Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
In addition, training systems are in place for government officials and food industry
employees to further ensure the safety of the food supply in the European Union.
An agency, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) was developed in 2002
(JEC, 2002). The goal of this agency is to provide “independent scientific advice”
to those involved with food safety issues. The EFSA provides input on issues from
production to consumption of the food.
The European Union is the most progressive region in the world regarding food
traceability and labeling.
Traceability
is defined as the ability to trace and follow
food, feed, and ingredients through all stages of production, processing and distri-
bution. There is a labeling requirement in the European Union that ensures that the
consumer receives all information possible about the history of the product. The goal
is to provide as much information as possible to the consumer so that the consumer
is not misled.
C
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The situation in Central and South America is similar to that seen in other less-devel-
oped countries. The incidence rate of diarrheal disease is high, especially among
children, and there is a lack of an adequate surveillance system to assess the true
risk of the situation. Poverty, lack of clean water, and a lack of government oversight
in this region contribute to the problems experienced by the population. In addition,
cultural influences on food preparation practices as well as the climate play a role in
increasing the food safety risks.
A report by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) concluded that between
1993 and 2002, there were 10,400 outbreaks of food- and waterborne diseases in Latin
American and Caribbean countries (Pan American Institute for Food Protection and
Zoonoses. An estimated 400,000 illnesses occurred from these outbreaks, with more
then 500 deaths reported.
Salmonella, S. aureus,
and
C. perfringens
were all associ-
ated with outbreaks (WHO, 2003b). This has had a negative impact on the economy,
which thrives on tourism. It is reported that up to 20% of tourists become ill from
something they ate when visiting Caribbean countries.
In addition to these reports,
E. coli
O157:H7 and other EHEC bacteria are becom-
ing more prevalent in Central and South America. This pathogen, with the potential
to cause kidney failure, is of special concern among children when the incidence of
hemolytic uremic syndrome occurs at the highest levels (INPPAZ, 2003).
The regulatory and surveillance systems in Central and South America are start-
ing to develop. SIRVETA, which is a regional food-borne disease surveillance net-
work, is in place for reporting of food-borne disease outbreaks. Also, a network of
laboratories is in place, known as INFAL. This network provides information among
surveillance laboratories in the region and provides training. A PULSENET for Latin
America system is in place, which is similar to PULSENET in the United States.
This is a system of surveillance for food-borne illnesses and provides assistance for
trace sources of illnesses. Despite these efforts, improvements are needed, and it is
speculated that the reporting of food-borne illness is still too low.
