FSQMS & Legislation Cell

Food safety and Quality is an increasingly important public health issue. Governments all over the world are intensifying their efforts to improve food quality and safety. These efforts are in response to an increasing number of food safety problems and rising consumer concerns.

Food borne diseases are a widespread and growing public health problem, both in developed and developing countries.

• The global incidence of food borne disease is difficult to estimate, but it has been reported that in 2005 alone 1.8 million people died from diarrhea diseases. A great proportion of these cases can be attributed to contamination of food and drinking water. Additionally, diarrhea is a major cause of malnutrition in infants and young children.
• In industrialized countries, the percentage of the population suffering from food borne diseases each year has been reported to be up to 30%. In the United States of America (USA), for example, around 76 million cases of food borne diseases, resulting in 325,000 hospitalizations and 5,000 deaths, are estimated to occur each year.
• While less well documented, developing countries bear the brunt of the problem due to the presence of a wide range of food borne diseases, including those caused by parasites. The high prevalence of diarrhea diseases in many developing countries suggests major underlying food safety problems.
• While most food borne diseases are sporadic and often not reported, food borne disease outbreaks may take on massive proportions. For example, in 1994, an outbreak of salmonellosis due to contaminated ice cream occurred in the USA, affecting an estimated 224,000 persons. In 1988, an outbreak of hepatitis A, resulting from the consumption of contaminated clams, affected some 300,000 individuals in China.

By realizing the importance of food safety and quality in context of upcoming consolidated food laws, AFMI has started FSQMS and Legislation cell where students and experts can exchange their views and aids in this growing concern.