Food fuels our health. Its quality influences, and aggravates, chronic diseases such as heart issues, diabetes, obesity and some cancer types
Food is an essential component of our life. The quality of food one consumes plays a significant role in developing and managing chronic diseases. Many chronic conditions, such as heart disease, diabetes, obesity and certain types of cancer, are closely linked to diet and nutrition. Unfortunately, the public rarely looks into the quality of food one consumes. We can see the mushrooming of street food stalls across the nook and corner of the country, sans any hygiene or quality. Even the food items we procure from supermarkets do not guarantee quality. In many cases, there would be a mismatch between what is mentioned on the label and actual ingredients. Even enforcement agencies rarely check the quality of foods served by the vendors.
Food safety is crucial for maintaining public health, preventing foodborne illnesses and ensuring the economic stability of the food industry. These diseases are caused by consuming food or beverages contaminated with harmful microorganisms (bacteria, fungi, parasites) or toxins. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), around 600 million people fall ill after consuming contaminated food each year, leading to 420,000 deaths. These figures underscore the severe health implications of unsafe food. Foodborne illnesses can cause long-term health problems, including kidney failure, chronic arthritis, brain and nerve damage and death. This year’s World Food Safety Day theme, “Prepare for the Unexpected” , underscores the importance of proactive measures in maintaining food safety amidst various unforeseen challenges. The need for robust and adaptive food safety measures is of prime importance in the current scenario, where new pathogens are evolving and new toxic additives are added to foods to make money.
Earlier, every food item had a local flavour available in a particular place and in a specific shop. Since the production level was minimal, the manufacturers had control over the quality and safety of their food products. Unfortunately, the globalization of the food supply chain has increased the complexity of ensuring food safety. Food products often travel long distances and pass through numerous intermediaries before reaching consumers. This extended supply chain makes it challenging to trace the source of contamination and implement consistent safety standards. Reliance on technology in food production and safety monitoring introduces risks related to technological failures. For instance, breakdowns in refrigeration systems can lead to spoilage, while contamination in automated processing lines can spread quickly if not detected.
Bioterrorism, or the intentional contamination of food supplies, is a potential but severe threat. Members of the Rajneeshee (Osho) cult contaminated salad bars in Oregon with Salmonella, sickening 751 people. The quality standards should be fixed not on a nation’s stature but based on its consumable stature. The quality of food products available in the Indian markets and overseas has a wide gap. Harmonizing standards globally can help address disparities in food safety practices across countries. There should also be active collaboration between agencies like WHO and FAO in evolving strategies to combat foodborne diseases and health issues.
Enforcement agencies should embrace tech advancements like blockchain for better food traceability and IoT sensors for real-time monitoring of storage conditions. Keeping food safe demands constant innovation and vigilance. As our global food system continues to grow and change, so must our approaches to ensuring its safety. Preparing for the unexpected in food safety is not just a reactive measure but a proactive commitment to safeguarding the well-being of all humanity.
(The is an adjunct faculty at the National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bengaluru; views are personal)
