DOCSLIB.ORG

Food Safety – a Key to Healthy Life

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Food Safety – a Key to Healthy Life Journal of Nutritional Health & Food Engineering Review Article Open Access Food safety – a key to healthy life Abstract Volume 9 Issue 1 - 2019 Food safety is related to the presence of all those foodborne hazards, which makes food Shendurse AM,1 Sawale PD2 unsafe to consume and injurious to health, if consumed. Food safety is a basic need but 1Department of Dairy Chemistry, S. D. Agricultural University, there is a danger that it may be overlooked for process efficiency and economy. Food India reaches to consumers via supply chains consisting different types of organizations. 2Department of Dairy Technology, College of Dairy Technology, A critical issue in improving the level of food safety is an integrated approach of MAFSU, India controlling the safety of food during the entire food chain i.e. right through farm to the consumer’s table, but little is known about the characterization of safe food, Correspondence: Shendurse AM, Department of Dairy & the nature of food safety hazards, the establishment of acceptable hazard levels, the Food Chemistry, College of Dairy Science & Food Technology, strategy of food safety improvement and the methods for valuating the improvement. Sardarkrushinagar Dantiwada Agricultural University, The increasing incidences of foodborne diseases and its resultant social and economic Sardarkrushinagar - 385506, Dist.: Banaskantha, Gujarat (India), impact on the human population have brought food safety to the forefront of public Email health concerns. The considerable increase of illness caused by consuming unhygienic March 26, 2017 | February 07, 2019 food in both developed and developing countries has provided substantial impact on Received: Published: financial costs besides causing health hazards. This has necessitated the need for the development and introduction of new food safety standards and regulations to reach a higher level of food safety. Keywords: food, safety, hazards, health, illness Introduction due to underreporting and difficulty to establish causal relationships between food contamination and resulting illness or death. Food safety is considered as an important issue in the field of food processing and hygiene all over the world which have great public What is food safety? health implications. According to the Centers for Disease Control and According to Codex Alimentarius Commission,5 food safety Prevention estimates that each year roughly 48million people gets is to guarantee that food will not harm the consumer. Food safety sick from a foodborne illness, 128,000 are hospitalized, and 3,000 can be defined in a broad or in a morenarrow way.6 In the narrow die.1 This indicates the severity of food safety issues worldwide. Food sense, food safety can be defined as the opposite of food risk, i.e. Safety refers to all those hazards, which make food injurious to health. as the probability of not contracting a disease as a consequence of These hazards arise from inappropriate agricultural practices, poor consuming a certain food. In the broad sense, food safety can be sanitation at all stages of the food chain, lack of preventive controls in viewed as also encompassing nutritional qualities of food and more food processing operations, mishandling of chemicals, contaminated wide ranging concerns about the properties of unfamiliar foods, such inputs or improper storage and handling. Specific concerns about as many European consumers’ uneasiness about genetically modified the food hazards are microbiological and chemical contaminants, food. veterinary drug residues, pesticide residues, biological toxins and allergens. There are several important aspects, which should be Food control system considered to improve food safety. Also there exists the need of professional assistance to consumers regarding food safety issues.2 As the part of control and regulations, there are systems like Food is reached to consumers by passing through various supply National Food Control System, which play important role in chains of different types of organizations. One defective practice can protecting the consumers from unsafe food and ensure food safety. result in unsafe food leading to health hazards. In a food chain, the With elongated food chain, rapidly changing technologies, consumers’ food safety hazards can occur at any stage and hence adequate control negligence, unsafe food habits are challenges faced by the controlling throughout the supply chain is important. An integrated approach of systems. Therefore, it has become necessary to modernize the Food controlling food safety throughout the entire food production chain Control Systems. It should be more effective and comprehensive with (‘farm to table’) has become essential to attaining a greater level of science-based food law and regulations and an institutional structure, food safety.3 The checklist of the points to ensure food safety may go which is active and responds to the needs of food safety management. intensive, which is summarized categorically in Table 1. There should be provision for continuous monitoring, evaluation and amendments. The central, state and local authorities should Looking at the miserable status of food safety in the world, World play complementary and interdependent roles its’ implementation. Health Organization (WHO) stated the theme for World Health Day In Indian scenario, all these points will be applicable to the National for the year 2015 as “How safe is your food: From farm to plate, Food Safety system with the ultimate objective of protecting the make food safe.” The 2015 WHO report on the estimates of the global consumer.7 burden of foodborne diseases presented the first-ever estimates of disease burden caused by 31 foodborne agents (bacteria, viruses, In particular the Food Control System must: parasites, toxins and chemicals) at global and regional level. India has i. Make sure that only safe and wholesome foods are marketed also not remained untouched by the alarming situation of food safety as the frequent outbreaks of foodborne illnesses occur in all parts ii. Take decisions based on scientific procedures of India.4 Unfortunately, the burden of foodborne diseases to public iii. Empower authorities to detect sources of contamination and take health and welfare and to economy has often been underestimated Submit Manuscript | http://medcraveonline.com J Nutr Health Food Eng. 2019;9(1):10‒16. 10 ©2019 Shendurse et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and build upon your work non-commercially. Copyright: Food safety – a key to healthy life ©2019 Shendurse et al. 11 necessary preventive actions (Figure 1 highlights the sources of goals (self-regulation) and the external (certification) requirements food contamination). of buyers.8 In recent years, consumers’ confidence in the safety of food has been damaged mainly due to the effect of a number of food- iv. Enforce compliance by farmers, manufacturers, distributors, related crises. Many times we experience one or more episodes of importers and other stakeholders of the food supply chain foodborne illness, without ever knowing that it was food that caused v. Be transparent and promote public confidence.7 the illness. Generally, these illnesses are preventable if safe food handling practices are followed. As a consequence, consumers show Food safety is a combined work of food companies and public. growing concerns about food safety hazards and hence the demand The important economic incentives for companies to provide for safer food increases. The increased demand for safer food has led improved food safety arise from (1) public incentives such as ex ante to the introduction and development of new food safety regulations requirements for sale of a product with sufficient quality and ex post and standards to reach a goal of higher level of food safety. Moreover, penalties (liability) for sale of products with poor quality, and (2) consumers are willing to pay higher prices for safer foods having private incentives for producing quality such as internal performance premium quality.9,10 Table 1 Food Safety– “7” Points “to do”.36 Points to do Why? 1. Raw Materials Receiving Control Purchase raw materials from reliable and reputable sources i. Ensure hygienic quality of food only i. ii. Reject exposed food which looks, smells or tastes abnormal ii. Safe Food Starts with Safe ingredients iii. Keep a record of receiving iii. A good record helps investigation when food incident occurs Ensure the food is not beyond its durability; food is of the type you Read the label of prepackaged food, adopt first-in-first-out iv. iv. want; and follow the storage condition and the instruction for use for better rotation on food labels 2. Food Storage Bacteria in food grow and reproduce fast within dangerous tempe- Always keep i. i. rature zone from 4oC to 63oC ii. Raw meat and perishable food below 4oC iii. Cold foods cold (at 4oC or below) iv. Hot foods hot (at 63oC or above) v. Separate cooked food from raw food ii. Reduce risk of cross-contamination vi. Always place food on food shelf 0.5m above floor iii. Prevent contamination of food by floor or related activities vii. Inside the refrigerator: iv. Inside the refrigerator Food should be stored in impervious containers wrapped I. Prevent cross-contamination of food during storage with cling wrap or covered I. II. Enough space should be kept between trays of food II. Allow cold air to reach every part of refrigerator III. Store cooked food in shallow containers III. Allow fast cooling of cooked food Refrigeration only slows down bacterial growth but does not kill Perishable food should not be stored too long in refrigerator IV. IV. bacteria 3. Food Handling and cooking i. Wash all fresh food before cooking i. To wash away dirt adhered on food surface Cut chunky food (meat) into smaller pieces before cooking ii. Temperature used during cooking may not be sufficient to kill all Thaw frozen Vegetables, meat and poultry thoroughly ii. micro organisms if all parts are not completely thawed before cooking iii.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • The Safety Evaluation of Food Flavouring Substances
    Toxicology Research View Article Online REVIEW View Journal The safety evaluation of food flavouring substances: the role of metabolic studies Cite this: DOI: 10.1039/c7tx00254h Robert L. Smith,a Samuel M. Cohen, b Shoji Fukushima,c Nigel J. Gooderham,d Stephen S. Hecht,e F. Peter Guengerich, f Ivonne M. C. M. Rietjens,g Maria Bastaki,h Christie L. Harman,h Margaret M. McGowenh and Sean V. Taylor *h The safety assessment of a flavour substance examines several factors, including metabolic and physio- logical disposition data. The present article provides an overview of the metabolism and disposition of flavour substances by identifying general applicable principles of metabolism to illustrate how information on metabolic fate is taken into account in their safety evaluation. The metabolism of the majority of flavour substances involves a series both of enzymatic and non-enzymatic biotransformation that often results in products that are more hydrophilic and more readily excretable than their precursors. Flavours can undergo metabolic reactions, such as oxidation, reduction, or hydrolysis that alter a functional group relative to the parent compound. The altered functional group may serve as a reaction site for a sub- sequent metabolic transformation. Metabolic intermediates undergo conjugation with an endogenous agent such as glucuronic acid, sulphate, glutathione, amino acids, or acetate. Such conjugates are typi- Received 25th September 2017, cally readily excreted through the kidneys and liver. This paper summarizes the types of metabolic reac- Accepted 21st March 2018 tions that have been documented for flavour substances that are added to the human food chain, the DOI: 10.1039/c7tx00254h methodologies available for metabolic studies, and the factors that affect the metabolic fate of a flavour rsc.li/toxicology-research substance.
