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Foodborne illness is a growing public health problem around the globe – and one that continues to evolve. In emerging markets, diets are shifting in focus from grains to proteins, which carry a higher risk profile and greater hygiene requirement. These diet shifts – along with population growth – mean 75 to 100 percent more calories are needed to feed the world. And all this demand is stressing our systems. Perhaps nowhere is this more evident than in China, where food safety incidents made the news frequently in 2014.
Foodborne illness is a growing public health problem around the globe – and one that continues to evolve. In emerging markets, diets are shifting in focus from grains to proteins, which carry a higher risk profile and greater hygiene requirement. These diet shifts – along with population growth – mean 75 to 100 percent more calories are needed to feed the world. And all this demand is stressing our systems. Perhaps nowhere is this more evident than in China, where food safety incidents made the news frequently in 2014.
Why is China so important?
In 2010, China surpassed the U.S. to become the world’s largest food producer – and it has become critical in the global food supply chain. For global food producers, retailers and restaurant chains, China often plays some role in their business. And right now, the food industry in China is facing many of the food safety challenges that occurred in developed countries over the past 100 years – the kinds of challenges that can occur when rapid economic growth is taking place and consumers are demanding a wide variety of competitively priced foods.
The challenges in China
China’s food safety challenges are varied – from industrial and water pollution at the beginning of the food chain to pathogenic microorganisms to incidents of man-made contamination. The latter category has been highly publicized, which has led to a serious breakdown of public trust.
While the challenges are varied, unhygienic practices are the cause for more than half of the food contamination that occurs in China. Often, a lack of education and training is at the core of the problem. With a food chain that is so large and so fragmented, it can be hard to make progress in these areas – and even harder to achieve consistency in the implementation of safe food practices.
This is one of the challenges facing big food companies in China: how to ensure that their standards are enforced by workers at all stages of the supply chain. U.S. and other Western food companies in China want the same level of support they have in the U.S. – or more. And this can be hard to achieve.
Progress has been made
We hear about food safety problems in China often. But this may actually be an indication that surveillance systems are getting better. And as awareness grows, so does the urgency to improve.
Significant progress has been made. Advances in science and technology are enabling a broader set of product and process improvements. But there is still much to be done. Interventions need to occur across the supply chain, from raising healthy animals and growing wholesome produce on farms, to minimizing contamination in processing, to providing sanitary, well-controlled environments at retail and foodservice.
We can all learn as China moves forward
In the face of the high-profile food safety challenges in China and public demand for improvement, innovative programs and initiatives have been developed to facilitate sharing of best practices, promote food safety public education, and recognize companies who have made important advances in food safety management. We can all learn from the organizations, initiatives and businesses that have developed effective strategies for tackling the challenges.
Food safety is a shared responsibility – and further progress will depend on government, academia and industry working together to share knowledge and collaborate on solutions. By working together, we can protect food businesses and brands, earn the trust of the public and ultimately, help ensure that people everywhere have safe and wholesome food.
Please visit our booth at the GFSI Global Food Safety Conference.
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