Free Essay

Food Safety

In:

Submitted By pikuin
Words 491
Pages 2
中国经验发展解析

|论文题目: |中国食品安全浅析 |
|学 院: |商学院 |
|年 级: |2013级 |
|专 业: |工商管理 |
|姓 名: |费少卿 |
|学 号: |2013201625 |
| |

2014年6月15日
一、食品安全监管和政府监管
(一)食品安全监管 监管是指某一主体为了促使某一事物能够正常的运转,按照一定规则、准则针对该事物所进行的监督管理活动。广义的监管是指社会的社会组织或个人以维护市场秩序为目标,按照法律法规对经济活动进行的控制活动。狭义的监管主要是指:政府对经济活动进行干预的活动是以调整市场机制为目的。监管分为间接和直接监管;事前和事后监管;公共和自主监管。论文所指的监管是狭义的含义。监管分为;监管主体、监管客体、监管内容三个部分。监管主体是政府有关部门,监管客体是食品,监管内容是食品的安全卫生。设置监管机构的目的是确保一切食品处于安全的可食用状态①。食品安全监管管理制度具有以下特征:第一,食品安全监管的主体是有权行使食品安全监督管理的国家相关部门,主要包含以下各部门:国务院食品安全委员会已及县以上卫生局、农业局、药监局等等。第二,食品监管的内容是食品可食用状态的卫生安全。第三,食品安全监管实质是有权机关行使行政权过程所形成的制度体系,具有国家行政特色。第四,食品安全监管是以强制力为保障的。 (二)政府监管的定义 政府监管具有很悠久的历史,古希腊学者柏拉图很早就对政府监管做过总结,政府监管经历了产生、强化、监管三个过程。在资本主义启蒙期和中期就有很多学者对政府监管做过深入的研究。政府监管是包含到政治、经济、管理等很多领域的名词。维斯卡西等很多政治家认为政府是以强制制裁为手段进行监管的,政府主要通过强制力来对经济主体实施监管的。丹尼尔·F.史普博则认为监管是由政府制定政策并强制执行干预市场的行为,为企业和消费者的合理决策提供参考。日本学者植草益认为监管是指按照一定的规则,限制特殊经济主体的活动的行为,监管分为两种:私人监管和公共监管。私人监管是指对私人进行的监管行动。公共监管是指由司法、行政、立法等公共机关对社会机关进行的监管。 从经济学的角度分析,政府监管是指相对独立和具有合法地位的机构,按照法规对被监管者进行的行政管理或监督;从政治学的角度来看,政府监管主要通过设立相关法律法规来限制私人行为,实现维护社会公共秩序的目的。政府监管是国家对社会进行的宏观调控和微观管理的一种手段。政府监管是社会治理的手段之一,是为政策实施而采用的治理方式。 二、我国食品安全监管体制的现状 (一)从监管机构的设置角度 2008年3月11日国务委员兼国务院秘书长华建敏在第十一届全国人民代表大会第一次会议上做了《关于国务院机构改革方案》的说明,拉开了大部制改革的序幕,旨在整合职能相近或者重叠的部门,减少和机构重叠、职能交叉,提高政府执政效能。在这次改革中明确指出由卫生部承担食品安全综合协调的责任、组织查处食品安全重大事故,并且将食品药品监督管理局归于卫生部之下。 2009年6月1日,《中华人民共和国食品安全法》的正式颁布实施将我国食品安全监管体系进行了进一步的完善,通过对国务院食品安全委员会的设立来统一协调食品安全监管的方方而而。除此之外,正式提出由卫生部作为食品安全监管的龙头部门,并且对县以上政府的食品安全监管责任进行了明确,虽然在监管部门的数量上仍然显得比较多,但已经大大缓解了原先群龙无首、职能重叠的问题②。
从纵向监管权配置上看角度
我国各部门从中央到地方的监管系统十分复杂,主要有以下几种表现形式:(1)卫生部和农业部采取分级管理的配置方式,该部门所在省、市、县的对口机构受当地政府直接管理,对当地政府负责。(2)国家工商行政管理局和食品药品监督管理局采用的是半垂直管理,即省以下实行垂直一体化管理形式,无需对当地政府负责,而省以上仍然属于共同管理模式。(3)国家质量监督检验检疫总局采用混合管理形式,其下属的国家出入境管理局采用的是中央垂直一体化管理形式,而质量技术监督管理局采用的是省以下垂直体化管理形式。 三、我国食品安全监管存在的问题 (一)政府食品安全监管理念落后 政府对于食品安全监管的根本职能就是监管,在市场失灵的情况下政府应该积极发挥其“掌舵者”的作用,引导食品安全监管进入合规的轨道。可是当前我国政府食品监管的理念还相对落后,重经济发展轻社会管理可见一斑。首先,在我国市场经济蓬勃发展的今天,各级政府仍然把经济发展放在了首要地位,一切其他事物都必须要让位于经济的发展。