Download Food Additives

Chapter 17
FOOD SAFETY
Food Safety Talk






Foodborne illness: Any illness that is related to the consumption of
food or contaminants or toxins in food
Pathogens: Microorganisms that can cause disease
Toxins: Substances that can cause harm at some level of exposure
Cross-contamination: The transfer of one contaminant from one
food, piece of equipment or person to another
Threshold effect: Up to a certain point, many microorganisms do not
cause harm. After reaching their threshold, however, they can cause
foodborne illness.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency(CFIA), in co-operation with
Heath Canada, the Public Health Agency of Canada and provincial
and municipal agencies, oversee food safety in Canada.
Copyright 2012, John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd.
Food Safety Talk (continued)
Copyright 2012, John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd.
Food Safety Talk (continued)



The Current system for safeguarding the food supply is called the Hazard
Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP).This is a science-based approach
to prevent food contamination .
The HACCP involves establishing standardized procedures to prevent,
control or eliminate contamination before food reaches consumers. It
focuses on identifying points in the handling of food, called critical control
points, where chemical, physical or microbial contamination can be
prevented, controlled or eliminated. The HACCP requires food
manufacturers and food service industries to anticipate where
contamination might occur. HACCP is preventative and easier to manage
and responsibility for food safety is placed on the manufacturer.
The government has established a system for tracking foodborne illness.
The Canadian Public Health Agency maintains a computer system that can
rapidly compare the DNA of micro-organisms from across Canada and the
USA.
Copyright 2012, John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd.
HACCP
Copyright 2012, John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd.
Food Labelling


Proper food labelling is the manufacturer’s
responsibility. In addition to nutrient labels, some
products also have safe handling labels and
product dating.
Canadian labelling regulation requires that foods
that remain fresh for less than 90 days have a
“use by” or “best before” date. This date refers to
the last date the product is likely to be at peak
flavour, freshness and texture.
Copyright 2012, John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd.
The role of the consumer in preventing
foodborne illness



Decide what foods to consume and know the
risks involved.
Store, serve and prepare foods properly.
Report incidents involving unsanitary, unsafe,
deceptive or mislabeled food to the Canadian
Food Inspection Agency by following the
instructions on their website.
Copyright 2012, John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd.
Pathogens Found in Food
Copyright 2012, John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd.
Pathogens Found in Food
Copyright 2012, John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd.
Tips for Handling Food Safely
Copyright 2012, John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd.
How Long Can Food Be Safely Stored?
Copyright 2012, John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd.
How Long Can Food Be Safely Stored?
Copyright 2012, John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd.
Temperature Danger Zone for Food
Handling
Copyright 2012, John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd.
Safe Cooking Temperatures
Copyright 2012, John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd.
Safe Cooking Temperatures (continued)
Copyright 2012, John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd.
Benefits and Risks of
Pesticides

Benefits:



Pesticides increase crop yields.
Plant foods can look more appealing if pest
damage is minimized.
Risks:


Pesticide residues remain on produce.
Pesticides can contaminate water supplies.
Copyright 2012, John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd.
Pesticide Regulation in Canada



A pesticide used in Canada must be
approved and registered by Health Canada.
Health Canada determines health risks to
humans and sets a maximum residue limit for
pesticides.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency
monitors pesticide residues in foods to
ensure that the maximum limit is not
exceeded.
Copyright 2012, John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd.
Reducing the Need for
Pesticides



Integrated pest management combines
chemical and nonchemical methods.
Use of natural toxins that occur in plants,
including genetic engineering
Organic techniques based on biological
methods which avoid the use of chemicals
Copyright 2012, John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd.
Standards for Organic Foods



The Organic Products Regulations of the Canada
Agriculture Product Act and National Standard
Board govern the standards for organic foods.
These national standards define substances
approved for and prohibited from use in organic food
production.
Farming and processing operations that produce
and handle foods labelled as organic must be
certified by an organization accredited by the
Canadian Food Inspection Agency.
Copyright 2012, John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd.
Labelling of Organic Foods
Copyright 2012, John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd.
Antibiotics and Hormones in Food




