What are the Approaches to Overcome the Adverse effects of EC on Food Safety?

EC can directly or indirectly impact food safety and has to be adequately addressed by adopting suitable approaches.

Fremont, CA: Environmental changes (EC) that we see today are hazardous to the food industry. The incidence of foodborne infections is significantly increasing and is the impact of direct or indirect changes in the environment. To mention a few, rainfall contaminated with chemicals, biological wastes can contaminate food. Flooding can increase unsafe food due to improper sanitation, storing, and cooking due to the lack of facilities. Also, it can contaminate agricultural oil, water, and other products with industrial waste and human sewage. Even the temperature changes can cause severe effects such that the high temperature is favorable for the survival, growth, and the mode of transmission of parasitic, bacterial, and viral infections.

From the above-mentioned examples, it is evident that EC will create more food safety challenges. Reversing EC is not possible; however, its impact on food safety can be mitigated. Here are some approaches that can be embraced by developing countries to overcome the adverse effects of EC.

   • Developing countries should understand the negative impacts of EC to prepare themselves to address the effects by creating stricter food safety    regulations/standards and newer interventions.

   • All related sectors like health, environment, agriculture, veterinary health services should collaborate to prevent, detect, and control the increasing foodborne risks        associated with EC.   

   • After any EC incidents or natural disasters, effective inspection systems should be established to reduce the risk and ensure the proper disposal of contaminated           foods.

   • International food safety and public health organizations should collaborate to deal with food safety concerns associated with EC by developing effective food safety       plans like emergency food safety preparedness and response. 

   • Implement effective food safety risk communication during natural disasters.

   • Develop effective monitoring programs and surveillance programs where high-quality data can be collected to develop predictive modeling to respond to food safety       risks rapidly.

   • Utilize novel technologies like X-rays, filtration devices, and others to detect and control foodborne diseases.

   • Use applied and cutting-edge technologies to solve real problems.       

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