而正是由于这份对经济发展过分的追求导致了政府对丁?其他社会管理的忽视、漠视③。河北省政府正是由于三鹿集团作为当地的纳税大户为当地的经济发展做出了卓越的贡献而一再忽视其产品存在的质量问题,非但没有履行政府对食品安全的监管职能,反而充当起了企业的“保护伞”,直接导致了 “三鹿奶粉”事件的全面爆发。 其次,地方保护主义色彩浓重。地方政府为了美化过的财政报表而一再对问题企业开绿灯。甚至等到食品安全问题被揭露的时候依然试图为问题企业掩盖事实,不积极向上级政府报告,最终导致事件一发不可收拾。当“三鹿奶粉”事件刚刚被发现的最早期,河北省政府在己经明知奶粉存在可能导致婴儿肾功能的情况下并没有积极起到对食品安全的监管作用,进而对三鹿集团进行彻查,相反它们在浓重的地方保护主义的错误思想影响下,一味只看到了政府财政收入,却忽视了对流通市场的产品加以监管,地方监管部门不按规定向上级部门报告,农业部门不对奶站进行有效监管,一味的试图通过掩盖问题从而保护问题企业,最终却使得危机彻底爆发。 再次,即使在对“食品安全”的监管中,我国的政府监管人员也存在片面狭溢地理解“食品安全”内涵的问题。很多时候政府监管存在重药品、轻食品;重城市、轻农村;重出口产品、轻内销产品现象,使得人们日常的食品健康得不到应有的保障④。 最后,政府监管仍以短期为主,缺乏长期监管意识。在安徽阜阳奶粉事件后,河北省政府对奶粉等食品进行了突击检查和处理,而随后很快便偃旗息鼓,以至于在“三鹿奶粉”事件发生前我国的奶粉市场都没有得到严格、有效的监管。而在“三鹿奶粉”事件发生后,国家质检总局才再次拉开旗识在全国开展了婴幼儿奶粉三聚氰胺含量专项检查,对全国109家企业进行了排查,共检验了这些企业的491个批次的产品。从国家质检总局的检测结果看,有22家婴幼儿奶粉生产企业的69批次产品检出了含量不同的三聚氰胺,占到生产企业总数的20. 2%。可这种仅针对某一单一品相而非全品相的检测却会使得其他可能导致食品安全危机品相成为监测中的漏网之鱼,风险依旧存在⑤。而仅靠发生问题后一时的突击检查,缺乏长期有效的监督治理,显然无法从根本上解决食品安全问题。 (二)食品安全监管体制不合理 我国的食品安全监管体系长期以来采取的是“分段监管为主、品种监管为辅”的监管模式。总体上看,分段监管虽有利于每个环节的监管部门各司其职、发挥其专业优势,但它所产生的一个必然结果是多部门共同负责食品链的监管工作。 然而,由于政府体制调整等诸多因素的影响,我国在同一环节上的食品安全监管主体经常可能发生变化,直接影响了对食品安全监管工作的连贯性,影响了监管的效能。近期发生的“人造鸡蛋”事件就充分表明了在我国现行的食品安全监管中由于分段监管模式而直接引起了职责不清、相互推读最终导致无人管理的局面。具体说来,食品安全监管体制不合理体现为以下两个方面: 1、监管主体设置不合理,综合监管机构缺乏权威性 我国食品安全的管理职能分散在国务院的多个部委和直局,以及各级地方政府相应的多个部门中,监管主体分属于卫生、农业、食品药品监督管理、国家质量检验检疫、工商、环保等多部门,形成了多部门管理、不同部门负责不同环节的监管格局。生产阶段的食品安全由卫生部负责,种植和养殖阶段的食品安全由农业部负责,加工环节和进出口食品的检验工作由国家质量检验检疫总局负责,流通阶段由工商总局负责。这种看似分工明确的条块式分割却恰恰容易产生职责不清、权责不明、重复监管、监管真空,缺乏部门整合、综合协调和联动机制等问题,不利于对于食品安全进行全程的监管,当有问题发生的时候往往容易形成“多头管理、无人负责”的局面。 2、权利配置纵向不统一、横向不清晰 在负责食品安全监管的主要部门中,监管权力在各个部门的纵向配置并不具有一致性,分级管理、半垂直管理、混合管理相互参杂。首先,卫生部、农业部、质监部虽然在食品安全监管上受中央直接领导,但地方政府本身作为独立的一个部门,在财政上却又有其自身的利益关系,这必然会对它们的执法独立性产生影响。其次,对于实行半垂直管理的工商行政管理部门、质量技术监督管理部门以及食品药品监督管理局而言,虽然可以在某些程度上减少受地方保护主义的影响,但也并非完全可以摆脱限制。而目前受影响最大的还是省级以下的相关部门无法获得当地政府的足够支持,再加上半垂直管理体系实施以来,人事和财政等配套改革措施并没有及时跟上,导致这些基层部门缺乏足够的人力和经费上的支持。因此也会产生需要靠企业养活政府的局面,滋长了“以罚代管”,也严重损害了政府的权威性。从“三鹿奶粉”事件来看,为什么在河北省政府由于地方保护主义思想导致对三鹿问题产品大乘保护伞的情况下,当地的工商行政部门也对此不闻不问?