scholarly journals “They hold on tight to the healthy eating, we hold on tight to our food safety, and how do we bridge that?”: determinants of successful collaboration between food safety and food security practitioners in British Columbia, Canada

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 44-63
Author(s):  
Kelsey A Speed ◽  
Samantha B Meyer ◽  
Rhona M Hanning ◽  
Karen Rideout ◽  
Melanie Kurrein ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
British Columbia ◽  
Food Security ◽  
Food Safety ◽  
Food Policy ◽  
Organizational Level ◽  
Political Systems ◽  
Barriers To Collaboration ◽  
Successful Collaboration ◽  
Two Sectors

Food safety and food security are two important public health sectors within Canada, which aim to address foodborne disease and food insecurity, respectively.  While these sectors are often siloed within public health organizations, the actions of the two sectors often interact and conflict at the program level despite their common goal of improving population health.  The objective of the present study was to identify determinants that influenced the success of collaboration between practitioners of the two sectors in British Columbia, to inform Canadian food policy.  We inductively analyzed 14 interviews with practitioners working in the two sectors who had experience with successful collaboration. Data were interpreted in consultation with an inter-professional collaboration framework.  Participants identified determinants at the systemic level, including the cultural, professional, educational, legislative, and political systems, which were often considered barriers to collaboration.  Participants also identified determinants at the organizational level that influenced the success of collaboration between the sectors, including: the organization’s structure and philosophy, leadership, resources, and communication mechanisms.  Finally, participants identified interactional determinants as ways to overcome existing barriers, including: willingness to collaborate, trust, communication, mutual respect, and taking a solutions-oriented approach.  Practitioners working in food safety and food security can apply the interactional determinants identified in this study to mitigate existing barriers to collaboration and support more synergistic food policies.

scholarly journals “Highly processed, highly packaged, very unhealthy. But they are low risk”: exploring intersections between community food security and food safety

2017 ◽  
Vol 37 (10) ◽  
pp. 323-332 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kelsey A. Speed ◽  
Samantha B. Meyer ◽  
Rhona M. Hanning ◽  
Shannon E. Majowicz
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
British Columbia ◽  
Food Security ◽  
Food Safety ◽  
Population Health ◽  
Descriptive Analysis ◽  
Food Environments ◽  
Community Food Security ◽  
Qualitative Descriptive ◽  
Relationship Of

Introduction Food insecurity and foodborne disease are important issues in Canada, and the public health actions taken to address them can be conceptualized as factors shaping the food environment. Given emerging evidence that these two areas may interrelate, the objective of this study was to explore ways in which community food security efforts and food safety practices (and the population health issues they aim to address) may intersect in British Columbia, Canada, and interpret what this might mean for conceptualizing and attaining healthier food environments. Methods We conducted 14 key informant interviews with practitioners working in community food security and food safety in British Columbia, and used qualitative descriptive analysis to identify examples of intersections between the sectors. Results Participants identified four key ways that the two sectors intersect. They identified (1) how their daily practices to promote safe or healthy food could be helped or hindered by the activities of the other sector; (2) that historically disjointed policies that do not consider multiple health outcomes related to food may complicate the interrelationship; (3) that the relationship of these sectors is also affected by the fact that specific types of food products, such as fresh produce, can be considered both risky and beneficial; and (4) that both sectors are working towards the same goal of improved population health, albeit viewing it through slightly different lenses. Conclusion Food security and food safety connect in several ways, with implications for characterizing and improving Canadian food environments. Collaboration across separated public health areas related to food is needed when designing new programs or policies aimed at changing the way Canadians eat.

scholarly journals Food Safety Implications of Transitions Toward Sustainable Healthy Diets

2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (2_suppl) ◽  
pp. 104S-124S
Author(s):  
Sara M. Pires ◽  
Sofie T. Thomsen ◽  
Maarten Nauta ◽  
Morten Poulsen ◽  
Lea S. Jakobsen
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Food Security ◽  
Food Safety ◽  
Food Systems ◽  
Environmental Benefits ◽  
Developing Regions ◽  
Social Burden ◽  
Healthy Diets ◽  
Development Goals ◽  
Vegetables And Fruits

