Abstract
Food safety has always been critical to public health and the economic development of civilization. In the United States, the exposé by Upton Sinclair on the conditions in meat-packing houses in a book entitled The Jungle was the primary impetus that resulted in the passage of the Meat Inspection Act and the Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906; this activity established the Bureau of Chemistry which in 1930 was renamed the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). After 114 years, the safety of food remains high on the list of critical items that we expect from our food suppliers and regulators—and yet, according to World Health Organization (WHO), over 1.8 million food and water ingestion-related deaths and as many as 20 million foodborne diseases occur worldwide each year. There is evidence that this death rate may be increasing. Many of these deaths occur in developing countries where resources are limited, urbanization is rapidly occurring and transport, and food storage and ultimate distribution are not adequate. However, developed nations have their share of food contamination recalls and deaths due to food pathogens. Adding to the difficulties is the lack of acceptance of technologies such as food irradiation, ohmic heating, modified atmosphere packaging, and genetically modified food—all of which can greatly reduce the occurrence of foodborne diseases, extend shelf-life, and enhance agricultural production. The factors that contribute to foodborne disease include vast expanse of food globalization and the ensuing political, economic, and ecological conditions from country to country. These conditions have led to the reemergence of many foodborne pathogens. Inconsistent and improper temperature ranges during storage, questionable personal hygiene, contaminated equipment, under cooking temperature, and times all can produce food that can be harmful or even fatal in humans. The editors point out that, to be effective, the use of such technologies must be “participatory, transparent, and conducted using internationally agreed methods.” Consumers and manufacturers will need to buy-in through a thorough understanding of the technologies and the use of consistent international methods.
Drs. Ram Lakhan Singh and Sukanta Mondal present a thorough compilation of current research and methodology in the ever-expanding field of food/water safety. It is well-organized into 12 logically selected chapters and can easily be used as a reference for professionals and students alike.
Chapter 1 is entitled “Current issues in food safety with reference to human health” and is written by the editors as an introduction into this vastly complex field. This chapter sets the stage for the remaining chapters which delve into detail about each facet of food safety—from the field to the grocer’s shelf. They briefly introduce foodborne pathogens, chemical hazards/impurities, and how they must be managed through surveillance systems and various fundamental risk assessments. The first chapter also introduces developing methodology for assessing new food safety technologies such as nanotechnology. They also call for the need of an international regulatory framework for consistency and cost-effectiveness.
Chapter 2 is entitled “Food hazards: physical, chemical, and biological,” which details the 3 types of basic food toxicants: physical, chemical, and biological and how they can affect foodstuffs. Physical toxicants can be temperature, irradiation, and miscellaneous extraneous items such as plastic, metal, insects, shards of glass, etc. Irradiation is used to control foodborne pathogens and extend shelf-life; however, irradiation is not appropriate for all food types. The authors describe the effects of irradiation on proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, vitamins, and food additives. Chemical toxicants include items such as food additives and coloring, heavy metals (Pb, Hg, etc.), artificial sweeteners (aspartame, acesulfame K, saccharin, cyclamate, steviols, and sucralose), flavors, preservatives, antioxidants, residual insecticides, fungicides, and herbicides. Biological toxicants are organisms that can present a hazard to human well-being and are the primary source of foodborne illnesses. Generally, biological toxicants include bacteria, fungi, parasites, and viruses and can be introduced to food from a variety of sources including the environment, poor sanitation practices as well as cross-contamination during transportation, handling, processing, and storage. Also include in this group are worms, various shellfish, and some plants. Toxicity can occur with excessive exposure to common nutrients and exposure to free radicals during food processing. Genetically modified organisms and genetically engineered food result in genetically modified foods which use genetic alteration of microorganisms, production of pest-resistant and herbicide-resistant plant varieties, enhancing the nutritional values and yield of agricultural products, and increasing the productiveness of animals in terms of meat, milk, and nutritional value. The various hazards and potential risks of genetically modified foods are discussed.
Chapter 3 is entitled “Toxicity of food additives” and provides an in-depth review of food additive regulations and toxicology of food additives which play a key role to impart physical features to food such as color, flavor, preservation, thickeners, stabilizers, taste, preservation, and emulsifiers. Various methodologies used to evaluate toxicity are presented and discussed. The additives can present toxicity into the food and must be screened for cytotoxicity, genotoxicity, mutagenicity, and hepatotoxicity.
The fourth chapter is entitled “Food allergies” which describes the various types of food allergens such as peanut, eggs, shellfish, and so on. There is a valuable discussion of the various types of food-induced allergic reactions and the overall complexity of food allergy mechanisms and the importance of proper labeling for such allergens.
Chapter 5 is entitled “Safety of milk and dairy products.” Milk is consumed by over 6 billion people worldwide, so it is an immense market. Milk and the associated dairy products have their own set of foodborne pathogens. While pasteurization destroys the pathogens in raw milk, most nutrients and beneficial bacteria are also destroyed in the process. Post-pasteurization contamination poses a continued source of challenges. In addition, milk can present antibiotic and hormones residues, heavy metals, and other contaminants. Lactose intolerance and milk allergy pose health hazards and the toxicity issues that occur with the production of synthetic milk are discussed.
