Milk Quality and Food Safety in Hot Climates - Research Paper Example

The main storage issues associated with milk quality and food safety in hot climates Institution Name Date Introduction This paper will be looking on the issues associated with food quality and especially milk and milk products in hot climates. The areas of concern range from the storage of food and food preservation in hot climates. It is evident that quality of depends on the climatic conditions of a region, with hot climates posing significant low quality food than wet or temperate climates. Bacteria, which are the major concern in the quality of food, tend to multiply faster in hot climates than any other climatic condition. Hot climates not only affect the quality of the produced or the processed food but also affect the producing animals as well. Animals exposed to extreme temperatures produce low quality milk compared to animals in temperate and humid climates (Meggitt, 2003). Nevertheless, storage conditions of food and milk products in hot climates will be covered at large in this paper. This ranges from handling of food and milk products right away from the production centers until the when the consumer takes it from the buying centers. Of major concern are the transportation conditions of products to the processing plants, shelf life conditions, facilities of storage and the likely bacteria degrading food quality in hot climates (Meggitt, 2003). Problem statement Study and research into this paper was driven by my concern as a citizen of a state in a hot climate. The shelf life of food and food products in supermarkets and shopping malls in hot climates is very low compared to other climates in the world such as Australia. Nevertheless, this research was to investigate the notable bacteria that cause food quality to decrease in hot climate, how these bacteria can be tamed and the range of food poisoning in hot climates. Finally, of important concern are the remedies and precautions necessary to reduce wastages of food, milk and milk products in hot climates. Purpose of the report This report was studied so that the relevant bodies associated with quality of milk and other food products can take the necessary measures to cushion farmers and consumers from taking poisoned foods or running at loses caused by climatic conditions. In addition, this report will be crucial in forming the basis of establishing the right food preservatives to lengthen the shelf life of milk, milk products and perishable foodstuffs in hot climates (Alcamo, et al., 2012).. Finally, this report will form a teaching basis for small-scale dairy farmers in hot climates on the necessary steps to take to ensure that their products meet the market requirements by taking the necessary precaution in transportation of their products from the farm to the processing plants. By studying this report, consumers will be informed on how to take care of their refrigerated foodstuffs and the time duration and temperatures in which the refrigerated food ought to be on the fridge. This is to avoid consuming food with degraded quality, which can result to health problems (Alcamo, et al., 2012). Scope and limitation of the report This report covered mainly dairy farms, milk-processing units, food processing units, their storage premises and gathered information on the required storage conditions of this products. Nevertheless, poisoning levels of food products and transport facilities including the range of temperatures acceptable for storage of dairy and other food products were covered in the research. Laboratory tests and experimentation were also conducted ,to test and determine the type of bacteria that exists in food kept in both recommended and non-recommended conditions. In addition, advisory articles by food safety authorities were covered to actually determine if people in hot climates adhere to the recommendations. This was done to establish whether people are doing enough to stay safe of food poisoning. This research was marred by numerous challenges and limitations. Primarily, the climate. The researcher had to travel under scorching sun conditions to cover some regions Of the United States practicing dairy farming under hot weather conditions. Despite limited capital, the information obtained from the field visits can be relied upon in making recommendation of the issues related to food and milk quality in hot climates. Inadequate facilities were another challenge to the research. Conducting bacterial tests in food, milk and milk products was a challenge in that laboratories were not well equipped to handle the extent of research the researcher was conducting. In addition, minimal corporation by stakeholders made information gathering a hectic exercise. The research also encountered the problem of language barrier. The case study conducted in the emirates and the northern part of Africa ion the quality camel dairy products, was characterized by a lot of misunderstanding and misinterpretation. This is because most inhabitants of these regions understand Arabic only and rarely understands English, the language of the researcher. Challenges in the research to this topic were not only limited to field challenges but also the methodological. The sample size and representation of specimens for analysis was challenging due to the span of diversity of regions. The case study on this research topic led to biological information regarding bacterial infection in food, milk and milk products. Cultural biasness was another challenge the researcher encountered. People especially in the rural setting of the regions surveyed were reluctant in revealing information pertaining the performance of their dairy cattle. In addition, information concerning food storage and preservation was scarce because people thought there private life was being infringed. Finally, cunning businesspersons gave misleading information top the research. Businesspersons altered the shelf life date of milk and food products so that they can sell the entire stock after expiry. In normal circumstances, as revealed by the case studies ,the shelf life of products in hot climates is far much less than those in humid and temperate climates. But the information obtained from some regions showed that, the shelf life of products in hot climates and cold or temperate climates are the same under refrigeration conditions. Methodology Several procedures and methods were studied and analyzed to establish issues related to milk and food quality in hot climatic conditions. Primarily, the qualitative interview method was used. Respondents were asked about the general views of hot weather and foodstuffs preservation. A structured and semi- structured interview was conducted in the field where predetermined verbal questions were asked the respondents, stakeholders and staff followed by completion of a simple questionnaire (Hilgenkamp, 2005) A simple questionnaire was designed for the respondents to fill. How do you normally store your foodstuffs and milk? Explain. Do you have any modern food storage