Presented by Delia Grace to the ILRI workshop on safety of animal source foods with an emphasis on the informal sectors, New Delhi, India, 8 February 2011
Risk-Based Food Safety Approaches for Developing Countries
1. Risk-based approaches to food safety in developing countries Delia Grace ILRI workshop on safety of animal source foods with an emphasis on the informal sectors, New Delhi, India, 8 February 2011
5. Why the informal sector matters Small & medium scale Large scale Self-employment 245,000 11,000 Long-time hired labour 454,000 93,000 Casual labour 36,000 2,000 Total (numbers) 735,000 105,000 % of total 87% 13% Kenya 80% Tanzania 98% W. Africa 90% India 83% Assam 97% Nicaragua 86%
6. CONSUMERS (in litres milk equivalent) (???) IMPORTS ??? LOCAL PRODUCTION (347 Million litres X 17% marketed= 59 Million litres ) SHOPS 3% 31% 66% <1% 26% 46% 27% 28% 72% 100% 13% 12% 75% 5% 45% 2% 48% TRADERS PROCESSORS FORMAL
7. Risk analysis a tool for decision-making under uncertainty Risk Assessment Risk Management Risk Communication
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11. Understanding perceptions & incentives – adulterated milk in Assam Perfect test Consumer judgment Completely useless test
Up to 1 in 3 people contract illness from food-borne pathogens each year 1.5 billion annual cases of diarrhoea in children most due to unsafe food (2.1 million deaths) Poor, young, elderly, pregnant women and immune-suppressed most affected Chronic sequelae in 2-3% including kidney and liver failure, brain and neural disfunction, blood disorders, reactive arthritis, paralysis and death (Cost of the estimated 11 500 daily cases of food poisoning in Australia AU$ 2.6 billion annually-)
Two-thirds of human pathogens are zoonotic – many of these transmitted via animal source food (salmonellosis, EHEC, cryptosporidium) Animal source food single most important cause of food-borne disease Many food-borne diseases cause few symptoms in animal host (chicken and S. enteritidis , calf and E. coli O157:H7 , oysters and V. vulnificus ) Many zoonotic diseases controlled most effectively in animal host/reservoir Recent studies shown pre- ‘harvest’ stage most important for controlling food-borne pathogens
In poorest countries informal sector dominates now more than 95% will remain more than 80% for at least the next 2 decades
Imports figures: see attached excel file Local Production of 347 M litres for the 9 districtss: data for 2005-06, s ource: Deptt. Of Animal Husbandry & Veterinary, Govt. of Assam (Anjani’s file) 17% marketed milk: farm survey data on 1,147 producers (available data) Percentage sold through various outlets: farm survey on 362 producers (available data, only 21% of cattle owners sell milk) Consumer survey: weighted average of urban consumers (17%) and rural (83%). All milk and dairy products considered using LME
A hazard is simply something that can cause harm. Risk has 2 elements: undesirability and uncertainty. Hazard + probability: RA systematic evaluation of hazards and their possible effects Risk Analysis a structured approach for dealing with risk; three essential elements: risk assessment, risk management and risk communication
Tools and attitudes
Most existing regulations based on hazard not risk. A hazard is anything that can cause harm, Risk is measure of harm likely to be incurred. Pathogens in meat may be a hazard but they are only a risk to the extent in which humans eat raw milk or come in contact with it. Food safety has traditionally been assured by looking at hazards in the end product but in risk approaches the journey is as important as destination; while product-level information tells us there is a problem, pathway information tells us where the problem came from and hence what can be done about it
Most existing regulations based on hazard not risk. A hazard is anything that can cause harm, Risk is measure of harm likely to be incurred. Pathogens in meat may be a hazard but they are only a risk to the extent in which humans eat raw milk or come in contact with it. Food safety has traditionally been assured by looking at hazards in the end product but in risk approaches the journey is as important as destination; while product-level information tells us there is a problem, pathway information tells us where the problem came from and hence what can be done about it