Definition of food safety?
Food safety can be defined as an assurance that the food will not have any adverse effect on the consumer health when it is prepared and or eaten according to its intended use.
The term “food safety” is also used for a discipline that comprises of sanitation, related sciences and prevention measures to ensure safe and whole some food supply.
What is safe food?
Food which is free from contaminants and will not cause illness or harm to human health is called safe food.
IMPORTANCE OF FOOD SAFETY
- Prevention of food borne illnesses
- Protection of vulnerable individuals
- Boosting of consumer confidence
- Protection of the Producer
- Improved productivity
- Growths of food trades
PREVENTION OF FOOD BORNE ILLNESS:
food safety protects the consumer from food borne illnesses and the associated personal suffering, preventable death and avoidable financial burden.
PROTECTION OF VULNERABLE INDIVIDUALS:
children, pregnant women, elderly and individuals suffering from other diseases are more susceptible to food borne diseases and related complications. safe food protects these individuals and the poor who earn their living from their day to day work, the loss of income due to food born e illnesses in the poor can perpetuate the cycle poverty.
BOOSTING OF CONSUMER CONFIDENCE:
Safety of food not only protects deception and fraud but also increases consumer confidence in the food producer and the product.
PROTECTION OF THE PRODUCER:
Safe food supply provides protection to the producer from the financial loss associated with product recall and legal battles.
IMPOROVED PRODUCTIVITY:
Food safety improves productivity and the image of the food establishment.
GROWTH OF FOOD TRADES:
Provision of safe food and also maintains integrity of food trade and helps in its growth at local, national and global level.
WHAT ARE THE NEW CHALLANGES TO FOOD SAFETY:
- Globalization of Food Supply
- Changing Food consumption patterns.
- Evolving farm level practices.
- Newer food components and changing processing techniques
- Shifting population demography
- Emerging pathogens
FACTORS AFFECTING SAFETY OF FOOD:
- Contamination factors (contributing to the transmission of contaminants to the food)
- Survival factors (helping in the survival of pathogens)
- Proliferation factors (helping in the growth and replication of pathogens)
Contamination factors:
- Food from unsafe sources
- poor personnel health and hygiene
- Contaminated Equipment/inadequate protection from contamination.
Survival factor:
- Inadequate cooking
Proliferation factors:
- Improper holding time and temperature
TYPES OF FOOD:
HIGH RISK FOOD: Meat & meat products, fish, Milk & milk products etc.
LOW RISK FOOD: Cereals, Legumes, Pasta, Canned foods etc