Health Canada regulates which drugs can be
used to treat animals used for food production
and when they can be administered.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency monitors
tissue samples for drug residues to ensure
compliance.
Antibiotics are used to prevent disease and
promote growth.
Hormones are used to increase weight gain in
sheep and cattle and milk production in dairy
cows.
Copyright 2012, John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd.
Contamination from Industrial Waste



Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are no longer produced, but these
compounds do not degrade and still are found in the environment,
particularly in the Great Lakes. Fish that live in these waters have
accumulated PCBs in their adipose tissue. Humans who consume
large quantities of contaminated fish accumulate PCBs.
Other contaminants from manufacturing, such as chlordane and
strontium-90, and toxic metals, such as calcium, lead, arsenic and
mercury, have found their way into fish and shellfish.
Health Canada reports that most fish commonly consumed in
Canada have very low mercury levels. Canned albacore tuna is of
concern and Health Canada recommends limited intake for children
and for women who are pregnant, planning to get pregnant or
breastfeeding.
Copyright 2012, John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd.
Choose Wisely to Reduce Risk









Care in selection and preparation
Choose a wide variety of foods
Choose locally grown produce
Purchase organically grown foods
Remove pesticides by peeling or washing
Remove outer leaves (cabbage, lettuce)
Remove wax (wash, scrub in warm water)
Consume smaller species of fish, choose saltwater fish
caught well offshore or vary the type of fish consumed
Cook fish in such a way that fat drips away
Copyright 2012, John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd.
Choose Wisely to Reduce Risk
(continued)



Do not eat tomalley in lobster or mustard in
blue crab
Remove the skin, fatty material and dark
meat from fish
Remove skin from poultry and fat from meat
and poultry
Copyright 2012, John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd.
Food Technology

Advances in food technology have improved
the safety and availability of foods. This
technology includes techniques to




Preserve foods and develop new products
Allow food to be stored for longer periods of time
Add nutrients
Create disease-resistant, high yielding crops
Copyright 2012, John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd.
Food Technology (continued)
Copyright 2012, John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd.
Food Additives
Copyright 2012, John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd.
Food Additives
Copyright 2012, John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd.
Food Additives
Copyright 2012, John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd.
Regulating Food Additives


Health Canada maintains a list of acceptable food
additives and their functions.
A manufacturer that wants to use a new food additive
must submit a petition to Health Canada. The petition
must describe







The chemical composition of the food additive
How it is manufactured
How it is detected
How it is measured in food
Proof that the additive will be effective for its intended purpose
Proof that the additive is safe for its intended use
Proof that the additive is necessary
Copyright 2012, John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd.
Food Processing and
Packaging

There are many methods for processing food
for preservation. Some of these methods
include:




Pasteurization
Aseptic processing
Irradiation, also known as cold pasteurization
MAP: Modified atmosphere packaging
Copyright 2012, John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd.
Food Processing and Packaging
(continued)

In 1991, Health Canada made the
pasteurization of milk mandatory across
Canada.
Copyright 2012, John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd.
Food Processing and Packaging
(continued)


Irradiation is used infrequently in Canada because of
lack of facilities and public fear.
Health Canada has approved irradiation to






Destroy pathogens in red meat and poultry and contaminants in
spices
Prevent insect infestation in flour and spices
Increase the shelf life of potatoes
Eliminate Trichinella in pork
Control insects in fruits, vegetables and grains
Slow the ripening and spoilage of some produce
Copyright 2012, John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd.
Food Additives

Food Additives can be classified as :






Direct or intentional additives
Indirect or unintentional additives
Additives that prevent spoilage
Additives that maintain or improve nutritional quality
Additives to improve and maintain texture
Additives to affect flavor and color
Copyright 2012, John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd.
Copyright
Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd.
All rights reserved. Reproduction or translation of this work beyond that
permitted by Access Copyright (The Canadian Copyright Licensing
Agency) is unlawful. Requests for further information should be
.
addressed to the Permissions Department,
John Wiley & Sons Canada,
Ltd. The purchaser may make back-up copies for his or her own use
only and not for distribution or resale. The author and the publisher
assume no responsibility for errors, omissions, or damages caused by
the use of these programs or from the use of the information contained
herein.
Copyright 2012, John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd.