The steps to clean food
The per capita food consumption in Bangladesh has increased, thanks to rising incomes since 2000. However, worries over food adulteration have gone up side-by-side.
In an e-mailed interview with The Daily Star recently, Mike Robson, representative of Food and Agriculture Organisation in Bangladesh, discusses food adulteration and the reasons behind contamination in the food supply chain.
He also talked on the initiatives taken under a FAO-supported food safety scheme. The steps, Robson says, are likely to have a positive impact on public health and can support development outcomes as Bangladesh moves forward on a path to becoming a middle-income country.
Food adulteration is a pressing issue in Bangladesh. Why is food contamination so widespread?
The Daily Star (TDS): Food adulteration is a pressing issue in Bangladesh. Why is food contamination so widespread?
Robson: Food control is fragmented with 15 or more ministries and agencies playing a role. Coordination is weak, and so, adulteration can flourish. But the government is moving fast to rectify this by setting up the Bangladesh Food Safety Authority (BFSA) to oversee this co-ordination. It is important to differentiate between accidental contamination due to a lack of awareness (poor hygiene during transport, manufacturing ice from contaminated water) and deliberate adulteration as an unethical business practice. The former requires regulation, standards and introduction of good practices along the food chain; the latter requires good policy and inspection measures.
TDS: What areas is FAO's food safety project focusing on? What are the project's achievements so far?
Robson: Food security and food safety go hand in hand. To illustrate, consuming contaminated food causes damage to the intestinal flora, which in turn can hamper absorption of even nutritious food and lead to malnutrition. Improving the nutritional status of the population of the country requires consumption of safe food. These issues are at the heart of FAO's mission and its strategic objectives.
FAO has actively been supporting food safety in Bangladesh since 2009. Our more recent efforts have focused on strengthening the building blocks – laws and policies, inspection, food-borne disease surveillance, standards, laboratory analysis, consumer awareness and piloting preventive approaches in value chains such as fisheries, poultry and horticulture.
We have supported the government in drafting a food safety and quality policy and we are supporting the set up of the BFSA with the food ministry.
In partnership with the health and family welfare ministry (MoHFW), a nationwide food-borne disease surveillance system using 10 sentinel sites, web, phone and household surveys are being set up with the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR).
In two years, the National Food Safety Laboratory (NFSL) has moved from being an idea to a laboratory delivering reliable information for the country. Consumer awareness activities are being delivered through the technical departments of the ministry and a network of NGOs called the Bangladesh Food Safety Network has been established.
We are collaborating with the Department of Agricultural Extension, Department of Livestock Services and Department of Fisheries to incorporate food safety practices across production chains. This includes training of farmers and all those who participate in bringing produce from the farm to the market, to our tables.
In Khulna, with support from the City Corporation, we have distributed 300 street food carts, trained the vendors on good hygiene practices, set up healthy and sanitary markets and food kitchens, all of which are extensively being used by consumers.
We are supporting food standards formulation activities at Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI) and harmonisation with international standards like Codex Alimentarius (internationally recognised food standards).
Developing more Bangladesh standards is the key to enhancing domestic and international trade.
As you can see, we are collaborating with all key ministries and agencies in food safety and these efforts are continuing. All these will have a positive impact on public health and can ultimately support development outcomes as Bangladesh moves forward on a path towards middle income country status.
TDS: FAO-sponsored NFSL has found adulterated foods. Tests at labs have detected traces of banned pesticides in vegetables and fruits, hazardous elements in fish, milk and meat. What are the effects of consuming adulterated foods on health?
Robson: Contaminants in food have both short and long term effects. Diarrhoea, jaundice and hepatitis are diseases caused by microbiological contamination. In the long term, accumulation of chemicals in the human body can lead to cancer, gastro-intestinal problems, neurological disorders and even birth defects. Chronic renal failure and chronic liver diseases are also severe consequence of consuming food contaminated by chemicals.
TDS: Food adulteration has remained unabated in the past two decades, despite the government's steps to keep it in check. Why?
Robson: Food safety is a complex and challenging issue as it is cross-sectoral and involves multiple government agencies, the private sector and consumers. Developed countries have also struggled to set up adequate food control systems, and also suffered from criminal food adulteration. The good news in Bangladesh is that a law has been passed and the government is actively setting up a mechanism to co-ordinate food safety activities in the country, through the new BFSA.
Modern food control systems are based on risk assessment and management; the actions required to be taken by all players in the food chain – farmers, transporters, storage personnel, inspectors and government officers, retailers and sellers, and the consumer. The draft Bangladesh Food Safety Rules, 2014 has already been posted on the food ministry's website, and all are open to send in their comments and suggestions. It would be of great assistance to the government.
TDS: Which areas require immediate attention from policymakers? What needs to be done to ensure safe food for all?
Robson: Thanks to the press and consumers, policymakers are already cognizant of the food safety issue, and steps are being taken in the right direction. It will be important to have the regulatory structure in place as early as possible with the concerned ministries and agencies, private sector and the consumers taking up their rightful roles. Collaboration is the key.
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