    [Show full text]
  • Food Additives Safety and Maximum Use Level
    5/10/2017 FOOD ADDITIVES SAFETY & MAXIMUM USE LEVEL Nuri Andarwulan SEAFAST Center, IPB (Southeast Asian Food & Agr. Sci & Tech Center) Departemen Ilmu dan Teknologi Pangan, IPB [email protected] Outline Food additives Chemicals HOW are food additives regulated? Maximum use level of food additive [email protected] 1 5/10/2017 Food Additive is a substance (intentionally) added to food to alter the properties and/or the appearance of the food [email protected] As described by Paracelsus nearly 500 years ago, “All substances are poisons; there is none which is not a poison. The right dose differentiates a poison and a remedy”. This means that any chemical substance is likely to produce some form(s) of harmful effect, if taken in sufficient quantity. More addition of a chemical in food does not itself make food unsafe, but the quantity used in food, quantity of that food consumed and bodyweight will decide the safety. [email protected] 2 5/10/2017 The Codex definition of hazard is “a biological, chemical or physical agent with the potential to cause an adverse health effect”. The likelihood or risk of that hazard actually occurring in humans is dependent upon the quantity of chemical encountered or taken into the body, i.e. the exposure. [email protected] WHY do we need to regulate food additives? These chemicals may be harmful to your health (if consumed above the safety margin level) Benford, D. 2000, ILSI Europe [email protected] 3 5/10/2017 Food Additive (Codex Stan 192-1995) • Any substance not normally consumed as a food by itself and not normally used as a typical ingredient of the food, whether or not it has nutritive value, the intentional addition of which to food for a technological (including organoleptic) purpose in the manufacture, processing, preparation, treatment, packing, packaging and transport.
    [Show full text]
  • Food Safety & Quality Policy
    Food Safety & Quality Policy Policy No.: 5.2 Title: Food Safety Plan Section: Food Safety: Current Good Manufacturing Practice, Hazard Analysis, and Risk-Based Preventive Controls for Human Food Issue Date: 04/08/2019 Revision(s): 0 Purpose: The purpose of this policy is to define the requirements for all operating facilities’ food safety plans. These plans are based on regulations and the hazard analysis and critical control point (HACCP) methodology. Regarding terminology, the Company recognizes the food safety plan and HACCP plan as interchangeable. Policy: All operating facilities maintain an active food safety plan based on the guidelines provided by the National Advisory Committee for the Microbiological Criteria for Foods (NACMCF), the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC), and FDA regulations (21 CFR 117.126). Food Safety Plans are specific to each location, but might share hazard analyses conducted by the Preventive Control Qualified Individual (PCQI) team. The PCQI Team prepares and oversees all company-operated food safety plans. Facilities solely engaged in handling packaged products, such as warehouses without transfer capabilities, are not required to develop and maintain a food safety plan per 21 CFR 117.7(a). 1.0 Program Management & Food Safety Teams: The Company has established two, distinct teams to manage the duties for maintenance of the food safety plans; a team consisting of Partner Preventive Control Qualified Individuals (PCQI), and site- specific teams under the direction of local coordinators. Duties are outlined below: 1.1 PCQI Team: The PCQI team includes PCQI-certified members of all Partners under the direction of the Vice President of Quality.
