3. IMPORTANT FOOD ISSUES - Fao.org

3.1 Food Safety, Quality and Consumer Protection · Microbiological hazards; · Pesticide residues; · Misuse of food additives; · Chemical contaminants, including ... 3.IMPORTANTFOOD ISSUES3.1FoodSafety,QualityandConsumer ProtectionThetermsfoodsafetyandfoodqualitycansometimesbe confusing.Foodsafetyreferstoallthosehazards,whetherchronicoracute, thatmaymakefoodinjurioustothehealthoftheconsumer.Itisnot negotiable.Qualityincludesallotherattributesthatinfluenceaproduct's valuetotheconsumer.Thisincludesnegativeattributessuchasspoilage, contaminationwithfilth,discoloration,off-odoursandpositiveattributessuch astheorigin,colour,flavour,textureandprocessingmethodofthefood.This distinctionbetweensafetyandqualityhasimplicationsforpublicpolicyand influencesthenatureandcontentofthefoodcontrolsystemmostsuitedtomeet predeterminednationalobjectives. Foodcontrolisdefinedas: ....amandatoryregulatoryactivityof enforcementbynationalorlocalauthoritiestoprovideconsumerprotectionand ensurethatallfoodsduringproduction,handling,storage,processing, anddistributionaresafe,wholesomeandfitforhumanconsumption;conformto safetyandqualityrequirements;andarehonestlyandaccuratelylabelledas prescribedbylaw.Theforemostresponsibilityoffoodcontrolistoenforcethe foodlaw(s)protectingtheconsumeragainstunsafe,impureandfraudulently presentedfoodbyprohibitingthesaleoffoodnotofthenature,substanceor qualitydemandedbythepurchaser. Confidenceinthesafetyandintegrityofthefoodsupplyis animportantrequirementforconsumers.Foodbornediseaseoutbreaksinvolving agentssuchasEscherichiacoli,Salmonellaandchemical contaminantshighlightproblemswithfoodsafetyandincreasepublicanxiety thatmodernfarmingsystems,foodprocessingandmarketingdonotprovide adequatesafeguardsforpublichealth.Factorswhichcontributetopotential hazardsinfoodsincludeimproperagriculturalpractices;poorhygieneatall stagesofthefoodchain;lackofpreventivecontrolsinfoodprocessingand preparationoperations;misuseofchemicals;contaminatedrawmaterials, ingredientsandwater;inadequateorimproperstorage,etc. Specificconcernsaboutfoodhazardshaveusuallyfocused on: Microbiological hazards;Pesticideresidues;Misuseoffood additives;Chemicalcontaminants, includingbiologicaltoxins;andAdulteration.Thelisthasbeenfurtherextendedtocovergenetically modifiedorganisms,allergens,veterinarydrugsresiduesandgrowthpromoting hormonesusedintheproductionofanimalproducts.FormoredetailsseeAnnex 3. Consumersexpectprotectionfromhazardsoccurringalongthe entirefoodchain,fromprimaryproducerthroughconsumer(oftendescribedas thefarm-to-tablecontinuum).Protectionwillonlyoccurifall sectorsinthechainoperateinanintegratedway,andfoodcontrolsystems addressallstagesofthischain. Asnomandatoryactivityofthisnaturecanachieveits objectivesfullywithoutthecooperationandactiveparticipationofall stakeholderse.g.farmers,industry,andconsumers,thetermFood ControlSystemisusedintheseGuidelinestodescribetheintegration ofamandatoryregulatoryapproachwithpreventiveandeducationalstrategies thatprotectthewholefoodchain.Thusanidealfoodcontrolsystemshould includeeffectiveenforcementofmandatoryrequirements,alongwithtrainingand education,communityoutreachprogrammesandpromotionofvoluntarycompliance. TheintroductionofpreventiveapproachessuchastheHazardAnalysisCritical ControlPointSystem(HACCP),haveresultedinindustrytakinggreater responsibilityforandcontroloffoodsafetyrisks.Suchanintegratedapproach facilitatesimprovedconsumerprotection,effectivelystimulatesagricultureand thefoodprocessingindustry,andpromotesdomesticandinternationalfood trade. 