Food Safety - Contamination Of Food In The Marketplace

The number of families that have begun to grow their vegetables and fruits at home is on the rise as a result of a growing concern regarding the safety and quality of our current food supply. Over the past 18 months, over 1300 cases of illness and at least three deaths have been attributed to pathogens in foods once considered safe. It is not yet certain how the contamination of these foods had initially occurred and scientist have demonstrated concern that the current methods of identifying and isolating contaminated food before it reaches the marketplace are just not adequate.

Several reasons contributing to this situation may exist:
• The industry has now become dominated by bulk food growers, and as such any arising contamination is certain to be of epic proportions, spreading across the country at large.
• There exists an overworked, imbalanced and outdated regulatory system which appears unable or unwilling to adequately monitor the food supply chain.
• The consumption of fresh produce has increased drastically. Though this healthy trend is indeed commendable, it has further resulted in an increase in the consumption of raw foods which can prove detrimental since washing alone is often not sufficient to remove the pathogens and chemicals which stick to the surface of the produce.
• A significant amount of commercially produced food is grown on properties that also support the rearing of livestock. The potential for contamination increases exponentially with the presence of manure. Birds, wild animals and even runoff are all potential routes for transferring bacteria to vegetables and fruits. This is typical in places like California, often referred to as our Nation’s Salad Bowl, where livestock, dairies, produce and vineyards all compete for the same limited space.
• It is also quite difficult to trace the source of contamination once food reaches the marketplace since many large processors ship food across the country in very large quantities, for it to then be packaged under a wide array of labels and brands for shipping.

Besides the previously mentioned safety considerations, impending food shortages also make home grown produce a very good idea. Developing countries have increased their demand for fresh vegetables and fruits, meat and dairy, as well as use of land for production of biofuel. This has lead to dramatic increases in the cost of food as well as significant food shortages.

As the poverty levels in many developing countries continue to improve there is an associated rise in demand for animal proteins. This translates into an increased need to grow more grain so as to feed dairy animals and livestock. By allocating more land for grain fields, the likelihood of creating even more food shortages and greater losses of areable land from erosion and improper management (e.g. burning rain forests) increases.

Overcoming these issues will require concerted effort and time. Should the vast majority of the world’s population choose to grow their produce at home, it is likely that the situation could be greatly alleviated.