Importance of Food Safety in the Food Production and Supply Chain

Abstract

Food safety has become increasingly important with globalization due to various factors such as increased volume and diversity of trade in foods, greater public demand for health protection, changing hazards e.g., resistant microbes, more sophisticated methods for detection of hazards, changes in production and consumption pattern, etc. Food safety contributes significantly to food security as unsafe and poor quality food leads to illnesses as well as food wastage. This leads to a strong need to emphasize not only on availability of food but also ensure that the same is safe. In this paper, the relationship between food safety and food security is explained, the major emerging food safety issues in Asia with specific focus on production and supply chain are elaborated and the importance of the food chain approach for ensuring food safety of the products as well as role of various players in implementing the same are highlighted. FAO plays an important role in supporting the establishment and implementation of international frameworks related to food safety and trade. This includes its involvement in international standards setting 62mechanisms such as the Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex) as also development of tools/guidance documents and provision of technical assistance through implementation of field projects or other capacity development activities such as trainings and workshops. The Paper covers some of the activities of Codex and FAO as well as some important documents produced and technical assistance activities in the’ area of food safety. Meeting food safety requirements is a challenging task. Some challenges to address food safety needs are also highlighted.