其主要原因就在于这种权利配置的不清晰。对于釆取半垂直管理的工商管理局和食品药品监督管理局而言,省以下部门仍然受到当地政府对行政监管部门的支配作用,在巨大的经济利益面前,所谓的行政监管部门就成了当地政府经济利益下的傀偏,完全形同虚设。 四、食品安全监管环境问题原因及完善 食品安全监管中政府一方面履行着社会管理的职能,而另一方面也履行着公共服务的职能。这也就意味着政府不仅仅是全能的主体,更重要的是它要积极引入社会上每一个组织、每一个个人的力量,共同完善对食品安全的监管。可是一直以来,我国政府都以“全能政府”的形象示人,相信能以政府一己之力解决社会管理和公共服务中的所有问题,但现实显然并不是这样的。几乎所有的食品安全危机最初爆发的时候都源自于新闻媒体的曝光,在这点上我国的新闻工作者确实可圈可点。可是与此同时我们也需要看到社会组织和广大的消费者几乎都是全程处于被动的局面。行业协会没有对食品行业的安全进行积极有效的监督,消费者缺乏对食品安全的认识和维权的意识,正是由于外部环境建设的落后,导致一方面缺乏权威专家指导政府工作,使得政府在食品安全监管捉襟见肘,而另一方面也缺乏专门有效的对政府执政能力的监督,使得民怨重生,政府公信力受到损害⑥。 五、加强我国食品安全监管的对策 (一)完善食品安全监管体制、构建有限政府 食品安全法律体系的完善是监管的基础,食品安全的监管有赖于执法机构即监管主体有效地执行法律、履行职责。我国实行的是多部门共同负责的食品安全监管体系。因为政府部门利益的存在,致使多头监管加大了监管成本、降低监管效率,导致责任不清,相互推卸责任的后果。我国在食品安全监管中需要一个独立、权威、高效的部门来负责整个监管工作。监管机构毕竟与行政部门有着非常密切的联系,我国食品安全多头监管的现状不会一下子改变,应该在明确各机构的职责基础上,由食品安全委员会总体组织食品安全监管工作⑦。 (二)建立统一高效、权责明晰的食品安全监管机构 目前我国分散的食品安全机构设置是导致政府职能履行“缺位”的重要原因。2003年成立的国家食品药品监督管理局由于设置、级别等诸多方而的问题,并没有发挥预期的综合监管、组织协调的作用。2008年通过的政府机构改革方案己将国家食品药品监管局划归为卫生部管理,旨在明确卫生部在政府食品监管中的责任主体地位,并相应地赋予卫生部更多的监管权力,方便其对监管资源进行整合,协调监管的行动,从而从根本上解决由原先由多部门分散管理而产牛.的职能“缺位”、“越位”的问题,避免各个部门一方面在利益面前争先恐后,而另一方面却在面对真正发生安全问题时互相推倭。在新颁布的《食品安全法》中对此也做了明确的规定,“国务院设立食品安全委员会,其工作职责由国务院规定”。此举是为了在现行监管体制基础上,采用“分段监管、无缝隙衔接、各部门各司其职”等监管体系进一步加强对食品安全的监管。我国食品安全委员会在操作上可以借鉴美国、日本等国的做法,国家级食品安全委员会直接对中央政府负责,主要成员由不受部门利益影响的食品安全专家组成,主要负责对食品安全的重大决策分析却不需承担具体的监管任务,切实做好协调者和管理者的角色,改变权力分散导致的各自为政和效率低下的问题。 与此同时,明确各食品监管机构的职责,形成一个多层次、相互制约的食品安全监管体系。其中尤其值得一提的是耍对监管中可能存在交叉的地方着重分工明确,一个职能只能由一个监管机构予以负责,既不允许存在任何一个无人负责的职能领域,也不允许一个职能由多个监管机构予以监管的现象存在。依旧以美国等发达国家为了为例,对食品按照类别进行分工,每个部门对自己分管的部门内完成“从农田到餐桌”的全方位监管,并对最终结果直接负责。在最大程度发挥地方食品安全监管作用的基础上,提高食品安全监管工作的科学性、合理性。 (三)建设监管外部环境 我国政府长期以来在履行社会管理职能时都受到“全能政府”思想的左右,对社会事务过多地干预和管理使得政府在无形中变成了社会管理的唯一主体。而由于社会管理基础比较薄弱,加上一些部门受其自身利益的左右,政府公共职能部门“缺位”“错位”的问题比较突出,社会管理水平相对较低,社会自治功能也没有得到充分发挥的情况。要建立统一、高效、权威、科学的食品安全管制体系,单单是依靠政府一家之力是远远不够的。食品安全监管的有力实施,需要来自企业、媒体、第三方组织和消费者等社会各方的积极参与和共同治理。 总结 食品安全是我国当今社会人们关注的热点。食品安全监管是一个复杂而且涉及面广的问题。本文只是对食品安全做出初步的认识与分析,还需要深入的研究以制定一个真正能够保证食品安全的政策。

