Download or read book Enhancing Food Safety written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2010-11-04 with total page 589 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Recent outbreaks of illnesses traced to contaminated sprouts and lettuce illustrate the holes that exist in the system for monitoring problems and preventing foodborne diseases. Although it is not solely responsible for ensuring the safety of the nation's food supply, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) oversees monitoring and intervention for 80 percent of the food supply. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration's abilities to discover potential threats to food safety and prevent outbreaks of foodborne illness are hampered by impediments to efficient use of its limited resources and a piecemeal approach to gathering and using information on risks. Enhancing Food Safety: The Role of the Food and Drug Administration, a new book from the Institute of Medicine and the National Research Council, responds to a congressional request for recommendations on how to close gaps in FDA's food safety systems. Enhancing Food Safety begins with a brief review of the Food Protection Plan (FPP), FDA's food safety philosophy developed in 2007. The lack of sufficient detail and specific strategies in the FPP renders it ineffectual. The book stresses the need for FPP to evolve and be supported by the type of strategic planning described in these pages. It also explores the development and implementation of a stronger, more effective food safety system built on a risk-based approach to food safety management. Conclusions and recommendations include adopting a risk-based decision-making approach to food safety; creating a data surveillance and research infrastructure; integrating federal, state, and local government food safety programs; enhancing efficiency of inspections; and more. Although food safety is the responsibility of everyone, from producers to consumers, the FDA and other regulatory agencies have an essential role. In many instances, the FDA must carry out this responsibility against a backdrop of multiple stakeholder interests, inadequate resources, and competing priorities. Of interest to the food production industry, consumer advocacy groups, health care professionals, and others, Enhancing Food Safety provides the FDA and Congress with a course of action that will enable the agency to become more efficient and effective in carrying out its food safety mission in a rapidly changing world.

Download or read book US Food Vulnerability to Intentional Contamination bioterrorism written by Samuel D. Hall and published by . This book was released on 1999 with total page 78 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The aim of this study is to provide a brief historical overview of the past use of biological warfare agents and the possible use of food as a vehicle for perpetrating an act of bio-terrorism. A "zero failure" model as developed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration for producing food for space is reviewed, as well as the United States (U.S.) military services system attempts to ensure food safety. Also discussed are preliminary attempts to evaluate food vulnerability in the Southwest Asia Area of Operations. In conclusion, an assessment of current vulnerabilities and recommendations to decrease the vulnerability of the food supply of the United States to intentional contamination by terrorists are provided.

Download or read book Improving Food Safety Through a One Health Approach written by Institute of Medicine and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2012-09-10 with total page 418 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Globalization of the food supply has created conditions favorable for the emergence, reemergence, and spread of food-borne pathogens-compounding the challenge of anticipating, detecting, and effectively responding to food-borne threats to health. In the United States, food-borne agents affect 1 out of 6 individuals and cause approximately 48 million illnesses, 128,000 hospitalizations, and 3,000 deaths each year. This figure likely represents just the tip of the iceberg, because it fails to account for the broad array of food-borne illnesses or for their wide-ranging repercussions for consumers, government, and the food industry-both domestically and internationally. A One Health approach to food safety may hold the promise of harnessing and integrating the expertise and resources from across the spectrum of multiple health domains including the human and veterinary medical and plant pathology communities with those of the wildlife and aquatic health and ecology communities. The IOM's Forum on Microbial Threats hosted a public workshop on December 13 and 14, 2011 that examined issues critical to the protection of the nation's food supply. The workshop explored existing knowledge and unanswered questions on the nature and extent of food-borne threats to health. Participants discussed the globalization of the U.S. food supply and the burden of illness associated with foodborne threats to health; considered the spectrum of food-borne threats as well as illustrative case studies; reviewed existing research, policies, and practices to prevent and mitigate foodborne threats; and, identified opportunities to reduce future threats to the nation's food supply through the use of a "One Health" approach to food safety. Improving Food Safety Through a One Health Approach: Workshop Summary covers the events of the workshop and explains the recommendations for future related workshops.

Download or read book Biological Threats and Terrorism written by Institute of Medicine and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2002-03-07 with total page 335 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the wake of September 11th and recent anthrax events, our nation's bioterrorism response capability has become an imminent priority for policymakers, researchers, public health officials, academia, and the private sector. In a three-day workshop, convened by the Institute of Medicine's Forum on Emerging Infections, experts from each of these communities came together to identify, clarify, and prioritize the next steps that need to be taken in order to prepare and strengthen bioterrorism response capabilities. From the discussions, it became clear that of utmost urgency is the need to cast the issue of a response in an appropriate framework in order to attract the attention of Congress and the public in order to garner sufficient and sustainable support for such initiatives. No matter how the issue is cast, numerous workshop participants agreed that there are many gaps in the public health infrastructure and countermeasure capabilities that must be prioritized and addressed in order to assure a rapid and effective response to another bioterrorist attack.

