Food in the bioeconomy

Preventive Strategy Against Infectious Diarrhea—A Holistic Approach

Background: Food security and safety are becoming major concerns worldwide. Providing food security and safety in hospitals is particularly challenging since their populations are diverse in dietary and nutritional requirements and more vulnerable to foodborne illnesses. The aim of this research is to promote hospital sustainability by addressing food security and food safety. Method: This study uses a quantitative method with a bibliometric study approach. This research has 212 articles from the Scopus database. All the documents were collected simultaneously in August 2022. The selected article encompassed the years from 2017 to 2021, including document type, publication stage, source type, language, and subject area. The data was analyzed using VOSviewer and NVivo analytical tools. Results: The results of the studies on food security and safety increased from 2017-2022 with current trends in hospital sustainability, food waste, and waste management in food. Our study has identified four clusters: hospital food services, hospital sustainability, nutrition, and food safety. Food security is positively correlated with assessment, challenges, measurement, status, and sustainability (Pearson correlation score is 1). Disease control, proper waste management, and environmental health are all associated with food safety (Pearson correlation score ±0.79-0.64). Conclusion: Food safety and security are critical to achieve hospital sustainability, therefore awareness-raising efforts must continue. It is recommended that hospital stakeholders, food service providers; public and private sectors adopt policies and guidelines to disseminate information on food safety and security concerning hospital sustainability.

The challenges of hunger in Africa, caused by food insecurity can only be mitigated by enhanced food security and food safety measures. Food safety has a significant role in ensuring food security. A primary cause of food insecurity is the decline in global food productivity. It is also a problem of poverty which has impacted adversely on the socio-economic life of its citizens. Africa is endowed with land resource that if transformed towards agricultural productivity has the capacity to ensure food security and sustainability. Agriculture, of which 85-90 per cent is rain-fed in sub-Saharan Africa, accounts for 35 percent of the region’s gross national product (GNP), 40 percent of exports and 70 percent of employment. Africa needs to leverage on agricultural innovation so as to boost its regional food output. It is essential that production and provision of safe food be given the attention it deserves by addressing the numerous challenges facing it so as to stimulate economic growth and ensure food security and safety in the African continent.

Safety is one of the most important factors in human nutrition. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has developed a special protocol on food security, according to which the availability of food to all is considered a factor in food security. The FAO's main focus in this protocol is on distribution security. This protocol also provides tips on food safety. On the other hand, the Halal standard, using the teachings of Islam, considers food security and safety as an important indicator for all humans. Since man is a multidimensional being from the point of view of Islam and has body, mind, soul and spirit, so food safety and security from the prespective these dimensions can provide a higher quality index for halal food, than the FAO’s food security program. The halal nutrition system does not view the food itself as the end product of nutrition, but also considers the production chain to consumption and its aspects, so the consumer as one of the important pillars of the food chain could have the necessary food justice and security, and this matter is only achievable through upholding the justice in distribution of sufficient and quality food. In the present article, the proposed indicators of halal food safety and security are compared with the FAO World Food Safety Program, and the quantitative and qualitative differences between food safety and security factors in both programs are judged.

In recent years, Ukraine has been working hard to bring its food legislation in correspondence with the relevant EU law. The most recent development in this area of legislation has been the adoption of the law governing the production, distribution and use of materials and articles, intended for contact with foodstuffs. The article deals with the novel requirements of this law regarding materials and articles intended for contact with foodstuffs from the perspective of ensuring the food safety as well as ensuring food security. At the same time, an attempt is made to establish the correlation between the concepts of food safety and food security. First of all, the general requirements of the law aimed at preventing the migration of chemicals from contact materials and articles into food are analyzed. In addition, the article addresses the mechanism of establishing special requirements, in particular purity standards, general and specific migration limits for chemicals, etc. with regards to certain groups of contact materials and articles, such as active and intelligent materials and articles, adhesives, plastic, printing inks, regenerated cellulose, varnishes and coatings, etc. The authorization mechanism for substances and plastic recycling processes used in the production of materials and articles intended for contact with foodstuffs is analyzed. The requirements of the law regarding the declaration of compliance with the established requirements for materials and articles intended for contact with foodstuffs are also examined. In conclusion, it is noted that the adoption of the European integration legislation on contact materials and articles is primarily aimed at ensuring food safety, although it also indirectly contributes to food security. At the same time, the application of certain methods of state regulation set out in the new legislation requires striking a delicate balance between achieving the goals of food safety and food security.

