Abstract
Food safety is imperative, especially for infants and young children because of their underdeveloped immune systems. This requires adequate nutritious food with appropriate amounts of macro- and micronutrients. Currently, a well-established system for infant food is enforced by the regulatory bodies, but no clear system exists for complementary food, which is consumed by children from the age of 6 month to 24 months. As the child grows beyond 6 months, the need for nutrients increases, and if the nutritional needs are not fulfilled, it can lead to health problems, such as stunted growth, weak immune system, and cardiovascular diseases. Hence, it is important to have regulatory bodies monitoring complementary food in a similar capacity as is required for infant formula. The objective of this review is to provide an overview of the existing regulatory bodies, such as the Codex Alimentarius, International Standard Organization (ISO), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), etc., and their regulations specifically for infant formula that can be adopted for complementary foods. This study focuses on the development of a hazard analysis and risk-based preventive controls (HARPC)-based food safety plan to ensure safe food processing and prevent any possible outbreaks.
Highlights
Nutrition at an early stage of life lays a foundation for the optimal growth and development of the human body
This study focuses on the need for more strict standards and aims to build a food safety plan based on Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) and Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) regulations for a nutritious ancient seed/grain-based complementary food product
The data should reflect severe temperature/time conditions using different food simulants and should adhere to prescribed toxicology recommendations [64,65].Common packaging materials utilized for infant formula and complementary food includes metal cans, plastic bags, paper, etc
Summary
Nutrition at an early stage of life lays a foundation for the optimal growth and development of the human body. In the preparation of any infant formulations or complementary food, it is important to review the safety and suitability of the food product, including the processing techniques and ingredient quality [13]. Microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, and yeast are the major cause of biological hazards Another major concern for infant food is the growth of Salmonella, which can lead to death of infants and is the reason behind several outbreaks. This bacterium can cause diarrhea, which can further progress into meningitis or bacteremia. The food matrix of the formulas enables the growth of bacteria and production of spores, and, even low-level contamination is a major concern for the health of children [24].
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