Download or read book Microbiology of Drinking Water written by Gabriel Bitton and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2014-10-02 with total page 314 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Microbiology of Drinking Water Production and Distribution addresses the public health aspects of drinking water treatment and distribution. It explains the different water treatment processes, such as pretreatment, coagulation, flocculation, sedimentation, filtration, disinfection, and their impacts on waterborne microbial pathogens and parasites. Drinking water quality may be degraded in water distribution systems—microorganisms form biofilms within distribution systems that allow them to flourish. Various methodologies have been proposed to assess the bacterial growth potential in water distribution systems. Microbiology of Drinking Water Production and Distribution also places drinking water quality and public health issues in context; it addresses the effect of bioterrorism on drinking water safety, particularly safeguards that are in place to protect consumers against the microbial agents involved. In addition, the text delves into research on drinking water quality in developing countries and the low-cost treatment technologies that could save lives. The text also examines the microbiological water quality of bottled water, often misunderstood by the public at large.

Download or read book Food Toxicology and Forensics written by Charis M. Galanakis and published by Academic Press. This book was released on 2020-11-11 with total page 495 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Food Toxicology and Forensics presents an overview on these subjects, along with the analytical tools necessary to handle the complexity of the issues at play between them. The book discusses the presence of foreign substances in food despite forensic analysis and supports the scientific community, laboratories and regulatory bodies in their aim to identify food fraud. Topics include the forensic attribution profiling of food by liquid chromatography (LC), contemporary mass spectrometry (MS), tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) and liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (LC-MS), the application of ambient ionization mass spectrometry (AIMS) techniques for the analysis of food samples, and more. - Includes toxicology and analytical methods for the determination of certain toxicants in foods - Discusses legal, economic and biological issues of food adulteration and food fraud - Presents the latest allergen measurement techniques and post reviews of allergen non-compliance cases - Provides methods of validation of DNA biochip for species identification in food forensic science

Download or read book Bioterrorism and Biocrimes written by W. Seth Carus and published by The Minerva Group, Inc.. This book was released on 2002 with total page 224 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The working paper is divided into two main parts. The first part is a descriptive analysis of the illicit use of biological agents by criminals and terrorists. It draws on a series of case studies documented in the second part. The case studies describe every instance identifiable in open source materials in which a perpetrator used, acquired, or threatened to use a biological agent. While the inventory of cases is clearly incomplete, it provides an empirical basis for addressing a number of important questions relating to both biocrimes and bioterrorism. This material should enable policymakers concerned with bioterrorism to make more informed decisions. In the course of this project, the author has researched over 270 alleged cases involving biological agents. This includes all incidents found in open sources that allegedly occurred during the 20th Century. While the list is certainly not complete, it provides the most comprehensive existing unclassified coverage of instances of illicit use of biological agents.

Download or read book Principles of Food Sanitation written by Norman G. Marriott and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2013-03-09 with total page 432 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Large volume food processing and preparation operations have increased the need for improved sanitary practices from processing to consumption. This trend presents a challenge to every employee in the food processing and food prepara tion industry. Sanitation is an applied science for the attainment of hygienic conditions. Because of increased emphasis on food safety, sanitation is receiving increased attention from those in the food industry. Traditionally, inexperienced employees with few skills who have received little or no training have been delegated sanitation duties. Yet sanitation employees require intensive training. In the past, these employees, including sanitation program managers, have had only limited access to material on this subject. Technical information has been confined primarily to a limited number of training manuals provided by regulatory agen cies, industry and association manuals, and recommendations from equipment and cleaning compound firms. Most of this material lacks specific information related to the selection of appropriate cleaning methods, equipment, compounds, and sanitizers for maintaining hygienic conditions in food processing and prepara tion facilities. The purpose of this text is to provide sanitation information needed to ensure hygienic practices. Sanitation is a broad subject; thus, principles related to con tamination, cleaning compounds, sanitizers, and cleaning equipment, and specific directions for applying these principles to attain hygienic conditions in food processing and food preparation are discussed. The discussion starts with the importance of sanitation and also includes regulatory requirements and voluntary sanitation programs including additional and updated information on Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP).

Download or read book Guidelines for Foodborne Disease Outbreak Response written by and published by . This book was released on 2009 with total page 206 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Public Health Response to Biological and Chemical Weapons written by World Health Organization and published by World Health Organization. This book was released on 2004-01-21 with total page 365 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This is the second edition of this publication which focuses on the public health aspects of the possible deliberate use of biological or chemical agents. Issues discussed include: the key principles for public health planning, risk assessment, hazard identification and evaluation, risk management strategies, and response planning as part of existing national emergency plans, disease surveillance and early warning systems, the national and international legal framework, and international sources of assistance. Technical annexes cover a range of issues including chemical agents, toxins, biological agents, principles of protection, precautions against the sabotage of drinking water, food and other products, information resources and the affiliation of WHO Member States to the international treaties on biological and chemical weapons.

