Let's talk about Food Security: causes, doubts and challenges
"If it's not safe, it's not food": this is one of the slogans that best explains food safety and its importance.
The questions about this area are many and, therefore, under the World Food Safety Day, celebrated on June 7 and resulting from a joint initiative of the World Health Organization and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, we challenged the teacher and researcher at the Faculty of Biotechnology Paula Teixeira for an interview that promises to inform, enlighten, alert, and enhance.
UCP: What is food safety and why is it such an important topic?
PT: Food safety is a multidisciplinary approach involving science, processes, practices and regulation to ensure that food is not a vehicle for disease transmission. Despite all the efforts of the industry, the scientific community and official entities, including regulators, diseases caused by consumption of contaminated food and water remain a major public health problem worldwide. Each year, about 600 million people - one in 10 - become ill from eating contaminated food, resulting in more than 420,000 deaths, of which 125,000 are children under the age of five. While the impact is not comparable, for an idea of the size, 767 million was the number of COVID-19 cases reported over three years of the pandemic (May 31, 2023). The geographical distribution of these diseases is not uniform, depending on factors such as hygienic conditions, access to clean drinking water, disease surveillance systems, climate, and even region-specific eating habits. But if regions with lower socioeconomic development face greater challenges in food safety, those who think that diseases transmitted by contaminated food are not a problem in developed countries are wrong. Three examples that flooded the news The outbreak of infection caused by Escherichia coli bacteria, (wrongly) associated with cucumbers grown in Spain, which in 2011 affected almost 4000 people and caused 53 deaths, mostly in Germany. The outbreak of listeriosis (serious infection caused by the bacteria Listeria monocytogenes) in Spain in 2019, which affected 204 people, caused three deaths and caused five miscarriages due to the consumption of "La Mechá" brand deli products. Our "garden by the sea planted" was the scene of one of the most serious outbreaks of listeriosis on record, associated with the consumption of a contaminated cheese produced by a company located in the Alentejo: 30 people fell ill and 11 died[1]. And food contamination has implications that go beyond the direct consequences for public health. For example, when contaminations by disease-causing agents (microbes or chemicals) are detected or suspected to have caused disease, food may have to be recalled from the market to prevent (further) disease and then destroyed, which causes significant food losses and waste, impacting the economy and the environment. These recalls can also affect the availability and accessibility of the products recalled, as well as the reputation of the associated companies and consumer confidence, with great damage to the business, often leading to the closure of the organizations involved. World Food Safety Day aims to be a moment of reflection, awareness and inspiration for all - "Food safety is everyone's business" - to promote actions to prevent, detect and manage foodborne risks, thus strengthening food safety and contributing to better health, economic growth and sustainable development.
UCP: What are the main challenges for food safety today?
PT: If there is little doubt that globally food has never been as safe as it is today, it is also true that from "farm to fork" there are many challenges to food security. Coming out of a pandemic, the world has been confronted with war. Lack of resources, environmental disasters, economic collapse, migration, and humanitarian crises create situations in which security along the food chain is compromised at various levels. The world population has now exceeded 8 billion, and in many countries it is aging. Older people are a risk group for diseases caused by the consumption of contaminated food. With the globalization of markets, much food comes from regions with different hygiene and food safety practices. Environmental factors such as climate change, soil degradation, overexploitation of natural resources, and water scarcity increase the risk of contamination along the food chain. And the new trends... Consumer expectations are complex. While demanding safe and convenient food with a long shelf life, we are seeing increased demand for "natural," "preservative-free," and "less processed" products. To add to the complexity, consumers expect all types of food to be available everywhere and at all times. These are, without a doubt, major challenges for the food industry.
"...most foodborne infections are preventable."
UCP: Food Safety is closely linked to health. What are the health risks associated with poor food safety and how can we mitigate them?
PT:Many of the episodes of diarrhea, vomiting, and general malaise that we experience are food borne infections (commonly referred to as food poisoning), caused by the presence of microbes in the food we eat. Although these conditions are usually not serious, and the symptoms disappear after a few days, often without the use of medication, some cases are serious and can be fatal. Pregnant women, the elderly, and the sick are at greater risk of contracting these diseases. But most foodborne infections are preventable. In Europe, about 40 percent of foodborne infections originate in our homes and are the result of a small number of mistakes: exposure of food to inappropriate heating or cooling temperatures and some incorrect hygiene practices are the most common errors. If our practices are at the origin of some problems then their prevention is also within our reach. What can we, as consumers, do to avoid them? The World Health Organization sums up the rules of hygiene and food safety to five:
* Maintain cleanliness (hands, equipment, surfaces);
* Prevent cross-contamination (separate raw foods - in particular meats, eggs, fish and vegetables - from ready-to-eat foods);
* ook food for sufficient times/temperatures;
* Keep food at safe temperatures (hot dishes at temperatures above 60°C and refrigerated food at 4°C or less);
*Use water and ingredients from safe sources.
"...ESB pioneered the launch of Food Engineering training in Portugal in 1984, and has offered a Postgraduate Diploma in Food Safety for over 20 years."
UCP: How can research and education play a key role in promoting Food Security in communities?
PT: Research and education play a key role in promoting food safety by providing scientific knowledge, developing technologies, raising consumer awareness, and informing effective policies and regulations. Teaching and research at ESB/CBQF have contributed to ensuring that food is safe for consumption, promoting the health and well-being of consumers. For more than 30 years, the ESB has been training leading professionals who act, at different levels, in the complex process that constitutes the modern food chain. For example, ESB was the pioneer in launching the Food Engineering training in Portugal, in 1984, and offers for more than 20 years a Post-Graduation in Food Safety. At the CBQF we assess food associated risks, develop methods to detect contaminants and have several national and international research projects underway, many of them in partnership with companies, to develop innovative control strategies and "clean label" (new preservatives, alternative processes, active packaging, etc.). Another line of research at the CBQF has focused on assessing the impact of consumer knowledge, perceptions and practices on food safety with a view to developing effective communication strategies. Communication on food safety is also one of the activities of the ESB. "It's always time to learn: food safety lessons for the young", "It's always time to learn: food safety lessons for the elderly" and "Listeriosis: a serious infection, but easy to prevent" are examples of the many food safety education projects that the ESB has developed with the community.