Despite increased political attention, foodborne diseases still cause a substantial public health, economic, and social burden worldwide. Children younger than 5 years, people living in developing regions, and in the poorest areas of the world are disproportionally affected, bearing a large proportion of the global burden of foodborne disease. Yet, food safety is a prerequisite to ensuring food security globally: Foods that are responsible for important food safety problems are also crucial to ensure food security in some regions and are essential sources of nutrition. Moreover, together with calls for action to meeting international sustainable development goals, global efforts to promote food security and healthy diets have now highlighted the need to modify food systems globally. This article therefore explores the food safety dimensions of transitions toward food systems that promote sustainable healthy diets. The current body of evidence points to the combined health and environmental benefits of shifting toward a more plant-based diet, including vegetables and fruits, nuts, pulses, and whole grains. As a shift toward more plant-based diets may also lead to higher exposures to chemicals or pathogens present in these foods, an evaluation of food safety implications of such transitions is now imperative. We conclude that several synergies between public health, environmental, and food safety strategies can be identified to support dietary transitions.

scholarly journals Plant health and its effects on food safety and security in a One Health framework: four case studies

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
David M. Rizzo ◽  
Maureen Lichtveld ◽  
Jonna A. K. Mazet ◽  
Eri Togami ◽  
Sally A. Miller
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Food Security ◽  
Food Safety ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
One Health ◽  
Plant Diseases ◽  
Plant Health ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
The One

AbstractAlthough 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.

scholarly journals Integrative Governance for Ecological Public Health: An Analysis of ‘Food Policy for Canada’ (2015-2019)

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Andree ◽  
Patricia Ballamingie ◽  
Mary Coulas
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Food Security ◽  
Food System ◽  
Food Policy ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Public Health Approach ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Food And Nutrition ◽  
Ecological Public Health

Normatively grounded in the ecological public health paradigm, this paper speaks to the role of public policy in addressing food and nutrition-related health challenges through a critical analysis of the 2019 Food Policy for Canada (FPC). We draw on primary data gathered through a SSHRC-funded Partnership Grant, Food: Locally Embedded, Globally Engaged (FLEdGE). Qualitative research methods include interviews with key stakeholders and policy makers, critical review of national food policy consultation documents, participant observation in government-, industry- and civil society-led conversations about the food policy, as well as an investigation of stakeholder responses to the FPC announcements of 2019. Our analysis focuses on how Canada’s new food policy: adopts an integrative, pan-Canadian approach; explicitly connects health and environmental dimensions of food; augments food security in a systematic way; addresses unique food security and health issues facing Indigenous Peoples; improves the health of food environments, such as those in Canada’s schools; and, meaningfully includes relevant stakeholders in food system governance. Against these expectations, we assert that the Food Policy for Canada does not yet provide an integrative, systems-based approach to addressing food and nutrition-related health issues consistent with the ecological public health approach, despite significant progress made. We conclude by proposing a research agenda for tracking Canada’s food policy implementation and development going forward.

scholarly journals Impact of Epidemic-Affected Labor Shortage on Food Safety: A Chinese Scenario Analysis Using the CGE Model

Foods ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 2679
Author(s):  
Li Liang ◽  
Keyu Qin ◽  
Sijian Jiang ◽  
Xiaoyu Wang ◽  
Yunting Shi
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Food Security ◽  
Food Safety ◽  
Agricultural Production ◽  
Agricultural Products ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
Labor Shortage ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Epidemic Area ◽  
The Impact