注释 ①李晓燕.浅谈如何完善食品安全检测体系[J]. 民营科技. 2009(12) ②左锡贵,聂菱.卫生检验在食品安全应急工作中的作用、现状及对策[J].中国卫生检验杂志. 2009(12) ③李红梅,马联弟,徐锐锋.建立我国食品安全计量溯源体系 实现食品检测数据的有效与可比[J]. 江苏现代计量. 2009(05) ④黄登宇.从食品卫生到食品安全——《中华人民共和国食品安全法》的新意解读[J].太原科技. 2009(10) ⑤刘丹静.从“三鹿奶粉事件”对《食品安全法》影响看乳品行业的发展[J].轻工标准与质量. 2009(04) ⑥崔萍.我国食品安全问题产生的原因探析[J].中国新技术新产品. 2009(02) ⑦苗杰. 食品安全管理中的行政问责制研究[J].今日南国(理论创新版). 2009(03)
参考文献
[1] 李晓燕.浅谈如何完善食品安全检测体系[J]. 民营科技. 2009(12) [2] 左锡贵,聂菱.卫生检验在食品安全应急工作中的作用、现状及对策[J].中国卫生检验杂志. 2009(12) [3] 李红梅,马联弟,徐锐锋. 建立我国食品安全计量溯源体系 实现食品检测数据的有效与可比[J]. 江苏现代计量. 2009(05) [4] 黄登宇.从食品卫生到食品安全——《中华人民共和国食品安全法》的新意解读[J].太原科技. 2009(10) [5] 刘丹静.从“三鹿奶粉事件”对《食品安全法》影响看乳品行业的发展[J].轻工标准与质量. 2009(04) [6] 李珂.《食品安全法》与《食品卫生法》之比较研究[J].四川行政学院学报. 2009(03) [7] 叶平.关于食品安全信息与风险监测评估的探讨[J].中国质量技术监督. 2009(05) [8] 郭蔚丽.如何完善食品安全检验检测体系[J].中国质量技术监督. 2009(04) [9] 苗杰. 食品安全管理中的行政问责制研究[J].今日南国(理论创新版). 2009(03) [10] 崔萍.我国食品安全问题产生的原因探析[J].中国新技术新产品. 2009(02)

