In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we talk with Keya Mukherjee, Ph.D., Food Safety Specialist at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), and Vittorio Fattori, Ph.D., Food Safety Officer at FAO, about the most pressing food safety issues the world is facing at present and will face in the near future. We also discuss how industry can mitigate some of these growing risks while the international community works to address the root causes of climate change and other challenges.

Tracking environmental temperature changes for their impacts on food safety is increasingly important, as just a few degrees of change will shape how food risks develop and unfold, according to recent research.

On November 10, 2022, U.S. President Joe Biden signed the National Security Memorandum-16 (NSM-16), which aims to strengthen the security and resilience of the U.S. food supply and agricultural systems. NSM-16 focuses on threats such as climate change, supply chain disruption, cyberattacks, worker safety and workplace development, and other topics.

A recent European Environment Agency report explains that foodborne illnesses are projected to rise due to the effects of climate change, especially for Vibrio in the Baltic Sea.

In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we interview Dr. Markus Lipp, Senior Food Safety Officer at the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO), about FAO’s work in food safety amid a multitude of intersecting challenges and factors such as climate change, food security, the cultural importance of food, and countries’ economic and geographic differences.

Ciguatera toxin, which does not break down during cooking, can cause severe foodborne illness in humans who consume contaminated reef fish that feed on toxic microalgae. Climate change is altering algal and seaweed growth patterns, which may impact the rate of ciguatoxin accumulation by these fish species.

The Caribbean Public Health Agency will conduct an assessment in participating Caribbean countries to assess the impacts of unsafe food in the region, as well as to understand the Caribbean’s capacity to respond to and develop climate change-resilient food safety plans.

At the IAFNS 2022 Annual Meeting and Science Symposium, Dr. Felicia Wu discussed her recent study that suggests aflatoxin will become an increasing problem for U.S. corn producers—especially in the Corn Belt—and explored possible solutions. 

A recent study found that the risk of aflatoxin contamination of U.S. corn crops may increase due to climate change. 

Efforts to reduce food waste may include the use of active and intelligent (A&I) packaging. Literature has pointed out the links between climate change, natural resource depletion, and food waste, and suggests that using A&I packaging to prolong product freshness and slow down spoilage of perishable fruit and meat has the diversion potential of 72,000 tons and an economic value of $167 million. As innovations in packaging advance, if allowed to do so, the impact of these products could be of greater benefit, not only in reducing food waste but also in improving food safety.