Globalization of the food supply has created conditions favorable for the emergence, reemergence, and spread of food-borne pathogens-compounding the challenge of anticipating, detecting, and effectively responding to food-borne threats to health. In the United States, food-borne agents affect 1 out of 6 individuals and cause approximately 48 million illnesses, 128,000 hospitalizations, and 3,000 deaths each year. This figure likely represents just the tip of the iceberg, because it fails to account for the broad array of food-borne illnesses or for their wide-ranging repercussions for consumers, government, and the food industry-both domestically and internationally. A One Health approach to food safety may hold the promise of harnessing and integrating the expertise and resources from across the spectrum of multiple health domains including the human and veterinary medical and plant pathology communities with those of the wildlife and aquatic health and ecology communities. The IOM's Forum on Microbial Threats hosted a public workshop on December 13 and 14, 2011 that examined issues critical to the protection of the nation's food supply. The workshop explored existing knowledge and unanswered questions on the nature and extent of food-borne threats to health. Participants discussed the globalization of the U.S. food supply and the burden of illness associated with foodborne threats to health; considered the spectrum of food-borne threats as well as illustrative case studies; reviewed existing research, policies, and practices to prevent and mitigate foodborne threats; and, identified opportunities to reduce future threats to the nation's food supply through the use of a "One Health" approach to food safety. Improving Food Safety Through a One Health Approach: Workshop Summary covers the events of the workshop and explains the recommendations for future related workshops.

Foodborne illnesses caused by zoonotic pathogens associated with wildlife hosts are an emerging microbial food safety concern. Transmission of foodborne pathogens can occur through ingestion, or improper handling, of contaminated game meat. Wild and feral animals have also been investigated as potential sources of Campylobacter, Escherichia coli O157:H7 and other enteric pathogens following foodborne disease outbreaks linked to fresh fruits and vegetables (e.g., baby spinach in California, shelled-peas in Alaska, strawberries in Oregon). This book explores the range of bacterial, parasitic, and viral pathogens that have been described in wildlife populations in the United States, Europe and other parts of the world. It also addresses important challenges and solutions to balance agriculture, conservation, and public health goals. The book provides unique information on approaches in risk communication, co-management, and One Health in a wildlife-food safety context. The first five chapters review research on the detection, epidemiology and ecology of foodborne pathogens in wildlife populations including the influence of wildlife-livestock-human interactions. The second half of the book addresses current guidelines to mitigate microbial food safety risks from wildlife hosts and new regulations proposed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in the Food Safety Modernization Act Produce Safety Rule. Chapters are written by an array of internationally reco gnized authors, and will be of interest to agriculture safety experts, ecologists, environmental health specialists, food safety professionals, microbiologists, public health practitioners, veterinarians, wildlife biologists, and others in academia, government, industry, and students in these disciplines.

Genetic-based animal biotechnology has produced new food and pharmaceutical products and promises many more advances to benefit humankind. These exciting prospects are accompanied by considerable unease, however, about matters such as safety and ethics. This book identifies science-based and policy-related concerns about animal biotechnologyâ€"key issues that must be resolved before the new breakthroughs can reach their potential. The book includes a short history of the field and provides understandable definitions of terms like cloning. Looking at technologies on the near horizon, the authors discuss what we know and what we fear about their effectsâ€"the inadvertent release of dangerous microorganisms, the safety of products derived from biotechnology, the impact of genetically engineered animals on their environment. In addition to these concerns, the book explores animal welfare concerns, and our societal and institutional capacity to manage and regulate the technology and its products. This accessible volume will be important to everyone interested in the implications of the use of animal biotechnology.

