CONSUMER CONCERNS ABOUT FOODS

25 MARCH 2015

Risks and benefits of eating Risks:

dying from not eating enough versus dying from eating too much

Benefits:

follow Canada’s food guide and live better and longer

Risks of food-borne illnesses

dose-threshold- how many viruses or bacteria or parasites at any one time-the more viruses or bacteria or parasites one is exposed to the greater the chance of illness

frequency-how often one is exposed-the more often one is exposed the greater the chance of illness

susceptibility- some people become ill more easily (lower doses and/or frequencies of exposure)

Safeguarding the food supply - Health Canada, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Nova Scotia Agriculture

 

  

Safeguarding the food supply continuedInspection

-food processing plants -Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA)-pesticides-CFIA-pathogens and parasites

-CFIA

-restaurants- NS – NS Dep’t of Agriculture.

Health Canada oversees CFIA assesses the Canadian Food Inspection Agency's activities related to food safety.

  Pathogens and parasites in food

 Bacteria

-E. coli

-salmonella

Viruses

-shellfish-Norwalk virus

-hepatitis A-raw fish 

Pathogens and parasites in food continued

Prionsmad cow disease

 Parasites

water-Giardiapork-Trichinella

 all bacteria, viruses, and parasites overcome by heating (cooking) well except for prions

Avoiding contamination

•wash food well

•soap and bleach food preparation areas to kill everything except prions

•make sure contaminated food is not placed on a clean counter –this is called cross contamination and cross contamination leads to future non-contaminated food getting contaminated.

 

Avoiding contamination continued

•freshness dates-the older items have a greater chance of contamination with bacteria, viruses, and parasites

•proper storage-fridge or freezer-reduces number of bacteria, viruses, and parasites

•cook well-sufficient heat destroys everything except prions 

Avoiding contamination continued

•jars sealed tightly to avoid contamination with bacteria, viruses, and parasites

•cans not bulging- bulging cans are an indication of bacterial contamination

reheat food thoroughly-kills bacteria, viruses and parasites sneeze guards-prevents contamination of food withbacteria and viruses

Pesticides

increase amount of food for us to eat

child versus adult impacts of pesticides -children are more seriously impacted due to

lesser ability to metabolise (detoxify) these molecules; as well children are smaller so thedose of pesticide/kg body weight can be higher

genetically modified foods and organic foods are alternatives to pesticides

Antibiotics and hormones

Improved weight gain in cattle and improved egg productivity in poultry via use of antibiotics used to be common-not common now due to antibiotic resistance issue hormone to stimulate cow milk production-considered non-harmful to humans-much of hormone destroyed by pasteurisation 

Industrial wastes 

polychlorinated biphenyls- carcinogen

strontium 90- radioactive

cadmium (kidney damage)

lead (brain development impairment)

arsenic (carcinogen)

mercury(nerve cell damage) 

bioaccumulation in fish of all above  

 

 

Avoiding industrial wastes 1. washing food

2. knowing food sources if possible

3. deep salt water fish are safest

4. trimming fat- fat bioaccumulates toxins

Food technology-regulated by Health Canada

 Additives

Direct- colour, taste, texture, preservatives of food

Indirect- leeching of toxins from packaging

Accidental-toxins produced during cooking -burning of fat -incomplete burning of

amino acids 

 

Food technology continuedFood safety Aseptic packaging-sterility of packaging reduces chances of bacterial and viral contamination

Modified atmosphere packaging- nitrogen stops aerobic bacterial growth

Irradiation with ultra-violet light-kills bacteria and viruses

Biotechnology- GMOs to slow ripening and prevent product breakdown during storage