    [Show full text]
  • Shelf-Stable Food Safety
    United States Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service Food Safety Information PhotoDisc Shelf-Stable Food Safety ver since man was a hunter-gatherer, he has sought ways to preserve food safely. People living in cold climates Elearned to freeze food for future use, and after electricity was invented, freezers and refrigerators kept food safe. But except for drying, packing in sugar syrup, or salting, keeping perishable food safe without refrigeration is a truly modern invention. What does “shelf stable” Foods that can be safely stored at room temperature, or “on the shelf,” mean? are called “shelf stable.” These non-perishable products include jerky, country hams, canned and bottled foods, rice, pasta, flour, sugar, spices, oils, and foods processed in aseptic or retort packages and other products that do not require refrigeration until after opening. Not all canned goods are shelf stable. Some canned food, such as some canned ham and seafood, are not safe at room temperature. These will be labeled “Keep Refrigerated.” How are foods made In order to be shelf stable, perishable food must be treated by heat and/ shelf stable? or dried to destroy foodborne microorganisms that can cause illness or spoil food. Food can be packaged in sterile, airtight containers. All foods eventually spoil if not preserved. CANNED FOODS What is the history of Napoleon is considered “the father” of canning. He offered 12,000 French canning? francs to anyone who could find a way to prevent military food supplies from spoiling. Napoleon himself presented the prize in 1795 to chef Nicholas Appert, who invented the process of packing meat and poultry in glass bottles, corking them, and submerging them in boiling water.
    [Show full text]
  • Five Keys to Safer Food Manual
    FIVE KEYS TO SAFER FOOD MANUAL DEPARTMENT OF FOOD SAFETY, ZOONOSES AND FOODBORNE DISEASES FIVE KEYS TO SAFER FOOD MANUAL DEPARTMENT OF FOOD SAFETY, ZOONOSES AND FOODBORNE DISEASES INTRODUCTION Food safety is a significant public health issue nsafe food has been a human health problem since history was first recorded, and many food safety Uproblems encountered today are not new. Although governments all over the world are doing their best to improve the safety of the food supply, the occurrence of foodborne disease remains a significant health issue in both developed and developing countries. It has been estimated that each year 1.8 million people die as a result of diarrhoeal diseases and most of these cases can be attributed to contaminated food or water. Proper food preparation can prevent most foodborne diseases. More than 200 known diseases are transmitted through food.1 The World Health Organization (WHO) has long been aware of the need to educate food handlers about their responsibilities for food safety. In the early 1990s, WHO developed the Ten Golden Rules for Safe Food Preparation, which were widely translated and reproduced. However, it became obvious that something simpler and more generally applicable was needed. After nearly a year of consultation with food safety expertsandriskcommunicators, WHOintroducedtheFive KeystoSaferFoodposterin2001.TheFive Keys toSaferFoodposterincorporatesallthemessagesoftheTen Golden Rules for Safe Food Preparation under simpler headings that are more easily remembered and also provides more details on the reasoning behind the suggested measures. The Five Keys to Safer Food Poster The core messages of the Five Keys to Safer Food are: (1) keep clean; (2) separate raw and cooked; (3) cook thoroughly; (4) keep food at safe temperatures; and (5) use safe water and raw materials.
    [Show full text]
  • Safe and Sustainable Food Systems in an Era of Accelerated Climate Change
    KEY MESSAGES SAFE AND Agriculture is facing an unprecedented confluence of pressures that is causing profound changes in our SUSTAINABLE food production (crop, livestock, forestry, fishery and FOOD SYSTEMS aquaculture) systems. A paradigm shift in practices is required to ensure a IN AN ERA OF sufficient supply of safe food at a global level while at the same time mitigating climate ACCELERATED change and minimizing environmental impacts. CLIMATE CHANGE As food production systems transform to adapt to changing conditions, there is need to carefully consider impacts on food safety and to evaluate optimal ways to address potential risks. INTRODUCTION The world is facing unprecedented global obstacles1 of the food produced globally2, most of which can be that affect the sustainability of food and agriculture attributed to weaknesses in food safety and quality systems and the livelihoods of smallholders and management along value chains. All agriculture family farmers worldwide. These problems include sectors - crop, livestock and aquaculture - are resource depletion and the adverse impacts of therefore at a cross-road. Concurrent with environmental degradation, such as desertification, increases in agriculture productivity, negative drought, land degradation, water scarcity, pollution environmental impacts must not only be minimized, and loss of biodiversity; climate change; and an but reversed. This represents a paradigm shift in ever-increasing world population. Collectively, agriculture towards sustainable intensification that these challenges pose serious threats to food is prepared for shocks and change, such as climate security. Hunger and chronic undernourishment variability and emerging and re-emerging food are on the rise and preventable foodborne diseases safety crises. National, international and inter- continue to affect millions annually.