Food insecurity is a major challenge in front of developing countries. Food and Agricultural Organization of the United States (FAO) [1] reported that 2 billion people face moderate or severe food insecurity, of which 1.02 billion are found in Asia, 674.5 million in Africa, and 205.3 million in Latin America and the Caribbean in 2019. Inadequate food creates serious health issues among people, especially children worst affected by it. The situation further deteriorates in developing countries where poverty and population rates are high. The overconsumption of fertilizers in agriculture leads to environmental degradation and severe human illness. The unsustainability of the current agriculture model has raised many concerns about the future demand for food for an ever-growing population. The alternative method as suggested by many experts is Organic farming. The positive externalities attached to organic farming have enormous potential and it plays a very significant role in protecting the environment, providing safe food, and eventually sustainability. Further, linking the goal of food security with organic farming can help developing countries provide nutritious food and help in protecting the environment. The paper explores the situation of food insecurity worldwide and the current agriculture model performance and failure to achieve food security in many developing countries. The paper also analyses the role of organic farming to attain food security and elaborate on the limitations of organic farming to ensure food security and provides alternative models for improvement in current situations. For this purpose, study uses secondary data from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) for analysis of the food production in these two regions and reviews various research articles, FAO documents, and reports based on conventional and organic farming. The literature was accessed using Google Scholar, Institutions and Government Websites. The conventional farming put developing countries into the dilemma, to ensure food security for its population or protect environment, due to its unsustainability in long run. However, the current status of organic agriculture production is still meagre compared to conventional food production. The low yield in organic farming does not ensure the food security for the distant future but in long run organic farming can ensure the food security. The study recommended policy makers to formulate such policies which ensure sustainable food production without compromising food security in developing countries.

Inclusive diets within planetary boundaries

The need to satisfy the need for food was and remains a priority for every person. Despite significant technological progress, when knowledge and information are considered more valuable resources compared to limited natural resources, the problem of ensuring food security in the future remains unsolved. The growth of the planet's population with increasing negative impact on the natural environment makes it difficult to meet the primary need for food for every person. Physical and mental activity cannot be achieved solely due to the availability of any food, it is about caloric systematic nutrition taking into account individual properties. The purpose of the research is to clarify the historical moments and modern trends in the interpretation of the concept of "food safety" in order to create the necessary basis for understanding the essence of this category. In order to clarify the theoretical basis for ensuring food security, the following methods were used: induction and deduction, comparison and systematization – in the study of the essential characteristics of the term "food security"; synthesis and analysis – to characterize the critically high share of income spent on food products in Ukraine; morphological analysis – for the prerequisites of supplementing the understanding of food security; graphic – for visual representation of theoretical and methodical material; abstract-logical – for theoretical generalizations and research conclusions. In the course of tracing the genesis of the perception of food security, it was found that the content of this category was characterized by constant rethinking, i.e. from the need to create physical availability of food to a clear formulation of requirements regarding caloric content and food safety. It has been proven that ensuring food security cannot be fully implemented at any of the hierarchical levels. Yes, the priority is food self-sufficiency of each country, but the full satisfaction of food needs cannot be realized without the import of certain food products. Hunger stimulates migration processes, therefore the implementation of international programs ensures the reduction of the risk of uncontrolled social disturbances. The conducted generalizations became the basis for modernizing the interpretation of the concept of "food safety" and provided the necessary theoretical basis for further scientific research.

The FSSAI is in charge of establishing food standards. FSSAI examines the chemical, nutritional properties, food colour, aroma, size, and other ingredients used in any food to determine its quality. It is only sold in the market by sellers after it has been proven correct through investigation. The FSSAI works to control food adulteration and ensure food safety under the Food Safety and Standards Act of 2006. The FSSAI's primary function is to regulate food marketing, sales, storage, supply, and manufacturing. Before selling his food, any producer must apply to the FSSAI. Following that, FSSAI officials issue certificates based on laboratory testing of food products. The Food Safety and Standards Act of 2006 also includes a provision for harsh legal action. FSSAI officials have the authority to file a criminal case against anyone who publicly sells contaminated food. Since the dawn of time, food security has been a major issue. Many countries around the world are still experiencing food insecurity. With an increasing population and the global threat of climate change, ensuring food security in large countries like India has become even more difficult. On the strength of the Green Revolution, India managed to overcome self-sufficiency in food production from chronic famine and the terrible tragedies of starvation in the second half of the twentieth century, but providing a nutritionally nutritious diet to a large portion of the population remains a major challenge. The current paper is an attempt to understand the level of food safety regulations in Indian food businesses in order to assess the prospects of food businesses under India's new Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.

