Food Safety and Security

Summary:

Food safety and security involves access to and practices that prevent the spread of contaminants that can cause foodborne illnesses. Food security refers to the regular availability of nutritious food that meets dietary needs. Bacteria in moist and warm conditions can quickly multiply in certain foods and lead to illnesses such as diarrhea, cholera, and salmonella infection. HACCP is a management system that identifies and prevents food safety hazards. Food safety is impacted by accessibility, which is based on economic power, and availability, which focuses on sufficient quality and quantity of food supplied. Proper food storage, washing, and handling can prevent food contamination.

Excerpt:

Food Safety and Security

Food safety can be defined as the access and practices that preserve the quality of food free from contaminants that can cause food-borne illnesses. Food security refers to the regular availability of food for persons to have physical and economic access to nutritious food that will meet their dietary needs to live a healthy life. People get ill from food mainly due to bacteria which grow and multiply rapidly in moist and warm conditions. They can thrive in tropical climates and in foods such as chicken, liver, milk, fish, or even creamy dishes. Once food becomes contaminated there is a short lag period, then the bacteria begin to multiply subsequently doubling in quantity every 15-30 minutes. Most harmful bacteria in food are not destroyed when food is refrigerated or frozen. Refrigeration only slows down the process, but when the food is exposed to room temperature the microbe will become active again

Illnesses one can get from contaminated foods are:
▪ Diarrhea
▪ Cholera
▪ Gastroenteritis
▪ Hepatitis
▪ Salmonella infection
▪ Listeriosis

HACCP

HACCP stands for Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point it is a methodology and a management system that identifies, control, and prevent food safety hazards. HACCP benefits entail the following:
o Increased food safety
o Reduced waste
o Improved product quality and consistency
o Maintained or improved market access