    [Show full text]
  • Granulated Sugar
    D&S Ingredient Transfer Station Food Safety Plan Granulated Sugar Plan Contents: Facility & Food Safety Information 2 Product Description: Granulated Sugar 3 Flow Diagram: Granulated 4 Supply-Chain Program 5 Amendments & Training 6 Corporate Recall Plan NSM Website Plan Approval General Manager Date: 07/08/2020 (Local Coordinator): Company HACCP Coordinator: Date: 7/9/2020 Version: 8/11/2020 Facility Name: D&S Ingredient Transfer Facility Address: 5112 Alhambra Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90032 Phone: 323.224.8900 (office) Plant/Facility Jesse Diaz (General Manager) Manager: Local HACCP Jesse Diaz/Nolan Lord, PCQI Coordinator: Company HACCP Jeremy Adamson, PCQI Coordinator (PCQI): Number of Employees: <10 (2 Full Time & 8 Temporary) Temporary Yes Employees: The facility has the capabilities to receive sugar via bulk rail, bulk trailer, or packaged prod- Facility Information Facility ucts transported by dry van trailer. This facility does not possess warehousing capabilities and all sugar received is utilized for liquid sugar, medium invert production, or transfer to Facility Description: bulk trailer. Bulk product is stored in a single silo. The D&S Facility also operates a food- grade trailer washing station to wash trailers. Other products received at this facility are corn sweetener products and vegetable oils. Products: Granulated sugar transferred from bulk rail to bulk trailer Third Party Audit Standard: BRC Certification Body: SGS Import Capability: This facility can source both domestic and foreign sugar for processing. Ingredients/Raw Materials: Sugar (domestic or foreign) (NSM Website) Packaging: None 3. Integrated Pest Manage- 1. Employee Training 2. Personnel Practices ment 4. Equipment Calibration: 5. Facility & Equipment 6.
    [Show full text]
  • FOOD SAFETY INFORMATION PAPERS PESTICIDES Corn Refiners Association, Inc
    FOOD SAFETY INFORMATION PAPERS PESTICIDES Corn Refiners Association, Inc. QUESTION: Pesticides are commonly used in the field and during storage to protect growing and harvested corn from pest damage. What procedures are followed to minimize the risk that food ingredients from the corn wet-milling industry will contain residual pesti- cides that might pose a significant health risk in food products? Summary n Modern pesticide management practices have enabled farmers to feed a growing world population, grow crops in otherwise unproductive locales and climates, extend growing seasons, maintain crop quality and prolong post-harvest storage. n Pesticide use on field and post-harvest stored corn is regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protec- tion Agency (EPA). Pesticide use requirements are enforced by EPA and state pesticide regulatory authorities. EPA establishes tolerances for pesticide residues in food. The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) monitors and enforces tolerances for pesticides in food. n Field corn entering corn wet-milling plants may have been exposed to a variety of crop protection materials. The corn wet-milling process consists of a series of exhaustive washing, refining (ion exchange and carbon), filtration and evaporation unit processes. These processes are designed to be effective in reducing residual pesticides to non-detectible levels in finished products. As re- ported in USDA’s 1998 Pesticide Data Program Annual Summary, no pesticide residues were detected in any of 298 high fructose corn syrup samples collected across the country. n Corn Refiners Association, Inc. (CRA) member companies monitor corn wet-milling-based food ingredients for residual pesticides so that their products conform to regulatory requirements.
    [Show full text]
  • GM Food Safety Assessment Tools for Trainers GM Food Safety Assessment Tools for Trainers
    GM food safety assessment tools for trainers GM food safety assessment tools for trainers Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Rome, 2008 The designations employed and the presentation of material in this information product do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) concerning the legal or development status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. The mention of specific companies or products of manufacturers, whether or not these have been patented, does not imply that these have been endorsed or recommended by FAO in preference to others of a similar nature that are not mentioned. ISBN 978-92-5-105978-4 All rights reserved. Reproduction and dissemination of material in this information product for educational or other non- commercial purposes are authorized without any prior written permission from the copyright holders provided the source is fully acknowledged. Reproduction of material in this information product for resale or other commercial purposes is prohibited without written permission of the copyright holders. Applications for such permission should be addressed to: Chief, Electronic Publishing Policy and Support Branch, Communication Division, FAO, Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, 00153 Rome, Italy or by e-mail to: [email protected] © FAO 2009 For further information, please contact: Food Quality and Standards Service Nutrition and Consumer Protection Division, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, 00153 Rome, Italy Fax: (+39) 06 570 54593 E-mail: [email protected] Web site: www.fao.org/ag/agn/agns/ Contents iv List of tables, boxes, forms and presentation modules v List of appendices v Contents of the CD-ROM vi Acknowledgements vii Foreword ix Acronyms Part One 1 Principles of safety assessment of foods derived from recombinant-DNA plants 3 1.
