An Opinion Paper: Strengthening the Weakest Link in Food Safety

Abstract

Canadian Institute of Public Health Inspectors, White Rock, British Columbia This paper is modified from a submission awarded the Stanier Prize by the Stanier Institute/Institut Stanier. Correspondence and reprints: Ms S Bourne, c/o Canadian Institute of Public Health Inspectors, PO Box 75264, 15180 North Bluff, White Rock, British Columbia V4B 5L4. Telephone 519-873-5122, fax 519-873-5020, e-mail shawna.bourne@ene.gov.on.ca THE PUBLIC HEALTH INSPECTOR PERSPECTIVE In today’s global arena the last line of defense in food safety is always the consumer. An educated and resourceful client has the ability to compensate for any weak links in the food safety chain. The role of effectively disseminating information on food safety falls into the domain of the public health inspector (PHI), within the local health unit. However, this responsibility is often overlooked because PHIs and other government regulators seek to make producers, suppliers and retailers more responsible for the quality and safety of the food that we, as Canadians, enjoy and take for granted. The mandate of the Canadian Institute of Public Health Inspectors (CIPHI) is to “...protect the health of all Canadians on environmental issues while promoting the science of environmental health and the profession” (1). We meet this mandate through education and the enforcement of food safety standards. Environmental Health Officials also undertake the challenge of ensuring accountability from primary producer to processor. This dual role of educator and enforcer is a difficult act to balance, yet important to achieve our goal of optimal food safety. Information describing the extent of food safety problems is limited. The best current information for health professionals, planners, and public health agencies responsible and accountable for local food safety is the estimate that 2.2 million Canadians suffer from food borne illnesses each year (2), but these data are very incomplete. The Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) annual report (3) noted a fundamental information gap in public health exists in the area of food and water safety. We don’t know “how many Canadians become ill each year because of unsafe food or water [and] what are the shortand long-term health consequences of their illness?” (3). Dr Douglas Powell (4) of the University of Guelph notes: