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Two major United Nations organizations this week took the unusual step of issuing a warning about proven weaknesses in food safety systems around the world. The World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) referred to "recent food safety incidents, like the discovery of the industrial chemical melamine in animal and fish feed, or the unauthorized use of certain veterinary drugs in intensive aquaculture" without naming China as the principal culprit. Meanwhile in Australia health authorities have remained silent about the dangers posed by imported food stuffs.
Such food safety incidents are often caused by lack of knowledge of food safety requirements and of their implications, or by the illegal or fraudulent use of ingredients including unauthorized food additives or veterinary drugs. During the last 12 months, an average of up to 200 food safety incidents per month have been investigated by WHO and FAO to determine their public health impact.
Australians, whose supermarkets are relying more and more on Chinese imports for their own brand products should keep in mind the UN warning that food production systems in developing countries are facing a series of challenges: population growth and urbanization, changing dietary patterns, intensification and industrialization of food and agricultural production. Climate conditions, poor sanitation and weak public infrastructure compound these difficulties. Food safety legislation in many developing countries is often incomplete or obsolete or not in line with international requirements. Responsibility for food safety and control tends to be dispersed across many institutions. Laboratories lack essential equipment and supplies.