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

Food Safety Assignment

...Food Safety Assignment List of Contents 1. Introduction 2. Relative importance of pathogens 3. Trends in foodborne illness 4. Emerging issues 5. Intervention strategies 6. Conclusion 7. References 1. Introduction From the very dawn of the mankind people have suffered from an array of infectious diseases. Advances in the ways of diagnostics and treatment allow us to ease this burden on the humanity. Information technology has provided scientific community with a chance to better control and, which is the most important, prevent foodborne diseases by gathering, analyzing and interpreting epidemiological data from a vast number of sites. Conclusions drawn as a result of such surveillance (trends in incidence, prevalence, endemicity of important pathogens, number of outbreaks, most common vehicles of infection, etc.) can be used to design intervention strategies to eradicate a disease as well as to assess a degree of success of food safety measures. Initially, epidemiological surveillance was limited to scientific trials or a certain disease; collection of data on a wider, national, scale was passive. But even these scarce results were able to convince authorities in many countries to approach this issue seriously, in a systemic manner and with bigger amount of resources. In the USA the best known at the moment program, FoodNet or Foodborne diseases Active Surveillance Network, was launched on January 1, 1996. At first it covered only the territory with 13.2 million residents...

Words: 1455 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Food Safety

...DECLARATION I Japhet NKURUNZIZA ,do declare that this research project is my own work. I have to do the best of my knowledge acknowledged all authors or sources from where I got information. I further declare that this work has not been submitted in any university or institution for the award of a degree or any of its equivalents. Signed…………………………………………..date………./……………/………………. APPROVAL This is to acknowledge that this research project has been submitted with my approval. Signed…………………………..Date………………/……………./……………… Dr TOMBOLA M.Gustave, PhD DEDICATION To the beloved members of my family, colleagues and friends. ACKNOWLEDMENTS This thesis is yet another landmark achievement in my academic history. Yet, truth be told, I believe the completion of the same would not be possible it had to be for the incessant and unconditional help from different persons, physical and moral. My highest appreciation goes to my beloved mother Mrs. palacidia UWIZEYIMANA and my former headmaster, Etienne UWAGIWABO, my uncles, my friends Philip NSENGUWERA, Felix BIZINDA, brother and sisters for all the support and encouragement. I also appreciate the government of Rwanda for the support of financing my studies and Rwanda Tourism University College for the academic supports. Heartfelt thanks go to Dr TOMBOLA M. Gustave,PhD who devoted his precious time to the supervision...

Words: 11801 - Pages: 48

Premium Essay

Food and Safety

...“Food Safety- noun- the issues surrounding the production, handling, storage and cooking of food that determine whether or not it is safe to eat.”(Agriculture Dictionary.com) Have you ever wondered if what you are buying from the grocery store or market is safe to eat? Or if the Burger you ordered is fresh? Well, in the U.S. you can obtain a deadly bacterium by just eating a single under cooked burger or even grabbing a fresh healthy salad, which contains E.Coli from unwashed produce. Your daily food consumption needs to be a constant concern to every member of your family. The Food and Drug Administration is attempting to keep things in control but every year there are over 1,000 incidences reported and hundreds of deaths from contaminated food. Until the agencies that are in charge of food safety which include the FDA and also the Department of Agriculture and World Trade Organization. Recently they added the Food Safety Modernization Act, but even with this department’s food safety is still a major global issue. In order to improve food safety and quality the Food and Drug administration needs more power to mandate inspections more frequently and to increase the severity of the requirements to prevent deadly pathogens that cause thousands of illnesses and deaths each year. There is major concern for the safety of our food in the United States. According to Hosansky, “an estimated 5,000 people die yearly and some 76 million are sickened because of food borne pathogens like...

Words: 908 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Food Safety

...Final Paper Food Safety Food Safety Food Safety is all conditions and actions necessary to ensure the safety of food at all stages. This refers to the conditions and practices to prevent contamination and food-borne illnesses. Food safety is an essential health function. Food can be contaminated and judged unsafe in many ways. Contamination can occur during the packaging process, by inadequate cooking or storage.   Also, different food products may already have different microorganisms such as bacteria or parasites which may be allowed to multiply and cause disease if food is not appropriately handled. With regard to whether or not food safety is currently a problem the answer is clearly, yes. The concern is that daily, people get sick with what is interchangeably called food-borne disease or illness from the food they eat. Specifically, food-borne illness has a severe affect on infants, young children, the elderly and the sick. In both developing and developed countries, it is a strain on health care systems. Not only does food-borne illness affect physical condition, but economically, individuals, communities, businesses, and countries are affected by food safety problems. Data and Investigative Information Being that food safety is an increasingly important public health issue, it is imperative that governments intensify their efforts to improve food safety. These efforts should be in response to an increasing number of food safety problems and rising...

