Course:LFS100/Food Safety

Food Safety

City Food Market in the Philippines (Photo by Amber Heckelman)

Rural Food Market in the Philippines (Photo by Amber Heckelman)

Food can transmit diseases and be a host for bacteria that cause food poisoning. Food safety involves a multitude of procedures and precautionary measures that occur at different stages of the food chain as a means for preventing and mitigating such foodborne illnesses and health hazards. Such measures include regulating food labels, food hygiene, food additives, pesticide residues, biotechnology, import and export inspections, and certifications; as well as developing and partaking in emergency response protocols for foodborne related outbreaks. Insuring food safety is becoming challenging as land and water resources are becoming increasingly susceptible to contamination, potentially transferring contaminants into the food supply. In Canada, Health Canada is responsible for surveilling chemical contaminants, food additives, food allergens, food irradiation, food-related illnesses, and packaging materials. Health Canada also assesses the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s activities related to food safety, as well as participates in emergency response efforts to mitigate or contain an outbreak of foodborne illnesses.

Tips:

• For an example of food safety research, check out this article on a UBC study that found antibiotic-resistant E. coli on farmers market lettuce.
• Here is another example of a UBC study that found contaminants in urban soils.