Chapter 6 is entitled “Hazards and safety issues of meat and meat products” and discusses the various points in the production where meat can be contaminated. The proteins from animal sources are believed to have higher biological value than proteins from other sources, including plants; therefore, the meat industry is an especially important part of the food production industry. The chapter explains the difficulty in controlling safety with meats because of the diverse types of species, processing conditions, variety of products, and consumers with different preferences. Each animal type can have different production, product processing, and distribution. The safety aspect of meat and meat products has become even more complex due to invasion of classical, new, emerging, and reemerging meat-borne organisms. Further, some species have developed resistance to antibiotics. The chapter discusses good farm management practices to minimize the numerous hazards associated with meat products.
Chapter 7 is entitled “Safety of fish and seafood.” These types of food products are highly perishable and are disease-prone. The presence of human pathogenic microorganisms in fish products is dependent upon aquaculture practices, environmental conditions, harvesting methods, processing, storage, and distribution. Pathogens in fish are generally a result of the level of pollution and contamination of the aquatic milieu. Human and animal contaminants including sewage found in the aquatic environment can present human pathogenic bacteria in fish products. In addition, biotoxins such as ciguatoxin and saxitoxin and metabolites from specific phytoplankton can all be toxic to humans and can cause paralysis and/or neurological symptoms including hallucinations and ataxia. The chapter describes the types of screening that need to be conducted on fish and sea animals in general from fishery experts and food regulators as to all aspects of fish production.
The eighth chapter is entitled “Microbial environment of food” and covers the broad spectrum of food in the nutritional cycle and in food chains with a focus on human food and the science of the environment of human food that maintains its safety. There are many chemistry and physical aspects that must be monitored to assure safety at the various stages of food production. The authors describe the history of food preservation and spoilage including the important complimentary contributions of Pasteur and Leeuwenhoek, as to the role of microbiology in food spoilage, fermentation, and preservation. These researchers’ work ultimately lead to our understanding of both intrinsic and extrinsic factors affecting food microorganisms. The authors describe in considerable detail the complex factors involved in the control of microbial growth which include biochemical, environmental, and genetic factors. Understanding the intricacies of how these factors work on different foods permits food scientists the ability to test for spoilage and contamination in foods.
Chapter 9 is devoted to water and is entitled “Safety of water used in food production.” Water is critical to all aspects of life and most industries. The food industry is no exception. Water is used in many stages in food production and its condition must be pristine during processing so as not to contaminate foodstuffs. Water in the primary production of various foods in agriculture is the largest single use of water worldwide. Global distribution of agricultural water is 69% of the total freshwater use. The authors discuss water resources including blue water (water present in rivers, lakes, underground, and glaciers) and green water (productive transpiration water used by plants) and the importance of being able to store these types of water for future agricultural use. The vast number of uses and quality of water are presented in detail along with the types of contaminants that can occur and the various treatment and monitoring processes. Control programs such as Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points help in maintenance of food safety through the analysis and control of biological, chemical, and physical hazards from raw material production until the finished product. It is implemented in food industries to reduce food safety risks.
Chapter 10 is entitled “Safety of fresh fruits and vegetables.” The authors explain the fact that most contamination in these substance is introduced is in the processing and distribution processes. Various monitoring and treatment procedure combinations are discussed in relationship to assuring the fruits and vegetables are safe with possible increases in shelf-life and yet have not lost the product quality.
In Chapter 11 entitled “Utility of nanomaterials in food safety.” The recent introduction of nanomaterials into foodstuffs begs the questions as to what additional concerns may be introduced by their presence. The extremely small particles greatly increase the surface area which can, in turn, enhance the opportunities for toxicity. By the same token, nanomaterials can be a benefit in food packaging and processing which can shield the food from super molecules, moisture, gases, flavors, texture, and odors. The authors point out that considerably more research is needed to fully understand the total impact of nanomaterials on food products. European Food Safety Authority published some preliminary risk assessment guidelines in 2011 while the FDA had a similar publication in 2012. The field is in its infancy and much more research will be forthcoming in the future.
Chapter 12 is entitled “International laws and food-borne illness” and reviews the international laws and regulations dealing with global transport of foodstuffs. Since foodborne diseases are so prevalent globally, it is understandable and necessary for public health as well as economic concerns, and governments must take an active role. Since there remains a paucity of accurate and complete data on the full extent of foodborne pathogens, regulatory agencies try to manage food transport and production as best they can, given the situation. The challenges are extreme, but the thinking is that with some overarching uniform framework for food quality and safety, the risks would be less than without any intervention. The chapter discusses in some detail the types of regulations that are currently in place and underscores the need for balance and flexibility on the part of the regulators as well as the manufacturers.
In general, this reviewer found the book to be comprehensive and detailed in the stated area of expertise. It presents the complete range of potential toxicants that are found in foods today. There are valuable discussions of the myriad of processing techniques as well as a thorough discussion of the genetic modified foods and their potential. All of the contributors are from India; however, their discussions encompass the globe. I believe the book might have been strengthened by inclusion of 1 or 2 experts from the European Union and or the United States since both play an instrumental role in global food regulatory law. That being said, the book is thorough and presents the latest thinking in food safety. Food Safety and Human Health would be a welcome addition to the libraries of food scientists and regulators as well as educators in the field of food science and safety.