Words: 1051 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Food Safety

...FOOD PREPARATION AND THE TEMPERATURE DANGER ZONESafe temperatures mean 45 F or below and 140 F or above. Any temperaturebetween 45 F and 140 F is considered to be in the TEMPERATURE DANGER ZONE.Food products have to be in the danger zone at some time during their preparation.However, 3 hours is the maximum time that a food can be in the danger zone withoutbecoming dangerously contaminated. After 3 hours in the danger zone, enoughbacteria can grow to cause foodborne disease outbreaks. Unfortunately, a food doesnot have to be in the danger zone for 3 consecutive hours to become a health hazard.The time accumulates; that is, each separate period which exposes the food to dangerzone temperatures counts toward the 3-hour limit. For example, a frozen food is to beprepared. First, the food has to be thawed. The thawing period places the food in thedanger zone. Later, the food may be mixed with other food items or chopped or cut.This again exposes the food to dangerous temperatures. In addition, the food may becontaminated from contact with other foods or utensils. If the food is left sitting at roomtemperature, it once again is in the danger zone. From this example, you can see that itis very easy for food to stay in the danger zone for 3 hours or more. When inspectingfood preparation procedures at a full-service food facility, you must determine thatpersonnel are following procedures to minimize the time that potentially hazardous fooditems remain in the danger...

Words: 253 - Pages: 2

Free Essay

Food Safety and Information Bullentin

...Food Safety and Information Bulletin “Food borne illness is a major health issue facing Americans. There are between 6.5 million and 81 million cases of food borne illness and as many 9,100 related deaths occur annually. Illnesses from pathogenic bacteria appear to be increasing each year.” (MSUcares.com, 2009) When purchasing foods one must be aware of expiration dates, damaged packaging, proper storage temperatures and freshness of the product. Issues of such nature can cause food to become contaminated. To protect stored foods check temperatures of freezer and refrigerator and ensure that the freezer is at 0 °F or lower and refrigerator temperature is at least 40 °F. Perishable foods should be refrigerated promptly. Meats should be wrapped securely to prevent leakage of juices into other foods which could cause contamination of other foods. Cook foods should be refrigerated promptly. When preparing foods wash hands with soap and warm water before and after handling foods, sanitize all utensils, countertops and cutting boards and keep raw meats away from other foods to avoid cross contamination. Do not thaw meats at room temperatures; warm temperatures can cause the growth of bacteria and be sure to cook foods thoroughly. “Food borne illnesses are caused by eating food or drinking beverages contaminated with bacteria, parasites, or viruses. Harmful chemicals can also cause food borne illnesses if they have contaminated food during harvesting or processing.”(NDDIC, 2009)...

Words: 446 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Food Safety

... |[pic] | | |NUT GUIDANCE ON STANDARDS | | | | | |FOR FOOD SAFETY IN SCHOOLS | | |[pic] | Introduction This NUT guidance has been prepared to highlight the health and safety hazards which can exist in the absence of clear policies and procedures on the safe preparation of food in schools. It covers a range of issues which need to be addressed when carrying out risk assessments and writing safety policies for food preparation areas, including a detailed examination of the main circumstances in which food and drink are likely to be prepared, served and consumed in schools. It should be made clear at the outset that nothing whatsoever in this briefing should be interpreted as being in conflict with either the letter or the spirit of the School Meals Agreement 1968, which repealed regulations previously enabling local authorities to require teachers to supervise pupils taking school meals. The 1968 Agreement acknowledged that any...

Words: 5986 - Pages: 24

Free Essay

Food Safety: an Integral Part

...Food safety is a necessity for everyone. The food on our table needs to be produced, processed and marketed safely to protect the consumer. Trade liberalisation and globalisation have opened not only our borders; it also has increased our exposure to insect pests and food safety hazards. Annually, the number of people suffering from food poisoning in industrialized countries increases by 30%. Foodborne illness caused by ingesting contaminated foodstuffs which carry viruses, bacteria, protozoa, parasites or fungi, usually results in nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea or fever. Symptoms range from mild to severe, and tend to affect the more vulnerable consumers such as babies, pregnant women and the elderly. Many of the germs that cause foodborne illness also can be transmitted in contaminated fresh water. Infection usually occurs while preparing or eating contaminated food. Because water systems often serve large numbers of people, outbreaks of disease can affect large segments of the population. According to the World Health Organization, foodborne and waterborne diarrhoeal diseases together kill approximately 2.2 million people annually, including 1.9 million children. Foodborne illness can also be caused by chemical hazards such as pesticides, which can lead to chronic, life-threatening symptoms or immunological disorders, as well as cancer and death. Food safety can be compromised anywhere along the way from the "farm to the fork": farmers use agricultural chemicals...

