report, “Global Food Safety: Keeping Food Safe from Farm to Table.” We
think this report may be of interest to the members of the Ontario Food
Protection Association.
The American Academy of Microbiology announces the release of its newest
colloquium report, “Global Food Safety: Keeping Food Safe from Farm to
Table.” The report, based on a colloquium convened by the Academy in 2009,
reviews the current state of affairs in microbiological food safety around
the world. It is extremely challenging to know how many people are made
sick by food, which foods are at fault, which pathogens are most widespread
or dangerous, and where those pathogens entered the food production system.
In such a situation, where should research, prevention and education
efforts be directed? In this report, each step in our complicated food
production and supply system is described, highlighting key points of
vulnerability, and making it clear that providing safe food is a shared
responsibility.
The press release is below. AAM colloquia reports are effective tools for
education and research. “Global Food Safety: Keeping Food Safe from Farm to
Table,” as well as all other colloquia reports published by the Academy,
are available online in their entirety at
http://academy.asm.org/colloquia
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Global Food Safety: Keeping Food Safe from Farm to Table
Washington, DC – November 2, 2010 – Food safety problems can arise at any
of multiple stages of food production, and illnesses that result from them
are frequently not detected or reported, according to a new report from the
American Academy of Microbiology.
The report, “Global Food Safety: Keeping Food Safe from Farm to Table,” is
based on a colloquium convened by the Academy in 2009. Colloquium
participants with expertise in microbiology, public health, food science,
and economics reviewed the current state of affairs in microbiological food
safety around the world.
The path from food production to consumption is increasingly complicated.
Each plate of food may contain ingredients from many countries—each of
which may have passed through different processing facilities, and may have
been handled by wholesalers, retailers, and multiple transportation
companies before finally reaching the consumer’s shelf or refrigerator. No
single agency regulates all of the steps in this process.
Each link in the food safety chain would benefit from further research and
new technologies—specific examples of which are detailed in this report.
Regulations that promote good agricultural and manufacturing practices
would not only help decrease lapses in food safety, but would make it
easier to trace problems back to their inception.
Consumer education is also an important component of food safety.
Consumers are often unaware of safe food handling practices, especially as
new food products are introduced. Because consumer-caused foodborne
illnesses are often not recognized as such, much less systematically
reported, an important barrier to reducing their incidence is inadequate
knowledge of which foods, agents, and practices pose the greatest risk.
It is very difficult to know how many people are made sick by food, which
foods are at fault, which pathogens are most widespread or dangerous, and
where those pathogens entered the food production system. In such a
situation, where should research, prevention and education efforts be
directed? In this report, each step in our complicated food production and
supply system is described, highlighting key points of vulnerability and
making it clear that providing safe food is a shared responsibility
.
Food safety is complex, and a perfectly safe food supply is an unrealistic
goal. However, as this report explains, there are opportunities for
improving food safety at each step of the production and consumption
process and many areas where further research could help identify and
quantify risks and generate solutions. The report also identifies food
safety vulnerabilities that might be addressed through investments in new
technologies or more effective education.
A full copy of the report and further recommendations can be found on the
Academy website at
http://academy.asm.org/images/stories/documents/Global_Food_Safety.pdf.
# # #
The American Academy of Microbiology is the honorific leadership group of
the American Society of Microbiology. The mission of the Academy is to
recognize scientific excellence, as well as foster knowledge and
understanding in the microbiological sciences. A full list of Academy
colloquia reports can be found at http://academy.asm.org/colloquia. For
more information about the American Society for Microbiology, contact
Barbara Hyde at 202-942-9206 or visit http://www.asm.org.