facilities in your household? What measures has been taken by food quality assurance and storage agencies concerning storage condition of food? Explain How long do you normally store your food? What are some of the challenges you face while transporting fresh products from the farm Do you have any experience regarding the use of food preservatives? If any, which one do you use? Methods of data collection Primary sources Primary data was relied upon to obtain the real issues associated with storage of milk products and issues relating the quality of food in hot climates. Articles studied pertaining this topic was limited to food hygiene and preservation but not on specific climatic conditions. Therefore, this research was conducted to affirm if actually people experience the same challenges and issues regarding food storage in hot climates (Hilgenkamp, 2005). Secondary sources Scholarly and journalistic articles consulted in this research included food nutrition, refrigerated storage of perishable foods and food safety in hot climates articles. This was done to establish the general concept of food safety in hot regions. Consequently, the strategies employed by the locals and well established farmers to cushion their products from getting bad before it enters the markets. This includes the use of solar refrigerators, air conditioned rooms and transport facilities. Information background The research topic is about the issues associated with storage conditions of milk, milk products and food in hot climates. High temperatures favors speedy multiplication of bacteria and the chances of consuming poisoned food in hot climates are higher than in temperate or humid climatic conditions. This topic was research because of the alarming rate of food wastage and consumption of poisoned food ion hot climates. Nevertheless, Rapid changes in climatic conditions called for the research on how food is kept safe in hot climates. This was mostly aggravated by the increasing rate of global warming and unprecedented change in climatic condition (Smith, 2007). If food safety is anything to go by as spearheaded by WFP and WHO, then people living in hot climates should be thought on how to mange and store food to minimize wastage. Poor storage conditions for perishable food will automatically lead to food poisoning because of bacterial infections. Therefore, modernized storage facilities such as wind driven and solar powered refrigerators should specifically designed for this climates(Smith, 2007). Information regarding this topic was research from the available library articles and field research. This was done so that a remedy to poor food quality is minimized or eliminated in hot climates. Body of the research Research on this statement of work of the topic identifies milk storage issues and quality of food products as a challenge that affects people living in hot climates. Why milk? Milk is a sensitive product consumed by a large population and it is easily contaminated if not well stored. Other perishable food follow suit. When food and especially milk gets contaminated and ingested, the probability of catching food related illness is very high. Farmers, consumers and retailers of milk and food products will run at a great loss if the necessary measures are not taken to ensure safety of food in hot climates (Hilgenkamp, 2005) Refrigerators should be provided to small-scale farmers and retailers to ensure that milk and milk products remain fresh all through the shelf life period. Mobile testing laboratories should be designed to ensure constant check on the quality of food consumed under these climatic conditions. Food preservatives should be tested to ensure they meet the required standards and that it poses no side effects to consumers. Refrigerators are good food storage facilities but it has its challenges if not well utilized. Improper regulation of temperatures in the refrigerator will also result to a poor quality food. Food stored should always be divided into smaller units and uncovered to avoid excessive condensation, which will degrade the quality of food stored ( Stranks, 2007). . The most important part of food safety in these climates is the transportation part. Milk and foodstuff transportation from the farm is very sensitive. Agents contracted to transport this food from the farms should be licensed to ensure that they are well equipped with refrigerated transport mechanisms. Bacterial infection, which is mostly characterized with food poisoning, should be tamed using the necessary food preservatives( Stranks, 2007). Findings This research found out that, the major storage issues associated with milk and food quality in hot climates are the storage facilities. Since hot temparatures perfect habitat for rapid bacteria growth, Milk can become contaminated with bacteria right from the onset of milking. Therefore, Milking conditions and handling beckets are other major challenges that affect the quality of milk in hot climates. Shelf life of milk and perishable foodstuffs in hot climates is half that of humid climate. Therefore, even though food can be stored in refrigerators, its shelf life should be adhered to, otherwise its quality will reduce. Nevertheless, some of this storage and transportation facilities are way beyond the reach of a common peasant. This has led to many people in this region to use traditional ways of preservation because they can afford neither fridges nor the food preservatives( International Food Policy Research Institute,1995). Recommendations This research concludes by recommending that, small-scale farmers and consumers in hot climates be given adequate education and awareness pertaining food storage, food preservation, food contamination and food poisoning. This will enable them take adequate measures as far as food safety and quality is concern. Finally, governments and international bodies should subsidize or even design portable and affordable food storage and transportation facilities to enable peasant farmers practice safety storage and transportation of milk, milk products and perishable foodstuffs ( International Food Policy Research Institute,1995). . References: Alcamo, J., Olesen, J. E., & Wiley InterScience (Online service). (2012). Life in Europe under climate change. Chichester, West Sussex, UK: Wiley. Alford, J., & Duguid, N. (2000). Hot, sour, salty, sweet: A culinary journey through Southeast Asia. New York: Artisan. Boehmer, A., & Comet, R. (2009). Knack wine basics: A complete illustrated guide to understanding, selecting & enjoying wine. Guilford, Conn: Knack. Dunn, C. (2013). Nutrition decisions: Eat smart, move more. Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning. Fellows, P., Axtell, B. L., & Dillon, M. (1995). Quality assurance for small scale rural food industries. Rome. Hilgenkamp, K. (2005). 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Land quality, agricultural productivity, and food security: Biophysical processes and economic choices at local, regional, and global levels. Cheltenham [u.a.: Elgar. Read More