Both rich and poor countries hit; more research and action needed to fight problem: WHO
Straits Times 22 Nov 08;
GENEVA: Food-borne diseases appear to be on the rise in both rich and poor countries, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said.
More research is needed to determine how much sickness and death stems from contaminated food, such as the tainted Chinese milk that caused kidney problems in more than 50,000 children and killed four, and the United States salmonella outbreak that made more than 1,400 people ill, WHO director of food safety Jorgen Schlundt said.
An estimated 30 per cent of new infectious diseases originate in bacteria, viruses, parasites, chemicals and toxins introduced along food production chains, he told an experts' meeting on Thursday.
'There are some indications that the food-borne disease burden is increasing. But there is not very good data, it is difficult to say exactly what is happening,' Mr Schlundt said.
About 2.2 million children die each year from diarrhoeal illnesses, including cholera caused by dirty water, food, and poor sanitation, according to the United Nations agency.
Food products need to be monitored at every stage of their handling, Mr Schlundt said.
'If you want to deal with food safety, you have to go from the 'farm to the fork'. The notion that you can deal with it at the end of the food chain is clearly wrong.'
In many countries, the regulatory authorities fail to work together, he said. 'In China, there are 16 different authorities involved in some way in dealing with the melamine crisis.'
Harvard Medical School professor and paediatric nephrologist Julie Ingelfinger said many people overlooked the seriousness of complications caused by contaminated food. For instance, E. coli poisoning can cause haemolytic-uremic syndrome, a cause of kidney failure in children.
'Research into the long-term effects of food-borne disease is increasingly important because it is unquantified and goes on for decades,' she added.
Dr David Heymann, WHO's assistant director-general for health security and the environment, told the meeting that rich and poor countries were both vulnerable to food-borne diseases.
'Food-borne diseases occur on every continent and in every country...We never know where these events will happen,' he said.
Japan grappled with a series of food scares this year, with insecticides and insect repellents being found in foods like frozen meat dumplings, instant noodle pots and rice. It also recalled eight million bottles of US mineral water on Monday after receiving complaints that it smelled like insecticide and medicine.
Italy, too, faced a ban on its mozzarella cheese exports this year after it was revealed that the authorities found milk contamination following spot checks on buffalo herds in Naples. A Ukranian shipment of sunflower oil accidentally tainted with a hydrocarbon from mineral oil had also prompted a few European countries to issue an alert.
The recent salmonella outbreak in the US - its worst in a decade - was an example of the changing picture of food-borne diseases, said the WHO.
Although salmonella is often linked to poultry, eggs and dairy products, recent outbreaks have been tied to fresh produce, it said. Tomatoes were suspected in the US outbreak before the salmonella was traced to peppers from Mexico.
Ms Nancy Donley, president of US non-profit group Safe Tables Our Priority, said food safety needed to be taken more seriously as a public health concern. 'It's crucial to keep food-borne disease prevention as a top priority in the world.'
Her six-year-old son Alex died in 1993 from E.coli-contaminated meat. 'Behind every statistic is a face, a name, a life,' she said.
REUTERS
Shopping tips
# Check for cleanliness: Buy from retailers who follow proper food handling practices. Ask yourself if the food looks and smells clean.
# Keep certain foods separated: Separate raw meat, poultry and seafood from other food in your shopping cart. Place these items in plastic bags to prevent their juices from dripping on other food.
# Inspect cans and jars: Don't buy food in cans that are bulging or dented, and those in jars that are cracked or have loose or bulging lids, or whose seal seems tampered with or damaged.
# Inspect frozen food packaging: Don't buy frozen food if the package is damaged. Packages should not be open, torn or crushed at the edges. Avoid packages that are above the frost line in the store's freezer. If the package cover is transparent, look for signs of frost or ice crystals. Choose another as this could mean the food has either been stored for a long time or been thawed and re-frozen.
# Select frozen foods and perishables last: Meat, poultry, fish and eggs should be the last items placed in your cart. It is important to refrigerate perishables as soon as possible after shopping. They should not be left at room temperature for longer than two hours.
# Choose fresh eggs carefully: Before buying, open the carton and make sure the eggs are clean and none is cracked. Buy only refrigerated eggs and follow the 'safe handling instructions' on the carton.
HEALTHNEWSDIGEST.COM
