While human food must be adequate and nutritious for human survival, it can also pose a risk to the health of consumers. In this way, the concepts of “food security” and “food safety” are closely linked and are often confused.
According to FAO, food security means ensuring that everyone has access to quality basic food, in sufficient quantity, on a permanent basis and based on healthy eating practices. On the other hand, food safety implies the absence, or reduction to acceptable and safe levels, of contaminants (physical, chemical, biological and allergens), adulterants, toxins and any other substance that can harm the health of the consumer.
A large part of the population of developing countries does not have access to safe, nutritious and sufficient food, suffering from hunger and chronic malnutrition. Furthermore, the main victims of hunger are children, which jeopardizes the development of the population. In other words, the lack of safe food creates a “vicious circle of disease and malnutrition” that overwhelms public health services, disrupts social and economic progress, and undermines the quality of life.
The food industry has been developing methods to process and preserve food so that it does not make people sick. However, the most recent data from the World Health Organization (WHO) suggest that each year, foodborne diseases make almost one in 10 people on the planet sick. Around 420,000 deaths a year are believed to result from foodborne illnesses, a significant proportion of which are children under five years of age. Most food safety problems are caused by pathogenic microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites responsible for causing infection and food poisoning. Health consequences range from mild to severe, from diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain to debilitating infections and long-term illness or death.
Meanwhile, urbanization and changes in consumption habits have increased the number of people who buy and consume food prepared in public places, leaving them more vulnerable to food poisoning. In addition, food safety problems, when occurring, can have negative results for both consumers and producers and traders, also affecting the economic performance of one or several sectors, to a greater or lesser extent depending on their size and frequency.
Therefore, good collaboration between governments, food industry value chain actors and consumers is needed to help ensure food safety, which in turn will contribute to greater food security and stronger food systems.
For operators in the food industry’s value chain, the implementation of good production, processing, conservation and distribution practices, from farm to table, has proved to be a relevant strategy in preventing and/or reducing the risk of food contamination. In fact, systems such as HACCP (Hazards Analysis and Control of Critical Points), allow the analysis and identification of the most pressing hazards and risks throughout the production, processing, distribution, marketing and final consumption of food. Thus, subsequently, it is possible to define and establish control measures to prevent hazards or mitigate the risks of contamination of various types. Such measures may include, for example, the introduction and/or systematization of inspection, disinfection, temperature control, cleaning steps, etc.; and/or, for example, definition of comprehensive and regular training plans for food handlers.
In addition to HACCP, other international standards may help to systematize good practices in handling food from farm to table, thus contributing to the population’s access to sufficient and nutritious amounts of food, essential for maintaining good health. In particular, Global G.A.P, for the establishment of good agricultural practices; Standard ISO 22000:2018 and FSSC 22000, for the implementation of a food safety management system; BRC, global food safety standard; among others.
In Mozambique, contrary to what is already happening in other parts of the world, the implementation of these systems/standards is not yet mandatory. However, this should not be seen as a reason for not implementing those. On the contrary, in the absence of a legal obligation, it is up to the various actors in the value chain to understand the impact of their activity on the health/life of their customers, friends and family members, and to take responsibility for eliminating or reducing the hazards identified to acceptable levels. Additionally, the certification of these standards will allow agents in the value chain to demonstrate their competence in terms of food safety and quality, as well as their commitment to consumer safety and to their organization’s stakeholders.
