the Portico
“Our mission is to enhance the relationship between the University and its alumni and friends and promoted pride and commitment within the University Community.”Food safety comes at a cost
Sylvain Charlebois
Canadians expect the food they eat to be both affordable and safe, but ensuring food safety comes at a cost, says Sylvain Charlebois, associate dean of research and graduate studies in the College of Management and Economics.
“Government inspectors cannot be in every plant, every minute, all the time,” he says, adding that hiring more food inspectors creates a false sense of security. “There’s no evidence that would suggest that our food would be safer with more inspectors. If Canadians are asking for that, it means Canadians are asking for their food to become more expensive.”
In 2008, the Listeria contamination of packaged meat at Maple Leaf Foods brought food safety into the spotlight for Canadian consumers. Unlike previous recalls that involved imported food, such as salmonella-contaminated spinach from California, the Listeria crisis was homegrown.
Trust is difficult to rebuild when consumers lose confidence in a company due to food safety concerns. “There’s so much at stake if you lose the trust of Canadians,” says Charlebois, adding that government and industry should work together to improve food safety.
Consumers can also take steps to protect themselves. “We’re not as proactive as we should be,” says Charlebois. The public needs to be educated on food safety practices, he adds, since 85 per cent of food contamination is caused by improper handling and preparation at home.
Food scares have the potential to create positive change, prompting consumer demand for safer food processing, distribution and retail practices, says Charlebois.
U of G news link:
http://atguelph.uoguelph.ca/2011/02/new-prof-says-guelph-is-%E2%80%98major-league%E2%80%99-of-agricultural-research/