Animal products are vital components of the diets and livelihoods of people across sub-Saharan Africa. They are frequently traded in local, unregulated markets and this can pose significant health risks. This volume presents an accessible overview of these issues in the context of food safety, zoonoses and public health, while at the same time maintaining fair and equitable livelihoods for poorer people across the continent. The book includes a review of the key issues and 25 case studies of the meat, milk, egg and fish food sectors drawn from a wide range of countries in East, West and Southern Africa, as part of the "Safe Food, Fair Food" project. It describes a realistic analysis of food safety risk by developing a methodology of 'participatory food safety risk assessment', involving small-scale producers and consumers in the process of data collection in a data-poor environment often found in developing countries. This approach aims to ensure market access for poor producers, while adopting a realistic and pragmatic strategy for reducing the risk of food-borne diseases for consumers.

This volume is an inspiring and breakthrough piece of academic scholarship and the first of its kind featuring a comprehensive reader-friendly approach to teach the intricacies of the various aspects of international farm animal, wildlife conservation, food safety and environmental protection law. The selected focus areas are grouped in sections, such as agrobiodiversity, fishing and aquaculture, pollinators and pesticides, soil management, industrial animal production and transportation, and international food trade. Farm animal welfare, environmental protection, biodiversity conservation, and food safety are the core of the selected chapters. Every chapter provides real-world examples to make the complex field easy to understand. With its systematic approach, this book is devoted to anyone interested in the subject, becomes a valuable resource for professionals working in food regulation, and provides a solid foundation for courses and master’s programs in animal law, environmental policy, food and agriculture law, and regulation of these subjects around the world. Through its emphasis on sustainable food production, this work offers a cutting-edge selection of evolving topics at the heart of the pertinent discourse. As one of its highlights, this books also provides “Tools for Change,” a unique compilation and analysis of laws from the major farm animal product trading nations. With these tools, practitioners, advocates, policy makers and other state-holders are equipped with information to start work toward improving farm animal welfare, wildlife conservation, and food safety through the use of law and policy.

How safe is our food supply? Each year the media report what appears to be growing concern related to illness caused by the food consumed by Americans. These food borne illnesses are caused by pathogenic microorganisms, pesticide residues, and food additives. Recent actions taken at the federal, state, and local levels in response to the increase in reported incidences of food borne illnesses point to the need to evaluate the food safety system in the United States. This book assesses the effectiveness of the current food safety system and provides recommendations on changes needed to ensure an effective science-based food safety system. Ensuring Safe Food discusses such important issues as: What are the primary hazards associated with the food supply? What gaps exist in the current system for ensuring a safe food supply? What effects do trends in food consumption have on food safety? What is the impact of food preparation and handling practices in the home, in food services, or in production operations on the risk of food borne illnesses? What organizational changes in responsibility or oversight could be made to increase the effectiveness of the food safety system in the United States? Current concerns associated with microbiological, chemical, and physical hazards in the food supply are discussed. The book also considers how changes in technology and food processing might introduce new risks. Recommendations are made on steps for developing a coordinated, unified system for food safety. The book also highlights areas that need additional study. Ensuring Safe Food will be important for policymakers, food trade professionals, food producers, food processors, food researchers, public health professionals, and consumers.

The production of animal feed increasingly relies on the global acquisition of feed material, increasing the risk of chemical and microbiological contaminants being transferred into food-producing animals. Animal feed contamination provides a comprehensive overview of recent research into animal feed contaminants and their negative effects on both animal and human health. Part one focuses on the contamination of feeds and fodder by microorganisms and animal by-products. Analysis of contamination by persistent organic pollutants and toxic metals follows in part two, before the problem of natural toxins is considered in part three. Veterinary medicinal products as contaminants are explored in part four, along with a discussion of the use of antimicrobials in animal feed. Part five goes on to highlight the risk from emerging technologies. Finally, part six explores feed safety and quality management by considering the safe supply and management of animal feed, the process of sampling for contaminant analysis, and the GMP+ feed safety assurance scheme. With its distinguished editor and international team of expert contributors, Animal feed contamination is an indispensable reference work for all those responsible for food safety control in the food and feed industries, as well as a key source for researchers in this area. Provides a comprehensive review of research into animal feed contaminants and their negative effects on both animal and human health Examines the contamination of feeds and fodder by microorganisms and animal by-products Analyses contamination by persistant organic pollutants, toxic metals and natural toxins