Food safety and Inspection - Essay Example

Food Safety and Inspection Introduction Global estimations by the World Food Organization indicate that up to 30% of people in developing countries get ill annually as a result of preventable water or food related infections in developed countries. Quite interestingly, up to 70% of these reported cases result from food related infections from foods taken from food outlets. [Fil09]. Earlier studies by CDC estimates that 46% of the money Americans spends goes to restaurant foods, with a larger proportion of 44% of adults in U.S eating restaurant foods daily[Tim04] Other studies by U.S Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, also reveal that most of these cases of food borne illness are never reported at any health facility to see a doctor or health physician, and also an estimated of 3000 of these people die annually from food borne related infections. [Sco12] Notably the consumer confidence in the quality of the type of food prepared vary quite significantly from time to time, with a large population of food consumers attaching cases of food borne illness to the quality of food service. [Fil09]. Of importance when it comes to choosing restaurants, consumer rate restaurant hygiene as the driving factor when it comes to selecting dinning places. Hygiene is an attribute every consumer desire and consumers would using this information when available to make right dinning choices. Restaurant inspections generally aim at reducing food borne outbreaks and also restore consumer confidence in food service. This paper examines the food inspection industry, provides insightful information to suggest why the state of inspection practices and concentrates on providing recommendations as to how food inspection programs can be improved for the general safety of the food consumers Background Several asses’ methodologies have been suggested by food inspection units in efforts to put mechanisms or a platform for inspection of food outlets. Even with these establishments much improvements or success rates have not been realized due to factors such as inadequate adherence to inspection procedures, poor enforcement of inspection rules, inadequate personnel to facilitate the inspection process and inadequate funding for inspection programs. In an effort therefore to provide better management and protect public health, Risk Based Food Protection Program has been launched and implemented in Texas. [Bri95]. The system allowed to a larger extent for effective resource and personnel re-allocation enhancing food inspection and safety. [Bri95]. FDA Food Code notes that the main goal for inspection of food establishments is for prevention of food borne infections, the code states further that, ‘inspection is the primary tool inspection agency has for detecting procedures and practices which may be hazardous and taking actions to correct the observed shortcomings.’ [Gre05] Justifications for food inspection have far more reaching implications for the safety and well being of people. Even with its perceived public health role, several people including legislators and even local public health officials. Public opinion believes that food inspection should not be carried out since restaurants are self regulating. Inspections have been at the heart of public health principles for centuries now, since its adoption, the practice has focused more on sanitation. [Gre05] Agrees that each inspection program is unique and takes into considerations of issues to do with management of the establishment, available personal, menu, recipes, size of operations and number of populations served, notwithstanding such considerations, he emphasizes that inspection of food restaurant are important because; they serve as avenues for training on the restaurant management on the type of health code standards applicable in line with the size and type of establishment, it also provides an avenue for sharing new food safety information and giving the practitioners of food services a one-on-one session to ask question regarding to food safety matters and most importantly provides the owners of the food restaurant with a written documentary about the food safety standards and use the report for improving the standards of the establishment to be in line with the food code.[Gre05] Scope of Food Inspection It is possible that there exist general variations between in quality of food by establishments, subsequently; it is usually more difficult to standardize inspections done by single inspectors as there issues of subjective interpretation arise, and therefore analysis are advisable so that observed variations on demographic issues, and time of inspection can be qualitatively determined. For most cases, the intensity of inspection for food related diseases can to a large extent influence the number of cases of food born diseases reported within an area and ignoring substantial amount of food borne infections. Studies by [Tim04] have suggested that restaurant inspection alone does not act to predict the possibility of food borne related infection occurring in a particular food establishment. The Federal Food Code includes assessment of limited importance in preventing food borne diseases. Generally classified as floors, walls, ceilings, lighting and ventilation, [Tim04] further argue that these factors would greatly influence and inspector’s impression of general cleanliness and safety of a food establishment operation, but in contrast, isolated characteristics have not been demonstrated substantively to correlate with food safety. [Tim04] Subsequently, inspections of restaurants serve a goal of ensuring safety of patrons and employees in the work environment. The introduction of Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) is intended to enhance addressing issues of food safety in establishments. Using HACCP model, food service inspections are classified as High Risk Establishment, Moderate Risk Establishment or low Risk Establishment with type of food served, population targeted, previous inspection history or risk of food illness as benchmark for such an assessment. [Bri95] Quite significant enough, results of studies using the Risk Based Analysis tool as an inspection tool has demonstrated a reduction in the number of risk establishments significantly from 44-38 in studies conducted during 1991-1994 (table 1) by Texas Food Protection Program.[Bri95]. Data comparison from same period under review suggests even though number of establishments had risen exceeding 8% annually the risk establishments have reduced. Collins (1995) attribute contributory factors to staff and operator training on food safety and inspection, better menu modification, HACCP and most importantly increased inspection frequency that were witnessed during this period. [Bri95] Risk Category Analysis Score range No. of establishments Total Period 1991 - 1992 1992 - 1993 1993 - 1994 1991 - 1992 1992 - 1993 1993 - 1994 1991 - 1992 1992 - 1993 1993 - 1994 High Risk 70-100 70-100 70-100 44 32 38 8.4% 7.4% 6.0% Moderate Risk 50-59 50-69 50-69 200 264 280 38.2% 46.6% 44.4% Low Risk 49-0 49-0 49-0 279 261 315 53.4% 46.0% 49.6% Table 1: Modified Results and Analysis from Risk Based Approach in Texas, 1991-1994 Recommended Practices The general public view concerning cleanliness of particular type of restaurants may not in most cases reflect reality. Individual application of inspection policies within large organizations are most unlikely to affect already planned local inspection programs as carried out ministry of public health. Therefore more comprehensive policies that recognize organization’s differences will largely assist to focus on preventive aspects of the state of these restaurants against food borne infections. A number of factors act to influence the uniformity and reliability in carrying out routine inspection protocols to enhance establishment’s safety. Some of the suggestions herein recommended might require policy interventions that ensure constant retraining of the personnel and standardized evaluation mechanisms within definite jurisdiction. FDA and CDC launching of Environmental Health Specialist Network project in seven states aims to address issues of restaurant inspections, and their correlation to food safety. [Tim04] Conclusion Food inspection remains integral aspect food hygiene and should therefore be embraced as a routine improvement practices for reasons that have already been obviously exposed in this paper. Inspection disclosure systems should therefore be developed for handy tools for food consumers and food establishment operators as it offers best ways for disclosing inspection results. Perhaps it can reasons that make restaurants to close after inspection can be avoided if better inspection standards are adopted between operators establishments and authorities. References Fil09: , (Filion & Powell, 2009, p. 287), Tim04: , (Jones, I.Pavlin, LaFluer, Ingram, & Schaffner, 2004, p. 688), Sco12: , (Friedman, 2012), Fil09: , (Filion & Powell, 2009, p. 288), Bri95: , (Collins, 1995, p. 9), Bri95: , (p. 9), Gre05: , (Pallaske, 2005, p. 60), Gre05: , (Pallaske, 2005), Gre05: , (p. 60), Tim04: , (Jones, I.Pavlin, LaFluer, Ingram, & Schaffner, 2004, p. 690), Tim04: , (Jones, I.Pavlin, LaFluer, Ingram, & Schaffner, 2004), Tim04: , (p. 691), Bri95: , (Collins, 1995), Tim04: , (Jones, I.Pavlin, LaFluer, Ingram, & Schaffner, 2004, p. 691), Read More