Words: 586 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Food Safety Issues

...Name: Course Name: Lecturer: Date: Food Safety Issues Introduction Food safety is an important concern in the contemporary world. This is especially in firms that are involved in mass production. Food safety is an assurance that food being produced is safe for consumption. Rapid food poisoning is resultant from poor handling of food. Food safety is a program that seeks to streamline the handling of food to prevent food poisoning. For this paper, the context of mass production of food is assumed. Food poisoning is not only a health hazard but also leads to loss to such an organization that is involved in food production. Poor food storage and handling is expensive. For instance, it results to loss to the organization in terms of food going bad in mass or in small quantities. On the other hand, it leads to food poisoning especially for when consumed which may result to losses and heavy litigation costs and damages. This makes it necessary to institute food safety mechanisms during handling and storage. Food safety is a process and not a one-off activity. It is a mechanism that ensures that at every stage, handling and storage is monitored to ensure that no compromises are made. There are a number of systems that are employed to facilitate food safety. For instance, Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) are the most commonly used systems of assuring food safety. GMP is a process employed at processing plants...

Words: 1219 - Pages: 5

Free Essay

Food Safety Bulletin

...Food Safety Bulletin SCI/220 Version 6 Food Safety Bulletin COMMUNITY PUBLIC SERVICE BULLETIN Food Safety Tips for Everyone! The community is reporting numerous food-borne illnesses to the city health department. The health department is dealing with an increase of food-related illnesses among the community and the need to educate the public on food safety is evident. The community must recognize contamination of food can occur at any stage during food purchase, food storage, and food preparation. One common safety issue related to food purchase is making sure the food is fresh or not past the expiration date. Effects from eating food past their expiration date could lead to food poisoning or physical discomfort, such as an upset stomach. Any food that is older than its expiration date may have dangerous bacteria that can cause food poisoning or an upset stomach (Lance Armstrong Foundation, 2011). It is important to pay attention to the expiration date on all food items. Do not purchase food older than its expiration date. When a person purchases food close to the expiration date, make sure to eat the food immediately to prevent any food safety issues. If the food has a bad smell, it is always best to throw the food away. To find more information on this subject one can visit the local city or county health department or go online and visit websites like usda.gov or livestrong.com. After a food item is purchased, it is important to store the food properly. Make sure...

Words: 824 - Pages: 4

Free Essay

Food Safety Paper

...Food Safety Did you know that nearly one in six Americans suffer illnesses directly related to food-borne illnesses, and that three thousand die each year from these types of diseases? According to the CDC ( CDC and Food and Safety, 2009), “reducing food-borne illness by just 10% would keep 5 million Americans from getting sick each year”. According to (What is Food Safety, 2010), food safety is defined as the utilization of various resources and strategies to ensure that all types of foods are properly stored, prepared, and preserved so they are safe for consumption. There are measures you yourself can take to ensure that the food you purchase is safe to eat. It is important to always pay close attention to expiration dates as this can cause many illnesses. Ensure that the foods you are purchasing are stored properly. improperly stored food, such as food that is not kept at the proper temperature when stored, can develop molds, and can spoil resulting in severe food related illnesses and potentially death. Pay attention how different foods are being presented as well. Purchasing the wrong foods can lead to miserable food related illnesses, to avoid these illnesses when purchasing foods be sure to purchase produce that is free from bruising or showing any physical signs of damage. Select produce that is kept cold by ice or refrigeration. This will keep foods fresher longer. Be sure to store your foods properly as-well. Remember to keep your refrigerator set to 40 degrees...

Words: 545 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Unit 31: Food Safety Management

...UNIT 31: FOOD SAFETY MANAGEMENT Get assignment help for this unit at assignmenthelpuk@yahoo.com LO1 Understand the agents that cause food-borne illness and the contamination of food Bacteriology: main bacteria of concern – salmonella, clostridia, listeria, E. coli, campylobacter, staphylococcus; toxins; growth conditions; characteristics; incubation and onset times of illness Physical contamination: explanation of physical contaminants; prevention of physical contamination; methods of control Chemical contamination: types of chemical contaminants; prevention of chemical contamination; methods of control Food poisoning: causes; symptoms; duration Food-borne infections: difference between food-borne infection and food poisoning; agents of food-borne disease; sources of contamination; prevention measures High-risk foods: foods that are most likely to cause food poisoning https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5649485182751853952#editor/target=post;postID=4763169365889993301 LO2Understand the processes that can prevent food spoilage and preserve food quality Food spoilage agents: bacteria; yeasts; moulds; enzymatic activity Food preservation methods: high and low temperatures; chemical; physical Special processes to prolong shelf life: irradiation; ultra-violet; vacuum-packing; controlled atmospheres LO3 Understand the importance of effective prevention systems in the control of food contamination Temperature control: delivery; storage; preparation; defrosting; cooking;...

