Food Safety and Quality Management BT404 Lecture 1

Food Safety and Quality Management

• Right to Food: Recognized as a human right; everyone should access nutritious, safe, and sustainable food (FAO, 2024).

Definition of Food

• Food: Any substance providing nutritional support, typically from plant or animal sources, containing carbohydrates, fats, proteins, and minerals.
• Considered the third most basic human need after air and water.
• Ensuring food safety and quality is a collective responsibility impacting everyone.

World Food Day Theme

• Emphasis on the Right to Food for a better life and future, advocating for accessible, nutritious, affordable, and sustainable food.

Food Sciences

• Integrates engineering, biological, and physical sciences to study food, its deterioration, processing, and quality enhancement.
• Sub-disciplines include food chemistry, microbiology, engineering, and technology.
• Critical for developing safe, nutritious, and sustainable food products.

Food Safety

• Defined as scientific methods and practices to handle, prepare, and store food to prevent foodborne illnesses.
• Ensures food is safe, free from harmful contaminants (bacteria, viruses, parasites, chemicals).
• Food safety is essential for health and food security; unsafe food hinders well-being and erodes efforts to alleviate hunger.

Importance of Studying Food Safety

• Protection from Foodborne Illnesses: Prevents severe health issues from pathogens like Salmonella and E.coli.
• Public Health and Safety: Contaminated food can lead to widespread health crises.
• Economic Impact: Foodborne illnesses incur significant medical costs and economic loss.
• Consumer Confidence: High safety standards build trust in food products and brands.
• Regulatory Compliance: Essential for following local and international food safety regulations.
• Sustainable Production: Safe practices reduce waste and ensure safety in the supply chain.

Main Branches of Food Safety Science

• Food Microbiology: Studies microorganisms in food; critical for preventing spoilage and illnesses.
• Food Chemistry: Analyzes chemical processes in food; vital for understanding food composition.
• Food Toxicology: Examines toxic substances in food and their impacts on health; crucial for risk mitigation.
• Food Safety Management Systems: Involves systematic approaches like HACCP for managing food safety risks.

Food Contamination Sources

• Food can become contaminated at any point in the supply chain due to soil, water, equipment, storage, and handling practices.
• Improper food storage and cooking contribute to safety issues.

Role of Various Stakeholders in Food Safety

• Everyone involved in food production and consumption must practice safe food handling.
• Governments create regulations, inspect food, and handle safety emergencies to protect consumer health.

Food Standards

• Effective food standards ensure hygienic, wholesome food and facilitate trade.
• Standards exist at company, national, regional, and international levels.

National and International Food Control Systems

• National systems ensure local food safety and compliance with local standards.
• International systems, guided by organizations like Codex Alimentarius and FAO, harmonize safety standards globally.

Focus on Egypt's Food Control System

• Managed by the National Food Safety Authority (NFSA), established under Law No. 1 of 2017.
• Responsible for setting safety criteria, conducting inspections, and ensuring compliance with international standards.

European Union’s RASFF

• Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed enables quick information sharing among EU members about food safety risks.
• Enhances rapid response to food safety emergencies, preventing unsafe products from reaching consumers.

Case Studies Managed by RASFF

• Salmonella in Sesame Seeds (2020): Coordination led to the swift withdrawal of contaminated products.
• Aflatoxins in Peanuts (2019): Quick recall of contaminated peanuts due to high aflatoxin levels.

Key Concepts and Definitions

• Allergen: A substance causing an allergy, potentially leading to severe reactions.
• Contamination: The presence of harmful substances in food.
• Critical Control Point (CCP): A vital step in the food safety process to prevent hazards.
• Food Safety Management System: Policies and procedures ensuring food safety and cleanliness.
• Food Quality: The characteristics of food that determine its acceptability to consumers, including taste, texture, and nutritional value.

Explore the essential concepts of food safety and quality management in this introductory lecture. This session covers food hazards and adulteration, reinforcing the importance of the right to food as a human right. Join Dr. Salma Nabhan Salman as she guides you through the complexities of food safety standards.