How does food get contaminated? The unsafe habits that kill more than 400,000 people a year
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Tuesday, May 16, 2023
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Unsafe foods, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), contribute to poor health, including impaired growth and development, micro-nutrient deficiencies, noncommunicable and infectious diseases, and mental illness.
Key Points:
- Unsafe foods, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), contribute to poor health, including impaired growth and development, micro-nutrient deficiencies, noncommunicable and infectious diseases, and mental illness.
- Antonina Mutoro, a nutrition researcher at the African Population and Health Research Center, explains what causes food contamination and how we can lower the risk of disease.
What is food contamination?
Access to safe and nutritious food is a basic human right which many do not enjoy, partly because of food contamination. This is defined as the presence of harmful chemicals and microorganisms in food that can cause illness. According to the WHO, food contamination affects about one in every ten people globally and causes about 420,000 deaths annually. Food contamination can be:
What are the most common causes of food contamination?
- The most common cause of food contamination is poor food handling.
- Using dirty utensils, not washing fruits and vegetables with clean water, and storing raw and cooked food in the same place can also be harmful.
- In Kenya, for instance, the contamination of meat, fruits and vegetables with human waste is relatively common.
- Street foods are another common source of food contamination.
What are the signs that you’ve eaten contaminated food?
- They account for more than 200 food-borne illnesses, including typhoid, cholera and listeriosis.
- Food-borne illnesses usually present as diarrhoea, vomiting and stomach pains.
- In severe cases, food-borne illnesses can lead to neurological disorders, organ failure and even death.
What can we do to prevent food contamination?
- Food vendors also need to be trained on food safety, and provided with clean water and proper sanitation.
- In Kenya, the project is working closely with the Nairobi county government to develop a food safety training manual targeting street food vendors.
Food-borne illnesses also have negative economic impacts, especially in low- and middle-income countries. The World Bank estimates it costs more than US$15 billion annually to treat these illnesses in these countries. So it’s important to have preventive strategies in place. Food contamination can be prevented through simple measures: