Preventing food-borne disease is relatively easy
Washington, DC, October 17, 2002 (PAHO) -- Although food-borne disease is very frequent and there are huge numbers of cases, it is easily preventable with means available to every member of the community.
Between 1995 and 1998, there were 3,198 outbreaks of food-borne diseases that caused 102,842 cases and 219 deaths in the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean. These outbreaks were reported to the Regional Epidemiological Surveillance System for food-borne diseases, though in some countries, there is still a high level of underreporting.
The cholera epidemic that began in Peru in 1991 affected 21 countries, except for Uruguay and the countries of the Caribbean, causing some 1.2 million cases. That epidemic cost Peru US $700 million because exports of shellfish and fish were halted, and another $70 million through the closing of food markets.
In the United States alone there are between 6.5 and 33 million cases of food borne diseases every year and these cause more than 5,000 deaths and 325,000 hospitalizations.
According to Dr. Claudio Almeida, director of the Pan American Institute for Food Protection and Zoonoses (INPPAZ), cases are still underreported and the quality of the information needs to be improved. But, he notes, "The region has a surveillance infrastructure that provides the necessary information to orient decision-making in the countries on fundamental measures for the prevention and control of diseases originating with food."
In light of the magnitude of the problem of food borne disease, the countries have asked the Pan American Health Organization for comprehensive technical cooperation to resolve problems related to food protection and control of zoonoses, or diseases transmitted from animals to humans. In 1991, PAHO and the Government of Argentina signed an agreement establishing INPPAZ in Buenos Aires. Its mission includes the protection of food for human consumption to guarantee its safety and nutritional quality and prevent the transmission of disease agents through food.
INPPAZ receives daily information on populations that are affected by outbreaks stemming from food contaminated by microbiological agents. For the most part, these outbreaks are caused by Salmonella and Staphylococcus, but also notable are those generated by E. Coli 0157:H7, Lysteria, hepatitis A, and others.
The frequency of these outbreaks of food borne disease, the need to guarantee food quality and safety, and the obligation to meet commitments derived from international standards and for the food trade have prompted the countries of the region to review policies, design strategies and strengthen their food protection programs.
The role of individuals and communities is irreplaceable. The golden rules for hygienic preparation of food are simple:
- Select foods, such as pasteurized milk, that have been processed to eliminate contamination.
- Cook food well.
- Consume what is cooked immediately.
- Put away carefully cooked food and avoid its contact with raw foods
- Reheat well food that has been cooked food
- Wash hands often
- Maintain scrupulously clean all areas of the kitchen.
- Keep food away from insects, rodents, and animals in general.
- Utilize pure water.
Food borne diseases are a confluence where various areas of public health come together, because they affect all aspects of well-being. Bacterial contamination of food is one of the principal causes of diarrheal diseases and infant mortality. PAHO's regional goal to cut infant mortality rates can benefit from improvements in food handling, according to a PAHO report.
The need to extend access to safe drinking water and to adequate services of wastewater and waste disposal is also crucial in the effort to improve the health of people in the Americas.
Veterinary public health, one of PAHO's key programs, continues to be an important field for progress in the countries in terms of food security. Major parts of the program also include the eradication of foot-and-mouth disease, tuberculosis, brucellosis and other diseases that affect primary food production and the transmission of diseases to humans.
PAHO has also created the Pan American Commission for Food Safety, which aims to contribute to improvements in the safety of food throughout the alimentary chain by promoting good food safety programs in the Americas, including coordination and integration with producers and consumers. Its members include representatives of Ministries of Health, Ministries of Agriculture, food producers and processors and consumers from throughout the Americas.
PAHO, which was founded in 1902, works to improve health and raise living standards in all the countries of the Americas. It also serves as the Regional Office for the Americas of the World Health Organization.
For more information, please contact: Daniel Epstein, Office of Public Information, (202) 974-3459, e-mail: epsteind@paho.org.
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