Human food safety should be given priority during a major public health crisis. As the primary element of agricultural production, labor tends to suffer the most during a period of public health concern. Studying the impact of epidemic-affected labor shortages on agricultural production, trade, and prices has important implications for food security. This study used a calculable general equilibrium model to study the changes in China’s agricultural production, trade, and prices under different labor damage scenarios. The results showed that agricultural production was less affected under a scenario where the epidemic was controlled locally. The output of agricultural products decreased by about 2.19%, and the prices of agricultural products increased slightly. However, the nationwide output of agricultural products decreased by only 0.1%, and the prices remained largely stable. In the case of the spread of the epidemic, the output of agricultural products in the epidemic area decreased by 2.11%, and the prices of certain agricultural products increased significantly. For example, the price of vegetables increased by 0.78%, the price of pork increased by about 0.7%, and those of agricultural products in other parts of the country also increased slightly. Compared with the national spread scenario, the local outbreak scenario had a smaller impact on China’s food security, indicating China’s effective policy against the epidemic. Although the impact of labor shortage under the influence of the epidemic on China was relatively limited, and considering its stable food security, we should pay attention to the increase in the process of agricultural products and changes in agricultural trade in the epidemic area. The residents in the epidemic areas could not effectively obtain nutritious food, which affected their health. Thus, the government should also completely mobilize agricultural resources to ensure the nutrition safety of residents during major public health incidents.

scholarly journals Nutritional and Consumers Behavior towards Street Foods

2020 ◽  
pp. 64-73
Author(s):  
Ruchi Verma ◽  
Sunita Mishra
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Developing Countries ◽  
Food Security ◽  
Food Safety ◽  
Nutritional Value ◽  
Communicable Diseases ◽  
Foodborne Diseases ◽  
Food Handlers ◽  
Non Communicable Diseases ◽  
Street Food

Street foods plays vital role for low and middle income group of urban peoples of developing countries, street foods meets food and nutritional requirements at very affordable prices for peoples all over the world. Mostly street foods are unhealthy foods, which is increased by high risk of contamination through physical, chemical and biological components which occurs a grave concern in the form of food safety and security. Street foods are nutritionally rich and these are rich source of carbohydrates and fats, eating which increases the risk of chronic non communicable diseases. Street foods may the increases risk of foodborne illnesses, which is the reason of food contamination through the microorganisms and so that food poisoning are developed. Due to lack of facilities, cheap raw materials, also lack of education and insufficient knowledge (GMP) of street food handlers, can cause foodborne diseases and chronic non-communicable diseases, and with which strongly influence on Food Safety, Nutritional Value and  health of school children’s and all  urban peoples of developing countries. To troubleshoot all these problems proper health authorities should regulate the marketing of street food products and start a proper training program for the urban street food handlers and school based street food handlers, which is related to food safety, food security, foodborne diseases and non communicable diseases. In addition, the inclusion of food safety and food security in school courses will provide opportunities for all peoples and school children’s to becomes aware about food safety, food security and nutrition. however, street foods are oftentimes an unhealthy diet and notwithstanding, street foods meet peoples dietary needs. Street food vending have occurred a vital public health issues and a major consideration to everybody. The objective of this study to describe nutritional issues of street foods to the diet, Nutritional Value of Street Foods, consumers eating habits and its impact on Health. It is necessary that, the standards suggested by the Codex Alimentarius Commission and WHO should be included, to contribute to nutritional security of street foods and public health.

scholarly journals At the crossroads: new paradigms of food security, public health nutrition and school food

2012 ◽  
Vol 16 (6) ◽  
pp. 1020-1027 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leah M Ashe ◽  
Roberta Sonnino
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Food Security ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Food Systems ◽  
Food System ◽  
Food Policy ◽  
Public Health Nutrition ◽  
School Food ◽  
Poor Countries ◽  
New Research

AbstractPublic health nutrition sits at the nexus of a global crisis in food, environmental and health systems that has generated – along with numerous other problems – an urgent and changing problem of food insecurity. The ‘new’ food insecurity, however, is different from the old: it is bimodal, encompassing issues of both under- and over-consumption, hunger and obesity, quantity and quality; it has assumed a decidedly urban dimension; and it implicates rich and poor countries alike. The complexity of the expressions of this challenge requires new approaches to public health nutrition and food policy that privilege systemic, structural and environmental factors over individual and mechanistic ones. In this context, the current paper argues that school food systems rise with buoyant potential as promising intervention sites: they are poised to address both modes of the food security crisis; integrate systemic, structural and environmental with behavioural approaches; and comprise far-reaching, system-wide efforts that influence the wider functioning of the food system. Based on a discussion of Bogotá and other pioneering policies that explicitly aim to create a broader food system with long-term foundations for good public health and food security, the paper suggests a new research and action agenda that gives special attention to school food in urban contexts.

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