At the moment, there are several definitions of food security in Russian agricultural and legal science. After analyzing their content, the authors argue that the country’s food security is an integral part of national security. It describes the degree of realization of the human right to food in the country and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. It guarantees the physical and economic availability to citizens of high-quality and safe food in the quantities necessary for a healthy diet. The advantages of this definition are to take into account international recommendations, as well as to avoid a narrow economic perception of the goals and objectives of ensuring food security in the Russian Federation or another country. Ensuring food security is a strategic socio-economic and environmental goal for any State. When solving this problem in Russia, it is necessary to clearly distinguish between “food security” and “food independence”. If the first category characterizes the degree of provision of the population with quantitative and qualitative food, its physical and economic accessibility and security. In the second category, the emphasis is on “import substitution”, that is, the percentage of products produced in the country and imported. In the Russian Federation, the main focus of public authorities is on ensuring food independence to the detriment of the goals and objectives of ensuring food security. Food security is one of the guarantees of sustainable agricultural development and is located at the intersection of three types of national security: economic, social, and environmental. Since Russia is a federal state, the Constitution of the Russian Federation provides not only for the subjects of the jurisdiction of the Russian Federation but also for the institution of joint jurisdiction of the Russian Federation and its subjects. This is a number of important issues of state-building, within which the subjects of the Russian Federation can adopt their legislative acts. One of such areas of legislative regulation in the subjects of the Russian Federation is the issue of ensuring food security. Having studied the relevant laws of the subjects of the Russian Federation, we concluded that there can be no different levels of food security in the state since the Russian Federation is a set of its subjects. It follows from this that the subject of the Russian Federation cannot set food security indicators lower than it is provided for at the federal level. However, the subject has the right to introduce additional indicators (or indicators higher than the federal ones), which are achieved by the forces and means of such a subject of the Russian Federation. In addition, during the analysis of the legislative acts of the subjects of the Russian Federation on food security, we found that there is massive duplication of the text. The text is from the Food Security Doctrine of the Russian Federation in 2020, which is hardly appropriate.

Editorial and News

A country's food security is one of the most important elements of the national security system. The main task of economic entities involved in the country's agro-industrial complex is the production and sale of high-quality food products in quantities necessary to maintain a decent standard of living for the population. It is concluded that the agro-industrial complex (AIC) is the main factor determining the country's food security level. The research focuses on identifying the direction of development of the agro-industrial complex as a factor in ensuring food security. The study proposes measures that will increase the efficiency of the agro-industrial complex and, thereby, strengthen the country's food security. The article examines one of the most important components of the state's social function: food policy. The current food security situation is currently under review. The main threats and risks associated with ensuring food security were examined. Food security can be achieved if the effects of negative factors that create threats and risks that limit the physical and economic availability of food products are eliminated. In most developed countries, food security is considered an important part of national security. Its achievement (or existence) characterizes not only the economic, but also the political independence of the existing socio-economic system, the ability to safeguard the interests of citizens without jeopardizing national security. At the international level, the problem of ensuring food security is an important and stabilizing factor in ensuring the stability of the world order system. Under its influence, certain political decisions are developed and adopted, and it is often associated with the economies, systems and levels of development of countries with significantly higher levels of food security. Food security is a complex, multi-component phenomenon with multiple characteristics and therefore quite difficult to identify. The generic features of food security are the state of protection of the vital interests of an individual, society, and the state from internal and external threats and the ability to withstand them without losing their own qualitative characteristics. As for food security itself, numerous domestic sources contain quite contradictory interpretations of this category, focusing on one or another of its attributive features, which in turn acts as the main criterion for food security. It should be noted that food security of a region is formed and functions on the basis of the same objective laws as food security of a country and the world as a whole. However, taking into account regional characteristics is an integral necessity because: firstly, one can talk about food security of a state only when food supply of all regions without exception is achieved; secondly, the significant territory of the country and the diversity of natural and climatic conditions of the regions, which requires taking into account the potential of the regions and their specialization; thirdly, significant differentiation of regions, which characterizes a territory that, in terms of the totality of its elements, differs from other territories and is characterized by unity, interconnectedness of components and integrity. Food security of the region is such a state of the regional economy in which the volume of economically efficient production of high-quality food in the region, due to its rational distribution, ensures physical and economic availability of consumption for the population of the region and guarantees the quality and safety of food. Keywords: food security, food independence, physical and economic accessibility of food, indicators and risks of food security, technological sovereignty.

