Food Protection Trends - November 2008 - (Page 756)

“perspectives” from your president F ood safety is clearly an international issue. I have had the opportunity to visit numerous countries in the past year, and everywhere I go there seems to be new food safety challenges. The situations listed below are in no way meant to be a comprehensive list but are meant to be representative of the complexity of the global food safety issues we are facing. As I write this column, I am in Korea helping to plan the Asian IAFP meeting for next year. The past year in Korea has seen a significant increase in viral infections associated with food. Later this week I will be attending the China International Food Safety and Quality meeting in Beijing where China is in the middle of a significant food safety event. At this time, China’s Health Ministry has reported that four children have died and about 13,000 children have been hospitalized, while another 40,000 have undergone outpatient treatment for illnesses related to suspected melamine-tainted milk products. In the past year, there have been numerous outbreaks of E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella, Vibrios, and Listeria monocytogenes in the United States, Europe, and other countries. N o m a t t e r w h e re t h ey live, consumers and food safety professionals are concerned about these outbreaks. The global nature of our food supply requires that we not only pay attention to outbreaks in our country but also be concerned about imported foods and food ingredients. An example of the large-scale import/ By STAN BAILEy PRESIDENT “The global nature of our food supply requires that we not only pay attention to outbreaks in our country but also be concerned about imported foods and food ingredients” export of foods can be seen in the United States where sourcing of food ingredients and commodities from outside of the US has grown dramatically. In 2007, over $70 billion worth of foodstuffs were imported including large increases in imports from developing countries (Mexico/Central America – $13.2B, South America – $9.0B, China/Asia – $10.9B, Africa – $ 1.6B, Middle East – $ 0.8B). With the significant movement of food around the globe, a contamination event in any country has the potential to affect consumers in many other countries. There are different concerns and considerations for developed and developing countries food safety programs. Most developed countries think their food safety systems and regulatory oversight are superior to that in other countries. There are also situations where food safety regulations or standards have been used, fairly or sometimes unfairly, as trade barriers. These divergent regulations and varied political considerations highlight the need for harmonious reconciliation of differences. The challenge is to harmonize these numerous local regulations in a way that will allow efficient import/export, while still protecting the food supply for all consumers. How can harmonization of these regulations be achieved? First, the regulations must be scientifically valid and defensible. Second, where there are differences of opinion, the regulators in the different countries need to be able to communicate effectively and work together to resolve their differences. When there are impasses between countries, Codex Alimentarius may become involved in resolving disputes. The Codex Alimentarius Commission was created in 1963 by FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization) and WHO (World Health Organization) to develop food standards, guidelines, and related texts such as codes of practice 756 FOOD PROTECTION TRENDS | NOVEMBER 2008

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Food Protection Trends - November 2008

Food Protection Trends - November 2008 Contents Sustaining Members Perspectives from Your President Commentary from the Executive Director Biofilm Formation of Listeria monocytogenes on Various Conveyor Belt Surfaces Third-Party Certification of Agro-Products in China:�A Study of Agro-Product Producers in Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Hangzhou and Qingdao IAFP 2008 in Review Award Winners 3M Microbiology - Black Pearl Award Winner Ivan Parkin Lecture - Russell S. Flowers John H. Silliker Lecture - Michael P. Doyle Student Travel Scholarships Session Summaries Highlights of the Executive Board Meeting Minutes of the 95th Annual Business Meeting Committee Minutes Executive Board Response to Committee Recommendations Exhibitors of IAFP 2008 Special Contributors and Sponsors Call for Awards - IAFP 2009 New Members What's Happening in Food Safety Industry Products Coming Events Advertising Index Journal of Food Protection Table of Contents Audiovisual Library Order Form Booklet Order Form Membership Application

Food Protection Trends - November 2008

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