1. Actions to reverse the upward curve of foodborne illness

2. Consequently, food safety has to be integrated along the entire food chain, from
Food supply system
Health system and infrastructure
Social situation, behavior and lifestyles
Environmental conditions

3. Emerging pathogens / issues

4. An other issue that, in the recent past, received a lot of public attention is food irradiation. One reason why certain sectors of the public were concerned was the fact that one method of irradiating food is the application of gamma rays that are emitted from the radionuclides cobalt-60 and caesium-137. At the beginning of the debate, the fear was expressed that food could become radioactive if exposed to gamma rays but this was shown to be physically impossible. Later, the safety and nutritional quality of irradiated food was called into question. However, based on overwhelming scientific evidence, many national and international expert bodies have concluded that food, irradiated under appropriate conditions, is both safe and nutritionally adequate. Since the process can help to reduce or eliminate pathogens from food and extend its shelflife, the process has considerable potential for both food safety and food security, two aspects of particular importance for developing countries. As the process is at present only applied in a limited way (mainly to de-contaminate spices), it is hoped that its application on a much larger scale would start soon. It may be expected that irradiation could play a similar role in the elimination of pathogens in solid foods as pasteurization does for liquid foods.

7. Biological hazards

9. The health and economic consequences related to food contamination often differ between countries and regions of the world and depend on factors such as climate, geographical situation, type of crops produced and/or eaten, and the degree of social and economic development. Nonetheless, the basic principles for prevention and control are similar. For this purpose, three lines of defense are available (Kampelmacher, 1989).

13. The second line of defense utilizes food-processing technologies
The second line of defense utilizes food-processing technologies. For example, pasteurization, sterilization, fermentation, and irradiation can increase the availability of foods by extending their shelf life and can contribute to their safety by reducing or eliminating pathogenic microorganisms. In countries where milk pasteurization is a common or compulsory practice, it has been possible to prevent many diseases transmitted through milk. For example, in Scotland, prior to 1983 when pasteurization of milk for sale was made compulsory, milkborne salmonellosis was a particular problem. From , some 3500 people fell ill and 12 died. Following the introduction of legislation, problems were no longer observed regarding milk (Sharp, 1988). Poultry, pork and other food remain, however, a source of salmonellosis. It may be anticipated that irradiation of meat and poultry products could play a similar role to that of milk pasteurization. While many food technologies can be used to render food safe, accidental contamination can occur during processing and manufacturing. Therefore, application of an effective food safety assurance system is essential. The Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point system is an important development in this area. Its application would help to ensure safety of processed and manufactured foods (WHO, 1997b).

15. The third and last line of defense is the most critical and will protect the health of consumers when the first two fail. This concerns the education of food handlers in the principles of safe food preparation. The term "food handlers" includes professional cooks, persons handling food in food service establishments (including street vending stands and mass catering services), as well as those in charge of the preparation of food in the home. The education of food handlers is of special importance, because in most cases the occurrence of foodborne diseases is attributable to only a few causes, the most frequent being:

20. Insufficient cooking or re-heating of food

22. Preparation of food several hours prior to consumption, combined with inadequate storage conditions

24. Use of contaminated raw food material

26. Cross-contamination in the food preparation premises

28. Infected or colonized persons charged with the preparation of meals.

32. Special efforts should be made to educate those responsible for the preparation of the family's food. In this context, particular attention should be paid to women, who are usually responsible for the care of infants and young children, population groups in which morbidity and mortality rates caused by foodborne hazards are high. Educating school children is also an effective way of communicating to parents the concept of food safety and implanting the principles of safe food preparation in the minds of future adults

33. ( Jacob, 1989; Käferstein, 1988; WHO, 1994; Williams et al., 1990).

36. Chemical hazards

38. With regard to chemicals in food, the first line of defense is the production of food in which the quantities of added chemicals lie within the limits permitted by science-based legislation. For this purpose, the primary industry (producers of the agricultural, animal, and fishery products) and the processing industries have to comply with laws and regulations and must observe the principles of good agri/aqua-cultural, animal husbandry, and manufacturing practices. In this context it should be recalled that that modern biotechnology (i.e. r-DNA technology) offers the possibility of reducing the need for agro-chemicals, in particular herbicides and pesticides, with potential health and environmental benefit.

39. The second line of defense is the application of technologies that can prevent or reduce the use of chemicals in food, for example, by drying crops to prevent mold growth and the production of mycotoxins in food during storage. Biotechnology can be used for the selection of plants resistant to diseases and in this way decrease the need for pesticide use. Food irradiation can replace the use of potentially harmful chemicals for insect disinfestation and inhibition of sprouting.

40. The third line of defense is the rigorous control and monitoring of levels of chemical in food, the responsibility for which lies with governments and their food control agencies. Up-to-date food legislation and enforcement, including monitoring programs must support the work of those agencies.

41. Unlike biological contaminants, consumers don’t have a major role to play in the prevention of intoxication due to food additives, veterinary drug and pesticide residues, and environmental chemicals. However, consumers may be educated about some basic precautions to reduce their exposure to chemicals in food. For example, simple washing of food can remove surface contamination. Consumers should also be advised to avoid mouldy food, which may contain potent mycotoxins.

44. Responsibilities for the prevention of foodborne illness: the concept of shared responsibility

46. To prevent foodborne illnesses, it is important that all sectors concerned, i.e. governments, industry and consumers, work in a concerted manner and accept the concept of shared responsibility (see Food Safety ‘Temple’, below). The term industry includes primary producers, food manufacturing, and processing, food service and catering and retailers. There has also to be an understanding on the part of these three sectors that food safety has to start on the farm and has to follow through the entire food chain until meals are on the table, ready for consumption (i.e. the farm to table paradigm).
Governments
Industry

47. Regardless of the size of a food industry, food safety should be given highest priority. The management should be conscious of the risks associated with its business and take adequate steps to mitigate such risks. Measures to be taken should include the application of good hygienic practices. To this end, the Codex Code of General Principles of Food Hygiene, as well as other food-specific codes recommended by Codex, governments and/or the industry sectors, should be applied. The application of HACCP should be considered as a means to further enhance food safety. Industries should apply any appropriate technology and/or processing necessary to ensure the safety of the foods they market. The application of HACCP can determine when and which types of technology and/or process may be necessary.
Consumers

51. References

52. CDC, Advice to travelers: Bovine Spongiforme Encephalopathy (“Mad Cow Disease”) and New Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (nvCJD).