Here are some questions answered:
Q: Why are we still seeing a prevalence of foodborne illnesses and fatalities associated with food in S.A?
This is not just a South African problem - foodborne illness remains a serious public health concern worldwide. The World Health Organisation reports that an estimated 600 million fall ill after eating contaminated food and 420 000 die every year, which is almost 1 in 10 people in the world!
There are a number of factors that should be considered:
We eat out more than before. Urbanisation plays a role in this too.
We are more aware of the role food can play in our health, particularly after the Listeriosis outbreak that received so much media coverage.
Recently we have seen voluntary recalls of food by large manufacturing companies. The law requires these to be made public and hence we are more aware of food-related issues.
We must remember that a voluntary recall is a responsible food manufacturer doing the right thing to PREVENT you from getting sick. These happen daily all around the world and are part of the control systems food companies should be implementing to be able to retrieve products in the event there could be issues. Even if the risk if very, very, low.
Q: What are the risk factors associated with food poisoning?
Unsafe food poses global health threats, endangering everyone. Infants, young children, pregnant women, the elderly, and those with an underlying illness are particularly vulnerable. According to the WHO, Every year 220 million children contract diarrhoeal diseases and 96 000 die. Unsafe food creates a vicious cycle of diarrhea and malnutrition, threatening the nutritional status of the most vulnerable.
One of the greatest risks is in fact our own behaviour. Many foodborne illnesses originate in our own homes because we may do the wrong things and be unaware of the risks.
At home you need to practice the 5 keys of food safety:
- Keep it clean – your hands, your kitchen, your utensils and your food
- Separate raw and cooked - think about your chopping boards especially
- Cook thoroughly – especially when it comes to poultry
- Keep food at safe temperatures - either really hot or really cold in a fridge
- Use safe water and raw materials – buy from a reputable store
Q: What are some of the signs that I might have food poisoning?
Foodborne illness is the correct term to use here, and it is normally caused by pathogenic bacteria. The most common bacteria would be Salmonella, certain species of E.coli and Campylobacter.
Symptoms are usually fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhea.
Examples of foods involved in outbreaks of salmonellosis are eggs, poultry, and other products of animal origin.
Enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli is associated with unpasteurized milk, undercooked meat and fresh fruits and vegetables.
Foodborne cases with Campylobacter are mainly caused by raw milk, raw or undercooked poultry and drinking water.
In South Africa we do not have effective reporting systems which means we are not entirely sure of how many people are affected. STATS SA does report on the number of deaths associated with diarrhoeal diseases but often the root cause is not investigated.
According to our law, foodborne illness is a reportable disease, this means that if a doctor sees two or more patients linked to a common source or event, they are obliged by law to report it to the NICD. Unfortunately, they don’t. In many cases, they will say it is a virus and treat you symptomatically. But there are viruses that are foodborne and we should be monitoring these.
Q: How long does it take an average person to recover from food poisoning?
For a mild case of foodborne illness, it would take 24-48 hours to recover fully from the symptoms. IF these persist you should definitely seek medical attention.
Q: What are the appropriate regulatory systems responsible for protection against the risks found in food?
When it comes to food safety, there are currently three ministries involved in ensuring the food we eat as South Africans is safe.
- The Department of Agriculture known as the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) regulates poultry, eggs and meat production in South Africa. They also regulate what pesticides may be used on the crops we eat.
- The Department of Health is responsible for the food once it leaves the abattoir gate. They monitor food factories, restaurants and even street vendors. Everyone who makes or even sells food in South Africa should comply with their regulations. The most important one is Regulation R638 which sets out the basic hygiene requirements for handling food. It is this regulation that says if you make or sell food, even if you import it, you must have a certificate of acceptability or a COA.
Regulation R638 sets out the basic hygiene requirements for the handling of food. It is this regulation that says if you make or sell food, even if you import it, you must have a certificate of acceptability (COA).
- The Department of Trade and Industry monitors specific sectors such as the fishing sector in the processing of seafood. They were also appointed to monitor the production of processed meat products like polony after the listeriosis outbreak. The new regulation requires anyone who produces these products to be inspected by the NRCS.
Q: Is the South African regulatory environment fragmented and what could be the cause for this?
The reason for the fragmentation is historical. This has been highlighted as a risk over the years even by the WHO. The skills required for inspecting an abattoir are different to those needed for inspecting a canning factory.
I have to say though, having spent more than 30 years trying to help to make South African food safer, this fragmentation is a concern. There is a lack of formal communication systems and cohesive policies. There are multiple competing focuses in some ministries and hence a lack of resources.
For example, the Environmental Health department has been very busy with COVID requirements over the last two years which inevitably would put food safety monitoring under strain. And we don’t have enough Environmental Health Practitioners (EHP’s) in most municipalities.
Some functions are regulated at provincial level, others at municipal level. The laws are written at national level but there is no accountability to national level for service delivery.
A more focused approach on food production would be beneficial and not just as a token committee (which we apparently have) but as an independent authority.