Water and food security in Israel and the Palestinian Authority are deeply interconnected due to the region's arid climate and water scarcity, shared water resources, and interrelated agricultural sectors. Therefore, jointly addressing water reuse is vital to supporting sustainable agricultural production and ensuring food safety. This paper examines the food safety implications of the cross-border trade of fresh fruits and vegetables between the Palestinian Authority and Israel, with an emphasis on the influence of, water technologies, agricultural practices, and environmental health. This paper provides a comprehensive review of existing data to assess water irrigation quality, food safety, and water reuse regulations in the Palestinian Authority and Israel. Significant discrepancies in food safety, food quality, and exposure to contaminants from fresh produce result from different water reuse regulations, practices, and socioeconomic conditions. Given the volume of trade, consumer mobility, and environmental sustainability, coupled with geopolitical limitations between the Palestinian Authority and Israel, there is an urgent need for a unified regulatory strategy for wastewater reuse ensuring food safety and security. We propose a single, coordinated approach to overseeing wastewater reuse to enhance public health and address contaminants of emerging concern that are not currently regulated. Navigating the political and legislative complexities in a proactive stance requires both Israeli and Palestinian decision-makers to address the matter conscientiously. Existing data and the precautionary principle are sufficient to propose an interim prohibition on treated wastewater irrigation for leafy vegetables to mitigate pollution risks and act as a catalyst for improving irrigation water quality. Our proposed strategy for a unified water reuse regulation emphasizes the necessary steps for its implementation and addresses potential obstacles. This strategy underscores the importance of responsible wastewater management in advancing common goals of environmental sustainability, food safety, and human health. We propose a coordinated Israeli-Palestinian approach to wastewater reuse to ensure food safety based on shared environmental and health concerns, economic considerations, and the precautionary principle.

SummaryUrban Food Policies are valuable instruments that cities use to address the multidimensional challenges of food security, food safety and sustainability in urban contexts. As urbanisation continues, these policies offer targeted solutions, involving coordinated efforts by city governments, civil society and stakeholders, and promoting local sustainability and resilience. They are implemented in four types, including substantive (e.g. schools’ canteens and food hubs), regulative (e.g. food safety and hygiene standards on street vendors), fiscal (e.g. tax on sugary beverages), and informative interventions (e.g. campaigns promoting sustainable food practices). As cities expand, they face important issues, such as food access disparities, rising malnutrition, environmental degradation and food waste accumulation. Urban Food Policies can go beyond traditional national policies, incorporating targeted interventions that address and account for the specific issues of urban life. The main key objectives are: ensuring food security and safety, preserving biodiversity and reducing pollution in urban and peri‐urban food systems, food waste management, healthy and sustainable diets, safeguarding cultural identity. However, their effectiveness depends on robust multi‐level governance, collaboration and political will, targeting the local objectives in line with Sustainable Development Goals. Urban Food Policies’ contribution can enable cities to address current and future food‐related challenges in a holistic way.

Although healthy plants are vital to human and animal health, plant health is often overlooked in the One Health literature. Plants provide over 80% of the food consumed by humans and are the primary source of nutrition for livestock. However, plant diseases and pests often threaten the availability and safety of plants for human and animal consumption. Global yield losses of important staple crops can range up to 30% and hundreds of billions of dollars in lost food production. To demonstrate the complex interrelationships between plants and public health, we present four case studies on plant health issues directly tied to food safety and/or security, and how a One Health approach influences the perception and mitigation of these issues. Plant pathogens affect food availability and consequently food security through reductions in yield and plant mortality as shown through the first case study of banana Xanthomonas wilt in East and Central Africa. Case studies 2, 3 and 4 highlight ways in which the safety of plant-based foods can also be compromised. Case study 2 describes the role of mycotoxin-producing plant-colonizing fungi in human and animal disease and examines lessons learned from outbreaks of aflatoxicosis in Kenya. Plants may also serve as vectors of human pathogens as seen in case study 3, with an example of Escherichia coli (E. coli) contamination of lettuce in North America. Finally, case study 4 focuses on the use of pesticides in Suriname, a complex issue intimately tied to food security though protection of crops from diseases and pests, while also a food safety issue through misuse. These cases from around the world in low to high income countries point to the need for interdisciplinary teams to solve complex plant health problems. Through these case studies, we examine challenges and opportunities moving forward for mitigating negative public health consequences and ensuring health equity. Advances in surveillance technology and functional and streamlined workflow, from data collection, analyses, risk assessment, reporting, and information sharing are needed to improve the response to emergence and spread of plant-related pathogens and pests. Our case studies point to the importance of collaboration in responses to plant health issues that may become public health emergencies and the value of the One Health approach in ensuring food safety and food security for the global population.