CONSUMER CONCERNS ABOUT FOODS 25 NOVEMBER 2013

1. CONSUMER CONCERNS ABOUT FOODS 25 NOVEMBER 2013

2. Risks and benefits of eating Risks: dying from not eating enough versus dying from eating too much Benefits: follow Canada’s food guide and live better and longer

3. Risks of food-borne illnesses dose-threshold- how many viruses or bacteria or parasites at any one time-the more viruses or bacteria or parasites one is exposed to the greater the chance of illness frequency-how often one is exposed-the more often one is exposed the greater the chance of illness susceptibility- some people become ill more easily (lower doses and/or frequencies of exposure)

4. Safeguarding the food supply - Health Canada, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Nova Scotia Agriculture

5. Safeguarding the food supply continued Inspection -food processing plants -Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) -pesticides-CFIA -pathogens and parasites -CFIA -restaurants- NS – NS Dep’t of Agriculture. Health Canada oversees CFIA assesses the Canadian Food Inspection Agency's activities related to food safety.

6. Pathogens and parasites in food Bacteria -E. coli -salmonella Viruses -shellfish-Norwalk virus -hepatitis A-raw fish

7. Pathogens and parasites in food continued Prions mad cow disease Parasites water-Giardia pork-Trichinella all bacteria, viruses, and parasites overcome by heating (cooking) well except for prions

8. Avoiding contamination • wash food well • soap and bleach food preparation areas to kill everything except prions • make sure contaminated food is not placed on a clean counter –this is called cross contamination and cross contamination leads to future non-contaminated food getting contaminated.

9. Avoiding contamination continued • freshness dates-the older items have a greater chance of contamination with bacteria, viruses, and parasites • proper storage-fridge or freezer-reduces number of bacteria, viruses, and parasites • cook well-sufficient heat destroys everything except prions

10. Avoiding contamination continued • jars sealed tightly to avoid contamination with bacteria, viruses, and parasites • cans not bulging- bulging cans are an indication of bacterial contamination reheat food thoroughly-kills bacteria, viruses and parasites sneeze guards-prevents contamination of food with bacteria and viruses

11. Pesticides increase amount of food for us to eat child versus adult impacts of pesticides -children are more seriously impacted due to lesser ability to metabolise (detoxify) these molecules; as well children are smaller so the dose of pesticide/kg body weight can be higher genetically modified foods and organic foods are alternatives to pesticides

12. Antibiotics and hormones Improved weight gain in cattle and improved egg productivity in poultry via use of antibiotics used to be common-not common now due to antibiotic resistance issue hormone to stimulate cow milk production -considered non-harmful to humans-much of hormone destroyed by pasteurisation

13. Industrial wastes polychlorinated biphenyls- carcinogen strontium 90- radioactive cadmium (kidney damage) lead (brain development impairment) arsenic (carcinogen) mercury(nerve cell damage) bioaccumulation in fish of all above

14. Avoiding industrial wastes 1. washing food 2. knowing food sources if possible 3. deep salt water fish are safest 4. trimming fat- fat bioaccumulates toxins

15. Food technology-regulated by Health Canada Additives Direct- colour, taste, texture, preservatives of food Indirect- leeching of toxins from packaging Accidental-toxins produced during cooking -burning of fat -incomplete burning of amino acids

16. Food technology continued Food safety Aseptic packaging-sterility of packaging reduces chances of bacterial and viral contamination Modified atmosphere packaging- nitrogen stops aerobic bacterial growth Irradiation with ultra-violet light-kills bacteria and viruses Biotechnology- GMOs to slow ripening and prevent product breakdown during storage