World Food Safety Day: Building a Culture of Safety and Trust in Every Bite

It’s a shame that we have to celebrate a day over food safety to educate people about the food they are putting into their bodies on a daily basis.

Food safety is a crucial aspect of public health, yet food adulteration remains a persistent issue worldwide.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), an estimated 600 million people, almost 1 in 10 people fall ill after consuming contaminated food, and 420,000 die every year.

This year's theme, "Food safety: prepare for the unexpected," underscores the critical importance of being proactive in safeguarding our food supply from potential hazards.

 

Major Causes of Food Adulteration?

Food adulteration occurs for several reasons, driven by various economic, regulatory, and logistical factors. Here are the primary causes:

1. Economic Motivations

Profit Maximization: Producers and suppliers often adulterate food to reduce production costs and increase profits. For example, adding water to milk increases its volume, allowing the seller to make more money from the same amount of product.

Market Competition: In highly competitive markets, some producers may resort to adulteration to offer lower prices and attract more customers, thereby gaining an edge over competitors.

 

2. Poor Regulatory rules and regulations

Weak Regulations: In countries where food safety regulations are poorly enforced, adulteration is more common. Without stringent laws and regular inspections, immoral producers can get away with compromising food quality.

Corruption and Bribery: In some regions, corruption within regulatory bodies can lead to a lack of enforcement of food safety standards. Bribery can result in inspections being overlooked or ignored.

 

3. Supply Chain Complexity

Long and Complex Supply Chains: Modern food supply chains can be long and complex, involving multiple intermediaries. At various points in the supply chain, opportunities arise for adulterants to be introduced without detection.

Traceability Issues: Difficulty in tracking and tracing the origins of food products can make it easier for adulteration to occur. Without proper documentation and tracking systems, adulterated products can pass through the supply chain unnoticed.

 

4. Consumer Demand and Market Pressures

High Demand for Low-Cost Food: There is a significant demand for inexpensive food products. To meet this demand, some producers might adulterate food to lower costs and provide cheaper products.

Seasonal Variations and Shortages: During times of shortage or increased demand (such as during festive seasons), the temptation to adulterate food to meet market demands can be higher.

5. Lack of consumer awareness

Ignorance about Adulteration: Consumers may not be aware of the prevalence of food adulteration or how to detect it. This lack of awareness reduces the pressure on producers to maintain high standards.

 

6. Technological and Environmental Factors

Inadequate Technology: Lack of access to advanced testing and monitoring technology can make it difficult for producers to ensure the purity of their products, leading to unintentional adulteration.

Environmental Contaminants: Environmental factors, such as polluted water or soil, can lead to unintentional contamination of food products with harmful substances like heavy metals or pesticides.

 

Types of Food Adulteration!

 

Food adulteration can take various forms, each with distinct characteristics and health implications. Here are the primary types:

 

1. Intentional adulteration

Substitution: replacing a high-quality ingredient with a cheaper, inferior one.

Examples include adding starch to milk and substituting with vegetable oils to ghee.

Addition: Adding substances to increase the quantity and weight of the product.

Examples: adding water to milk, adding artificial colors to enhance the appearance of food and adding chalk powder to flour.

• Misbranding: Labeling food products with misleading information to make them appear of higher quality.

Examples: Labeling non-organic products as organic, misrepresenting the sources or ingredients.

 

2. Metallic Adulteration

Presence of harmful metals in food, often due to environmental contamination or improper processing.

Examples: Lead in water, arsenic in rice and mercury in fish.

 

3. Microbial Contamination

Contamination with harmful microorganisms due to inadequate hygiene or improper storage.

Examples include bacterial contamination like E. coli or Salmonella in meat, fungal contamination in stored grains, and viral contamination in seafood.

 

4. Chemical adulteration

Contamination with chemicals, often due to the use of unauthorized substances or excessive use of additives.

Examples: Use of formalin to preserve dairy products, excessive use of preservatives in processed foods and pesticide residues in cereals.

