Introduction
Food security is one of the few terms used to describe methods used to measure the availability of food and individuals' approachability to it, where approachability includes affordability (Bhat & Gomez-Lopez, 2014). It occurs when all members continually can obtain sufficient food for an active, healthy life. The agricultural sector is the backbone of the world's source of food offering different varieties of nourishment. Different parts of the world experience unique methods of handling food security depending on their climate, ways of generating food, the type of food grown, as well as the country's economy. This paper will primarily address some of the leading issues associated with food, including tampering, food safety, and bioterrorism.
Discussion
Tampering
Tampering may refer to different ways of interruption, but the term is usually used to mean a deliberate modification of foodstuffs in a way that would make them dangerous to the consumers. Tampering may be of different ways including, the addition of foreign substances materials in dietary materials. These issues significantly concentrate on identifying whether pollution took place during the production phase, by accident or deliberately, or if the assertions made by the complainant are genuine or fake. False claims may also be as a result of tempering. This involves complaints by customers that had interfered with the product themselves but look for a way to get compensation through things they have done themselves (Alpaz, & Cirakoglu, 2010).
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There are different ways of preventing tampering that has been introduced internationally to ensure that foods and other products are safe from tampering including sealing, this is done on covers and top lids of products and also wrapping them with firm materials to ensure that they are safe from being tampered with. The process of labeling also ensures that a ready product has a clear name and can be recognized without necessarily breaking their seal to identify them.Vacuum packaging is also a way to prevent tampering as gases are expelled inside the packing material before sealing. The technique entails inserting food products inside plastic wrap-ups, expelling trapped air and placing seals. This technique ensures the absence of air inside that is always responsible for fermentation. This arguably is beneficial as it extends the shelf life of the commodity using plastic packaging method. Shrink film is also used to prevent bacteria and fungi from infesting a product (Doeg, 2006).
Bioterrorism
Today, terrorism has been defined as the unlawful application of aggression and violence, particularly against innocent citizens, ideally in the chase of social, economic, or political goals. Bioterrorism, taken from the word terrorism and adding a prefix bio, refers to violence that involves the purposeful dissemination or release of toxic bacteria, fungi, viruses, and other biological toxins to kill or destroy humans, in a similar fashion to biological war. These natural toxins can be released through water, in air, or consumable food (Adalja, Toner, & Ingesby, 2015).
Biological weapons are considered lethal as they are not easily detectable, can be easily spread and never infect humans or animals for several days or weeks. Food is one of the most effective and lethal methods used in bioterrorism as food may be easily contaminated as it is being manufactured or processed. Food may be contaminated to cause short- or long-term effects or both. In most cases, the main aim is meant to cause death, but if it does not happen, then it may lead to other issues such as deformities, insanity and other undesirable traits in the future.
There are different ways through which bioterrorism can be tackled as the world gets to understand more about new measures. A government should come up with units that will help in monitoring different aspects within its borders, for example, ensuring that people moving within limits are well vetted and inspected, this has worked in various places in ensuring that goods moving within borders are all legalized. Monitoring internet usage may also be vital in providing the information required to curb bioterrorism. A government can also ensure that all the food that is being produced has been tested and evaluated to ensure hygiene and quality standard food is circulating within a market (Wagar, 2015).
Food Safety Standards and Barriers
Another significant issue presently concerning food safety relates to the codes or standards applied globally to assess the quality and security of food for human consumption. Today, different food-security codes are based on scientifically proven theories and principles to safeguard users from instances of food poisoning as well as unwanted diseases and fatalities. Even though food is one of the leading commodities traded internationally, its packaging and supply pose one of the most considerable risks to the human population. As such, most importers and exporters from developed countries have instituted stringent measures to ensure that the supply chain is tightly regulated. As such, suppliers are obliged to meet specific food safety criteria before importing food supplies from overseas. The same applies to local manufacturers. As such, various jurisdictions internationally are working round-the-clock to update and renew their safety measurement rules by keeping them at par with the standards set by the “Food Safety Modernization Act” (Garlough, 2010).
Multiple techniques can be used to identify food safety barriers. Food safety is vital in ensuring the continued survival of the human race. However, we do understand that there will be challenges when trying to practice food safety. Language and culture will always affect food safety. This is due to the existence of different cultures as well as languages. Some cultures value the way to handle food to an extent there are guidelines on how one must handle food, as others value less the importance of hygienic preparation and handling of food. Education and literacy also play an essential role in ensuring that food is handled in the right manner, as literacy ensures that one expounds on life in general thus including hygiene (Beier, Pillai, & Phillips, 2008).
Illiteracy ignores the possibility of unhealthy food handling methods as it may also be as a result of poverty. Governments should conduct training and teach people how to handle food also by creating recipes in the simplest way possible and also improve food safety demonstration as a method for educating citizens. The world climate is changing fast due to natural factors as well as human-related factors global warming and deforestation. Weather affects crop growth, as well as marine life as water bodies, dry up during dry seasons in some parts of the world. As the water reduces, the life in the water is affected, and their decrease has an impact on humans as they depend on aqua life for food (Rees & Watson, 2000).
Conclusion
In summary, it can be deduced that food security is a fundamental human existence requirement as everyone has the right to clean and healthy food. The United Nations has come up with critical measures to guarantee the world population takes fit, quality, edible, and safe food reaches their tables. Today, the UN in conjunction with other global bodies like the World Food Program (WFP) are staging unending campaigns to tackle some of the leading issues related to food, including food safety, bioterrorism, tampering, and food packaging.
References
Adalja, A. A., Toner, E., & Ingesby, T. V. (2015). Clinical management of potential bioterrorism-related conditions. The New England Journal of Medicine. Retrieved from https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/nejmra1409755
Alpaz, H., & Cirakoglu, B. (2010). Food chain security. Springer Science & Business Media.
Beier, R. C., Pillai, S. D., & Phillips, T. D. (2008). Preharvest and postharvest food safety: Contemporary issues and future directions. John Wiley & Sons.
Bhat, R., & Gomez-Lopez, V. M. (2014). Practical food safety: Contemporary issues and future directions. London: Wiley.
Doeg, C. (2006). Crisis management in the food and drinks industry: A practical approach. Springer Science & Business Media.
Garlough, R. B. (2010). Modern food service purchasing: Business essentials to procurement. Cengage Learning.
Rees, N., & Watson, D. (2000). International standards for food safety. Springer Science & Business Media.
Wagar, E. (2015). Bioterrorism and the role of the clinical microbiology laboratory. Clinical Microbiology Reviews. Retrieved from https://cmr.asm.org/content/29/1/175.short
