Food Safety Affects Everyone

Judith Meech

Food Safety affects everyone, in every country, politically, economically and socially. That is why it could be considered the biggest global issue facing us at the present time.  Dramatic changes and major steps have taken place in China within the last 10 years in response to food safety issues facing its population and its external markets.

The International Union of Food Science and Technology (IUFoST) has been privileged to work alongside its Chinese colleagues, and especially with its national scientific representative in China – the Chinese Institute of Food Science and Technology (CIFST) – by assisting at the request of the Chinese Government to help improve food safety standards through education and dialogue.

China successfully bid for and brought the IUFoST World Congress in Food Science and Technology to Shanghai in 2008.  More than 3,000 food scientists and technologists from around the world came together to discuss issues, investigate areas of joint research and taste Chinese cuisine.  It was a huge success and showcased China’s food and beverage industry to food experts from around the world.

In 2009 China introduced its Food Safety Law. At that time The Ministry of Health approached CIFST and IUFoST to ask that we help encourage the international exchange of ideas and collaboration as these are an essential element in successfully implementing the major changes underway. A panel was assembled, global in scope with distinguished members drawn from China, North America and Europe, representing global expertise from industry/R&D, government and academia. The first meeting between the expert panel and senior Chinese Government officials took place in June of that year to discuss emerging and established issues facing the Chinese food community.
 

The outcome of this meeting was for CIFST and IUFoST to bring together international leaders in food safety for the first International Forum on Food Safety, held under the auspices of the Ministry of Health, in April 2010. Alongside the Forum, workshops dealing with microbiological and chemical hazards were presented. Principles of risk management and its successful application to Chinese interests were the subjects of this Forum.

Now we are entering the sixth year of the Forum that former USA Under-Secretary of Agriculture, Dr Joseph Jen, refers to as “probably the most influential meeting on food safety in China due to high government and industry attentions.”

Through the interest of and under the auspices of China Government offices and with the leadership of the CIFST, our colleagues in WHO, International Council for Science in China and many others, this Forum has made tremendous progress towards the aim of establishing a high level food safety “think tank” in China.

Education, Training and Communication

Education, training and communication all walk hand-in-hand in the global effort towards improving food safety standards and consumer understanding. A vitally important dimension to improved communication was added to the International Forum on Food Safety several years ago in the form of a media conference called “Scientist meets the Media”. Its purpose is to discuss with the media the real science of the issues and to help the media to report on food safety issues with authority and to connect media representatives to food scientists who have the facts, rather than the confusion evident behind some of today’s food safety issues. 

Geoffrey Campbell-Platt, IUFoST Past President, provides an example of the importance for consumers and scientists to talk together. As Professor Campbell-Platt explains: “Consumers provide the last vital link in assuring the safety of the food chain. With increasing world population, and the need for sustainability, we should reduce food waste. Perishable, microbiologically unstable foods are labelled with ‘use by’ dates, after which foods should not be sold, or consumed, to ensure safety. However, longer- life foods have ‘best before’ dates, after which food quality would not be at its best, but generally still edible; in fact several of our desired foods, such as wines and spirits, such as whisky, are preferred when older, or more mature. Understanding of this key difference would reduce unnecessary food wastage, while maintaining food safety.”

The Scientist meets the Media conference has earned great attention. In 2014 CCTV-2 included in their Dialogue program a discussion on “Truth and Misunderstanding of Food Safety”, featuring our international and Chinese Forum experts. The current food safety situation in China, USA and Europe was discussed, including risk communications and regulations. Another one, on current issues of worry and significance in China, is planned following this year’s Forum.

Improving food safety and setting new standards involves teaching at the professional and technical levels and also through all levels of student education.  China is making major efforts regarding raising awareness of the need for student education in food safety. In less then 10 years, China’s university programs in food safety have more than tripled, with well over 170 universities offering specialist food safety programs. IUFoST and CIFST are working with the Global Food Safety Partnership in assessing these programs to ensure a global standard in curricula and that these programs provide outcomes in the graduates most needed in government and industry in China.

The transformation of the Chinese Food Industry provides profound challenges as domestic and international forces are changing the way food is monitored and standardised, not only in China but around the world. China is leading the way in its efforts to bring about best practices in standardisation, consumer health and regulation all along the supply chain. Education, training and communication are vital aspects of the transformation. 

The Chinese Institute of Food Science and Technology (CIFST) is the scientific organisation representing food scientists and technologists in China. It is a non-profit organisation and is a member of the China Association for Science and Technology. CIFST is highly involved in the development of the China food industry and technology and is the most important channel for the communication of food science and technology in China and the main force for food technology public education.
Further information: http://www.cifst.org.cn
 

The International Union of Food Science and Technology (IUFoST) is the global non-aligned scientific organisation, representing over 300,000 food scientists and technologists from more than 75 countries.  It is the only elected representative of food in the International Council for Science. Judith Meech is the Secretary-General of IUFoST; e-mail: jmeech@iufost.org
 

The World Bank asked IUFoST to lead the Global Food Safety Curricula Initiative and this is underway in China. Further information on the Global Food Safety Curricula Initiative is available at foodsafety.iufost.org. Further information on IUFoST: www.iufost.org.