 

5. Packaging adulteration

Adulteration involves the packaging materials, which can discharge harmful substances into the food.

Examples: use of non-food-grade plastics that release harmful chemicals and ink from packaging materials contaminating food products.

 

Here's a comprehensive chart outlining various foods, common adulterants, the causes of adulteration, and the health impacts of these adulterants:

Food	Adulterant	Cause of Adulteration	Health Impact
Milk	Water, starch, detergent, urea	Increase volume and weight	Gastrointestinal issues, kidney problems, nutrient deficiency
Honey	Sugar syrup, jaggery	Reduce production cost	Weight gain, diabetes risk, digestive issues
Spices (Turmeric, Chili Powder)	Artificial colors, brick powder, chalk powder	Enhance appearance, increase weight	Allergic reactions, cancer risk, digestive issues
Tea	Used tea leaves, artificial color	Reduce cost, enhance appearance	Stomach disorders, carcinogenic effects
Coffee	Tamarind seed, chicory powder	Reduce cost	fatigue, muscle pain
Olive Oil	Cheaper Refined oils (soybean, palm)	Reduce cost	Increased cholesterol, cardiovascular issues
Ghee/Butter	Vegetable Oils, Vanaspati, margarine	Reduce cost	Heart diseases, liver disorders
Fruits (e.g., Bananas, Mangoes)	Artificial ripening agents (calcium carbide)	Speed up ripening process	Headaches, dizziness, memory loss, cancer risk
Vegetables	Malachite green, artificial colors	Enhance appearance, increase shelf life	Toxicity, cancer risk, liver and kidney damage
Rice	Polished with talcum powder	Improve appearance	Respiratory issues, digestive disorders
Wheat Flour	Chalk powder, soapstone	Increase weight	Gastrointestinal problems, nutrient deficiency
Sugar	Chalk powder, washing soda	Increase weight	Gastrointestinal issues, dental problems
Sweets	Non-edible colors, synthetic sweeteners	Enhance appearance, reduce cost	Allergic reactions, digestive problems, carcinogenic effects
Soft Drinks	Artificial sweeteners, caffeine	Enhance taste, reduce cost	Obesity, diabetes, hyperactivity, cardiovascular problems
Meat and Fish	Formalin, preservatives	Extend shelf life	Cancer risk, respiratory issues, gastrointestinal problems

 

 

As you can see, consumption of Adulterated food can lead to diseases like Gastrointestinal disturbances, allergic reactions, acute poisoning, cancer, neurological disorders, liver and kidney damage.

• Nearly 40% Adults today suffer from gastrointestinal disorder worldwide.
• Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death globally, taking an estimated 17.9 million lives each year. 
• 10% of the population worldwide is affected by chronic kidney disease.

 

Be a responsible consumer and take necessary precautions to ensure your food is safe to consume.

Ensuring food safety involves both awareness and proactive measures. Here are some tips to help protect yourself and your family from adulterated food:

1. Purchase from Reputable Sources: Buy food products from trusted vendors and brands that follow stringent safety standards.
2. Check Labels and Certifications: Look for certification marks like FDA, USDA Organic, or ISO that indicate compliance with safety regulations.
3. Be Wary of Low Prices: If a product is significantly cheaper than usual, it may be adulterated. Quality products come at a cost.
4. Inspect Food Quality: Check the color, texture, and smell of food items. Unusual attributes can indicate adulteration.
5. Educate Yourself: Stay informed about common adulterants in foods you regularly consume and learn simple tests to detect them.
6. Proper Storage and Hygiene: Store food in clean, dry conditions and maintain hygiene to prevent microbial contamination.
7. Advocate for Stronger Regulations: Support policies and initiatives aimed at improving food safety standards and enforcement.

Ensuring that your food is unadulterated can be a lot of work but it will always be worthwhile. By buying from reputable sources, inspecting labels, conducting simple tests, and practicing proper storage and hygiene, you can significantly reduce the risk of consuming adulterated food. Staying informed and vigilant is key to protecting your health and that of your family.