Food safety- Animal and Plant health Flashcards
what happens to animals to cause extreme public concern over the safety of their food?
-during outbreaks of any disease in food producing animals
what is the effect of outbreaks of animal diseases in relation to the food chain? what are the two ways that the risk of foodborne transmission from diseased animals can be minimised?
-some may cause no implications to the chain whereas others can carry a risk of foodborne transmission
-through a combination of animal health control measures and food hygiene practices
what does the concept of animal health mean?
-this concept not only covers animal diseases but also the critical relationship between animal welfare, animal health and food safety
what are the three things that can be controlled/ monitored to prevent the risk of animal diseases?
-feeding
-housing
-husbandry
what does animal husbandry mean?
-refers to the day to day care, selective breeding and raising of livestock
what are intensive farming methods, why are they used? what animals are they most commonly used for?
-they restrict housing options for farmers
-chicken, pigs and cows are often housed in confined spaces to control their level of movement, encourage frequent feeding and allow for easier administration of medicines
why is their a higher risk of disease for animals that are intensely farmed?
-they are kept indoors in small confined spaces
what are some of the factors that influence the type of feed that farmers give to their animals?
-species and age of the animals
-type of food they produce
-price
-availability
-nutrient value
and geographical factors e.g. soil and climate
what is an example of the link between animal feed and the food we eat? (incident that happened in 2001)
-some of the feed for cows contained bone meal which is not banned in the EU
-it was linked to the spread of BSE in cattle
-the infected meat was then consumed and was associated with the variant vCJD
what are feed additives and why are they used?
-used in animal nutrition to improve the characteristics of feed e.g.
-enhance flavour
-make feed more digestible
what must producers do before using feed additives?
-gain prior authority
-EFSA evaluates the safety of the additive and checks for adverse effects when consumed by both animals and humans
what are the three reasons why pesticides are used?
-protect crops from pests
-protecting harvested crops while they are stored
-safeguarding human health by stop plants from being contaminated
what are the three things by law that everyone who uses a pesticide must follow?
-take all precautions to protect human health and environment
-confine the application of the pesticide to the specific crop
-the amount of pesticide used and the frequency is as low as possible
what are 4 things that pesticides do?
-prevent disease in crops
-kill pests
-control weeds
-prevent mould
what 2 things are affected if pesticides are not used?
-price and availability
what does pesticide residues mean? how can these be removed?
-the small traces of pesticides that can be left on food
-there are strict limits on this
-through washing and peeling fruit and veg
what is the name of the company that monitors pesticide residues and what types of foods do they measure?
-Pesticide Residues Committee (PRC)
-fruit and veg, meat, fish, dairy products and baby food
what is the names of 5 companies that monitor how pesticides are used?
-Pesticides Safety Directorate
-Advisory Committee on Pesticides
-Food Standards Agency
-Health and Safety Executive
-Chemical Regulation Directorate
what is the job of the Pesticides Safety Directorate?
-the UK regulator which is respons