Words: 1159 - Pages: 5

Free Essay

Food Safety Bulletin

...Food Safety Bulletin The city of Phoenix, Arizona has reported a drastic rise in food-borne illness cases resulting in this public service bulletin. State and local governments responsible for inspecting restaurants, grocery stores, and retail establishments, dairy farms, grain mills, and food manufacturing establishments have identified pathogens in our local food supply. It is reported that 48 million people get sick, 128,000 are hospitalized, and 3,000 people a year actually die from food-borne illnesses. Although the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) system is in place to provide safe food to the market place, it is essential all consumers take extra care and precautions keeping food safe in the wake of this drastic rise in food-borne epidemic. Pathogens in our food are: • Bacteria in Food • Viruses in Food • Moldy Foods • Parasites in Food • Prions in Food Phoenix has experience and increase in bacteria and virus in food incidents. Bacteria in food can be contaminated before harvested and make their way to the dinner table of unprepared foods. Good agricultural practices can reduce the risk but contamination can also occur during processing, transportation, handling, or storage. It is up to the consumer to learn to handle, store, and prepare food safely to prevent food-borne illness. Viruses in food are the most common causes of food-borne illness, which include bacteria, viruses, molds, and parasites. This can cause flulike...

Words: 323 - Pages: 2

Free Essay

Food Safety Worksheet

...------------------------------------------------- University of Phoenix Material Food Safety Worksheet Read each of the following scenarios. Scenario 1: Jeremiah went grocery shopping on a hot summer day. He bought food for an upcoming family BBQ; ground beef for hamburgers, a couple of steaks, and the ingredients for making potato salad. When he left the store, he put his groceries in the trunk and stopped by the sports outlet store to pick up a Frisbee and croquet set. It took about 10 minutes at the sports store, and then Jeremiah headed home to prepare the food. He was concerned that it had been too hot in the car, but everything was still cold when he got home. Jeremiah took the groceries home and put everything in the refrigerator. The meat fit well on the top shelf, right above the potato salad ingredients. Later on, he got the groceries out to prep everything for the BBQ. He cooked the potatoes and used a sharp knife to trim some excess fat off of the raw steaks. Then he cut up the rest of the vegetables for the potato salad with the sharp knife on a cutting board. Jeremiah formed the hamburger patties, seasoned the steaks, and finished making the potato salad. With only about 45 minutes to go before leaving for the BBQ, Jeremiah left everything sitting out on the counter while he showered and got ready. When he arrived at the BBQ, he set the potato salad on the picnic table and went to grill the steaks and burgers. He cooked both to about...

Words: 1560 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Food Safety: Surimi

...TITLE: HACCP PLAN FOR SURIMI CONTENTS 1.0 : SCOPE OF HACCP PLAN & FOOD SAFETY OBJECTIVE(S) 2.0 : PRODUCT DESCRIPTION & INTENDED CONSUMER 2.1 : PRODUCT NAME 2.2 : IMPORTANT PRODUCT CHARACTERISTICS 2.3 : STORAGE 2.4 : PACKAGING 2.5 : SHELF-LIFE 2.6 : INTENDED USE & CONSUMER 2.7 : WHERE THE PRODUCT WILL BE SOLD 2.8 : LABELLING 2.0 : PROCESS FLOW CHART 3.0 : HAZARD ANALYSIS WORKSHEET 4.0 : HACCP SUMMARY PLAN 6.0 : SUMMARY OF PRE-REQUISITE PROGRAMMES 1.0 : SCOPE OF HACCP PLAN AND FOOD SAFETY OBJECTIVES Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) is a science-based system that aims to prevent food safety problems from occurring rather than having to react to non-compliance of the finished product. The HACCP system accomplishes this by the identification of specific hazards and the implementation of control measures. An effective HACCP system should reduce the reliance on traditional end-product testing. The objective of this research is to explain the principles of HACCP as it applies from production and until to handling and processing of Surimi processing. In this research, the researcher only explain on how to use the seven principles of HACCP and offer suggestions as to the type of hazards that may occur in the Surimi product. The researched HACCP plan was documented and it has been simplified. This section demonstrates one format that may be considered in the development of an HACCP plan. From the research...

Words: 4012 - Pages: 17