyright 2017 15-072565-01-01 | Final | Public | This work was carried out in accordance with the requirements of the international quality standard for Market Research, ISO 20252:2012, and with the Ipsos MORI Terms and Conditions which can be found at http://www.ipsos-mori.com/terms. © Food Standards Agency 2017. June 2017 Food Handlers and Norovirus transmission (FS101143) Report prepared for the Food Standards Agency 15-072565-01-01 | Final | Public | This work was carried out in accordance with the requirements of the international quality standard for Market Research, ISO 20252:2012, and with the Ipsos MORI Terms and Conditions which can be found at http://www.ipsos-mori.com/terms. © Food Standards Agency 2017. Ipsos MORI | June 2017 | FINAL | © Crown Copyright 2017 Acknowledgements This project was funded by the Food Standards Agency (FSA). The authors would like to thank the FSA and Dr. Lou Atkins at University College London for their support and advice in delivering this research. They would also like to thank the FSA’s appointed external reviewers for their input during the reporting stage. We would also like to thank all the Food Business Operators (FBOs) and food handlers who agreed to accommodate our researchers and were willing to discuss their views and behaviours related to food hygiene and norovirus. Finally, the authors would like to thank Dr Sinead Watson, Queens, University Belfast, and Dr Yun Yun Gong, University of Leeds for their help with the scoping review; as well as the Ipsos MORI project team for their help with fieldwork and analysis.
    [Show full text]
  • Food Standards Agency Guidance on the Safety and Shelf-Life of Vacuum and Modified Atmosphere Packed Chilled Foods with Respec
    Food Standards Agency Guidance on the Safety and Shelf-life of Vacuum and Modified Atmosphere Packed Chilled Foods with Respect to Non-proteolytic Clostridium botulinum November 2007 CONTENTS Page Contents 1 Scope and purpose of this guide 2 Introduction 2 Non-proteolytic C. botulinum and foodborne botulism 3 Factors controlling growth and toxin production by non-proteolytic C. botulinum in chilled foods 3 Decision Tree: determining the shelf-life of VP/MAP products stored 4 above 3°C Background information on the specific controlling factors for foods in 5 which a shelf-life of longer than 10 days is indicated • Heat Treatment 6 • Acidity of the Food 6 • Sodium Chloride (NaCl) Content 6 • Water Activity 7 • Other Controlling Factors 7 • The uses and limitations of Predictive Growth Models 7 Practice of Repackaging VP/MAP foods 7 More specific advice to Local Authority Food Law Enforcement 8 Officers and Food Business Operators Glossary 13 1 SCOPE AND PURPOSE OF THIS GUIDE 1. The guidance is recommended for use by manufacturers and retailers of chilled vacuum and modified atmosphere packed (VP/MAP) foods, and to assist in the practical development of HACCP (hazard analysis and critical control points) for these foods1. It is designed to meet the needs of all levels of expertise, from technical managers in large enterprises to small businesses and individuals. The guidance is also designed to help Food Law Enforcement Officers carrying out their enforcement duties. 2. The guidance summarises the advice of the Advisory Committee on the Microbiological Safety of Food (ACMSF) Report on Vacuum Packaging and Associated Processes2, the Industry Code of Practice for the Manufacture of Vacuum and Modified Atmosphere Packaged Chilled Foods3 and the recommendations found in the ACMSF 2006 Report available at: http://acmsf.food.gov.uk/acmsfreps/acmsfannualreports4.
    [Show full text]
  • Ensuring Food Safety and Standards
    A picture of the National Audit Office logo Report by the Comptroller and Auditor General Food Standards Agency Ensuring food safety and standards HC 2217 SESSION 2017–2019 12 JUNE 2019 Our vision is to help the nation spend wisely. Our public audit perspective helps Parliament hold government to account and improve public services. The National Audit Office (NAO) helps Parliament hold government to account for the way it spends public money. It is independent of government and the civil service. The Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG), Gareth Davies, is an Officer of the House of Commons and leads the NAO. The C&AG certifies the accounts of all government departments and many other public sector bodies. He has statutory authority to examine and report to Parliament on whether government is delivering value for money on behalf of the public, concluding on whether resources have been used efficiently, effectively and with economy. The NAO identifies ways that government can make better use of public money to improve people’s lives. It measures this impact annually. In 2018 the NAO’s work led to a positive financial impact through reduced costs, improved service delivery, or other benefits to citizens, of £539 million. Food Standards Agency Ensuring food safety and standards Report by the Comptroller and Auditor General Ordered by the House of Commons to be printed on 10 June 2019 This report has been prepared under Section 6 of the National Audit Act 1983 for presentation to the House of Commons in accordance with Section 9 of the Act Gareth Davies Comptroller and Auditor General National Audit Office 7 June 2019 HC 2217 | £10.00 This report examines the effectiveness of the current regulatory arrangements to ensure that food is safe to eat and is what it says it is.
    [Show full text]