3.2Global Considerations(a)InternationalTradeWithanexpandingworldeconomy,liberalizationoffoodtrade, growingconsumerdemand,developmentsinfoodscienceandtechnology,and improvementsintransportandcommunication,internationaltradeinfreshand processedfoodwillcontinuetoincrease. Accessofcountriestofoodexportmarketswillcontinueto dependontheircapacitytomeettheregulatoryrequirementsofimporting countries.Creatingandsustainingdemandfortheirfoodproductsinworld marketsreliesonbuildingthetrustandconfidenceofimportersandconsumers intheintegrityoftheirfoodsystems.Withagriculturalproductionthefocal pointoftheeconomiesofmostdevelopingcountries,suchfoodprotection measuresareessential. (b)CodexAlimentarius CommissionTheCodexAlimentariusCommission(CAC)isan intergovernmentalbodythatcoordinatesfoodstandardsattheinternational level.Itsmainobjectivesaretoprotectthehealthofconsumersandensure fairpracticesinfoodtrade.TheCAChasprovedtobemostsuccessfulin achievinginternationalharmonizationinfoodqualityandsafetyrequirements. Ithasformulatedinternationalstandardsforawiderangeoffoodproductsand specificrequirementscoveringpesticideresidues,foodadditives,veterinary drugresidues,hygiene,foodcontaminants,labellingetc.TheseCodex recommendationsareusedbygovernmentstodetermineandrefinepoliciesand programmesundertheirnationalfoodcontrolsystem.Morerecently,Codexhas embarkedonaseriesofactivitiesbasedonriskassessmenttoaddress microbiologicalhazardsinfoods,anareapreviouslyunattended.Codexworkhas createdworldwideawarenessoffoodsafety,qualityandconsumerprotection issues,andhasachievedinternationalconsensusonhowtodealwiththem scientifically,througharisk-basedapproach.Asaresult,therehasbeena continuousappraisaloftheprinciplesoffoodsafetyandqualityatthe internationallevel.Thereisincreasingpressurefortheadoptionofthese principlesatthenationallevel.SeeAnnex4forfurtherdetails. (c)SPSandTBT AgreementsTheconclusionoftheUruguayRoundofMultilateralTrade NegotiationsinMarrakechledtotheestablishmentoftheWTOon1January1995, andtothecomingintoforceoftheAgreementontheApplicationofSanitaryand PhytosanitaryMeasures(SPS)andtheAgreementonTechnicalBarrierstoTrade (TBT).BoththeseAgreementsarerelevantinunderstandingtherequirementsfor foodprotectionmeasuresatthenationallevel,andtherulesunderwhichfood istradedinternationally. TheSPSAgreementconfirmstherightofWTOmembercountries toapplymeasurestoprotecthuman,animalandplantlifeandhealth.The Agreementcoversallrelevantlaws,decrees,regulations;testing,inspection, certificationandapprovalprocedures;andpackagingandlabellingrequirements directlyrelatedtofoodsafety.MemberStatesareaskedtoapplyonlythose measuresforprotectionthatarebasedonscientificprinciples,onlytothe extentnecessary,andnotinamannerwhichmayconstituteadisguised restrictiononinternationaltrade.TheAgreementencouragesuseof internationalstandards,guidelinesorrecommendationswheretheyexist,and identifiesthosefromCodex(relatingtofoodadditives,veterinarydrugsand pesticideresidues,contaminants,methodsofanalysisandsampling,andcodes andguidelinesofhygienicpractices),tobeconsistentwithprovisionsofSPS. Thus,theCodexstandardsserveasabenchmarkforcomparisonofnational sanitaryandphytosanitarymeasures.WhileitisnotcompulsoryforMember StatestoapplyCodexStandards,itisintheirbestintereststoharmonize theirnationalfoodstandardswiththoseelaboratedbyCodex. TheTBTAgreementrequiresthattechnicalregulationson traditionalqualityfactors,fraudulentpractices,packaging,labellingetc imposedbycountrieswillnotbemorerestrictiveonimportedproductsthanthey areonproductsproduceddomestically.Italsoencouragesuseofinternational standards.SeeAnnex5forfurtherdetails.