    [Show full text]
  • Food Safety and Hygiene
    Food Safety and Hygiene ADDITIONAL RESOURCES Disease causing bacteria found on the human body and in Duration of resource: 28 Minutes unhygienic food preparation areas can be easily transmitted Year of Production: 2014 to those who consume the food. That’s why food safety and hygiene is paramount in the prevention of food-borne illness. Stock code: RLC13119000 This presenter led collection comprehensively covers: cleaning - personal hygiene including a step by step breakdown of how to thoroughly wash hands and when, and cleaning surfaces and equipment to keep food preparation areas safe; systems and procedures for food storage of dry and cold goods; how to avoid food cross-contamination; safe cooking and reheating temperatures; and food chilling techniques and safe cool storage temperatures. Essential viewing for anyone involved in food preparation. Food Safety and Hygiene Food safety: Cleaning 1. Name two types of bacteria that can cause food-borne illness. ____________________________________________________________________________________ 2. Why is it important to wash your hands when working with food? ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ 3. Once your hands are clean, name two potentially contaminated items that you should avoid touching. ____________________________________________________________________________________
    [Show full text]
  • Ham and Food Safety
    United States Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service Food Safety Information PhotoDisc Ham and Food Safety ams: They can be fresh, cook-before-eating, cooked, picnic, and country types. There are so many kinds, Hand their storage times and cooking times vary. This background information serves to carve up the facts and make them easier to understand. Definition Hams may be fresh, cured, or cured-and-smoked. Ham is the cured leg of pork. Fresh ham is an uncured leg of pork. Fresh ham will bear the term “fresh” as part of the product name and is an indication that the product is not cured. “Turkey” ham is a ready-to-eat product made from cured thigh meat of turkey. The term “turkey ham” is always followed by the statement “cured turkey thigh meat.” The usual color for cured ham is deep rose or pink; fresh ham (which is not cured) has the pale pink or beige color of a fresh pork roast; country hams and prosciutto (which are dry cured) range from pink to a mahogany color. Hams are either ready to eat or not. Ready-to-eat hams include prosciutto and cooked hams; they can be eaten right out of the package. Fresh hams and hams that are only treated to destroy trichinae (which may include heating, freezing, or curing in the plant) must be cooked by the consumer before eating. Hams that must be cooked will bear cooking instructions and safe handling instructions. Hams that are not ready-to-eat, but have the appearance of ready-to-eat products, will bear a prominent statement on the principal display panel (label) indicating the product needs cooking, e.g., “cook thoroughly.” In addition, the label must bear cooking directions.
    [Show full text]
  • Pesticides and Food Safety the U.S
    Pesticides and Food Safety The U.S. food supply is among the safest, most plentiful and most affordable in the world. To produce this high-quality produce, most farmers use some pesticides. Pesticides have enabled growers to COLORADO produce crops profitably in otherwise unsuitable locations, extend growing seasons, increase crop yields, maintain product quality, and extend shelf life. Nevertheless, these chemicals pose some ENVIRONMENTAL risks if used improperly which is why state and federal agencies strictly regulate pesticide use. Minimizing exposure to chemical PESTICIDE residues from pesticides is an important food safety issue. Is food grown with pesticides safe to eat? EDUCATION Most food grown with pesticides has little or no detectable pesticide residue by the time it reaches the supermarket. The PROGRAM health benefits of eating fruits and vegetables outweigh the risk posed by traces of pesticides normally encountered. Pesticide Fact Sheet #118 CEPEP 5/00 The exceptions to this are infants, small children, Updated 6/06 and sensitive individuals. The diets of infants and children may differ substantially from those of adults and they consume more food for their size than adults. Children and sensitive individuals PESTICIDES may also eat large amounts of one fruit or vegetable. As a result, they may be exposed to proportionately AND FOOD more pesticide residues. The Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA) addresses these differences with an SAFETY additional margin of safety to protect infants, children, and other sensitive individuals. E.J. Buffington What do we mean by risk? L.G. Skoglund • Risk is the chance or probability of an undesirable event S.K.
    [Show full text]