Food safety deals with aspects of food handling, preparation and storage so that it is safe to consume.

The laws and regulation governing the safety of food are designed to ensure that food is free from any pathogen that can cause a food borne illness.

It therefore refers to all those hazards whether chronic or acute that make food injurious to the health of the consumer.

Food safety is also directly nutrition which is the provision of materials to the cells of organisms in the form of food to support life.

It refers to the study of diet and health which enables food

service professionals to accommodate and enrich various dietary preferences and restrictions.

Meeting dietary needs of consumers involves understanding that people eat or don’t eat certain food for different reason.

Dietitians are health professionals who specialise in human nutrition and trained to provide safe dietary management that promote health and wellbeing

Food Safety Control System

Effective food safety control is undermined by the existence of:

Fragmented legislation; Multiple jurisdictions; and Weaknesses in surveillance, monitoring and

endorsement. Therefore, the objectives of food control

system can be fully achieved with the cooperation and active participation of all stakeholders – namely farmers, industry and consumers

Ideal food safety control system

Effective enforcement of mandatory regulation consisting of preventive strategies that protect the whole food chain.Training and education including community-based outreach programme.Promotion of voluntary compliance.

Food Poisons And ContaminantsThey include the following: Microbial hazards

* Bacteria (e.g. complylobacter, listeria, salmonella, Clostridium botulinum. * Virus (e.g Hepatitis A, Noroviruses Parasites (Protozoa such as Giardia and parasitic nematode worms such as trichinella)

Food Poisons And Contaminants (cont’d) Biological Toxins * Fungal toxins (e.g. Aflatoxins, ochratoxins) * Plant toxins (e.g. glycoalkaloids) Harmful chemical contaminants * Cleaners, sanitizers, machine lubricants * Persistent pesticide residue * heavy metals such as lead, cadmium and arsenic Food allergens (Adverse immune-mediated reaction to food).

Plant products Contaminated by Aflatoxin includes oil seeds, species, tree nuts, maize, groundnuts, pistachios chillies, black pepper.

Animal Products includes milk, cheeses, other dairy products.

Seafood and Shellfish Poisoning Neurotoxin shellfish poisoning, clams,

oysters, scallops, tuna fish(Histamine poison).

These involve the following:-

oInternational tradeoCodex Alimentarius CommissionoSPS and TBT Agreement

Mycotoxin contamination usually aflatoxin

Banned or unathorised pesticides Insect infestation Mould Contamination by rodents Use of prohibited additives or

preservatives (Sudan Red)