Download or read book Bad Bug Book written by Mark Walderhaug and published by Createspace Independent Publishing Platform. This book was released on 2014-01-14 with total page 292 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Bad Bug Book 2nd Edition, released in 2012, provides current information about the major known agents that cause foodborne illness.Each chapter in this book is about a pathogen—a bacterium, virus, or parasite—or a natural toxin that can contaminate food and cause illness. The book contains scientific and technical information about the major pathogens that cause these kinds of illnesses.A separate “consumer box” in each chapter provides non-technical information, in everyday language. The boxes describe plainly what can make you sick and, more important, how to prevent it.The information provided in this handbook is abbreviated and general in nature, and is intended for practical use. It is not intended to be a comprehensive scientific or clinical reference.The Bad Bug Book is published by the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN) of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Download or read book A Short History of Biological Warfare written by W. Seth Carus and published by Government Printing Office. This book was released on 2017 with total page 80 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This publication gives a history of biological warfare (BW) from the prehistoric period through the present, with a section on the future of BW. The publication relies on works by historians who used primary sources dealing with BW. In-depth definitions of biological agents, biological weapons, and biological warfare (BW) are included, as well as an appendix of further reading on the subject. Related items: Arms & Weapons publications can be found here: https://bookstore.gpo.gov/catalog/arms-weapons Hazardous Materials (HAZMAT & CBRNE) publications can be found here: https://bookstore.gpo.gov/catalog/hazardous-materials-hazmat-cbrne

Download or read book Food Safety and Preservation written by Alexandru Mihai Grumezescu and published by Academic Press. This book was released on 2018-04-18 with total page 698 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Food Safety and Preservation: Modern Biological Approaches to Improving Consumer Health explores the most recent and investigated hot topics in food safety, microbial contamination, food-borne diseases and advanced preservation methods. It brings together the significant, evidence-based scientific progress of various approaches to improve the safety and quality of foods, also offering solutions to help address food industry challenges. Recent studies and technological advancements in biological control are presented to control foodborne pathogens. In addition, analytical methods for reducing potential biological hazards make this book essential to researchers, scientists, technologists and grad students. - Covers all aspects of food contamination, from food degradation, to food-borne diseases - Examines validated, biological control approaches to reduce microbial and chemical contamination - Includes detailed discussions of risk and safety assessments in food preservation

Download or read book Agroterrorism why we re not ready written by and published by . This book was released on 2006 with total page 4 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book The Arenaviridae written by Maria S. Salvato and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2012-12-06 with total page 417 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this volume, a distinguished international group of contributors present the latest molecular, organismal, and epidemiological research on arenaviruses. Their work will broaden both the clinician's and the researcher's knowledge of basic mechanisms of immunological tolerance, viral immunosuppression, the nature of protective immune responses to vaccination, and viral effects on cell functions.

Download or read book Ensuring Safe Food written by Institute of Medicine and National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 1998-08-19 with total page 208 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: How safe is our food supply? Each year the media report what appears to be growing concern related to illness caused by the food consumed by Americans. These food borne illnesses are caused by pathogenic microorganisms, pesticide residues, and food additives. Recent actions taken at the federal, state, and local levels in response to the increase in reported incidences of food borne illnesses point to the need to evaluate the food safety system in the United States. This book assesses the effectiveness of the current food safety system and provides recommendations on changes needed to ensure an effective science-based food safety system. Ensuring Safe Food discusses such important issues as: What are the primary hazards associated with the food supply? What gaps exist in the current system for ensuring a safe food supply? What effects do trends in food consumption have on food safety? What is the impact of food preparation and handling practices in the home, in food services, or in production operations on the risk of food borne illnesses? What organizational changes in responsibility or oversight could be made to increase the effectiveness of the food safety system in the United States? Current concerns associated with microbiological, chemical, and physical hazards in the food supply are discussed. The book also considers how changes in technology and food processing might introduce new risks. Recommendations are made on steps for developing a coordinated, unified system for food safety. The book also highlights areas that need additional study. Ensuring Safe Food will be important for policymakers, food trade professionals, food producers, food processors, food researchers, public health professionals, and consumers.

Download or read book Biological Toxins and Bioterrorism written by P. Gopalakrishnakone and published by Springer. This book was released on 2015-01-22 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Biological toxins are an important part of our world, a reality with which we need to cope, so in parallel with understanding their mechanisms of action and thereby improving our fundamental knowledge, there are successful efforts to utilize them as therapeutics against some debilitating human and animal diseases. In view of the complexity of different types of biotoxins and the broad range of toxin structure, physiology, utility, and countermeasures including regulatory issues, it was thus aimed to compile a book on biotoxins and bioweapons. This reference work in the Toxinology handbook series gathers together knowledge from around the globe about naturally inspired and manufactured biological weapons. The authors describe how they work; how authorities may detect their presence, prevent their use, and diagnose their impacts; and the means by which medical and paramedical professionals may treat victims. Also described are how they have been used to further our knowledge and what insights they have given us into evolutionary and physiological processes. Finally, it is also discussed how these toxins can be used as therapeutics and what the implications of such therapeutics are to their use as biothreat agents. This volume provides a reference accessible to scientists, educators, and medical experts alike with an interest in biotoxins, focusing on the major toxins used as bioweapons. Regulatory agencies will also benefit from the information provided in this book. Some in the intended audience may need to understand how they elicit their effects and how we can defend ourselves against them. Others may be interested in the sometimes colorful histories that surround this subset of biotoxins that can be and, in some cases, have been used as weapons.