By Roelof Bezuidenhout

The issue of food security goes hand in hand with food safety, nutrition security and health. Global health scares such as the Covid-19 crisis and outbreaks of H5 bird flu in poultry and in dairy cows in the US have thrown the spotlight on public health risks, especially in food production.

Consumers should be confident that livestock production, for example, is a regulated, monitored system with food safety and public health at its core. The knowledge and expertise of the livestock sector can help strengthen the response to the growing risk of nutrition insecurity.

“Given the fourth industrial revolution’s need for brain power rather than muscle power, and the importance of protein in brain development, the production of healthy protein is becoming a major constraint to development,” says Dr Peter Oberem, a veterinarian and the founder of Afrivet, a global manufacturer and distributor of animal health products.

“Ensuring the safety of food products is a key challenge, globally,” he says. “It is essential to act during all the stages of the food chain, from production on the farm to consumption by humans and animals.”

In the context of the increasing demand for animal protein, controlling pathogens at their source, farm animals, is the most effective way to protect human health. Many sanitary risks arise before animals are slaughtered or during the transformation of animals into meat products.

Dr Oberem stresses that risks can be reduced through prevention policies based on standards and best practices set by the World Organisation for Animal Health and the Codex Alimentarius. Most countries also have strict laws in place, such as South Africa’s Meat Safety Act (Act No. 40 of 2000), which promotes the safety of meat and animal products by establishing and maintaining essential national standards. The Department of Health becomes involved further along the food production chain.

What threatens food safety?

We tend to take safe food for granted, but foodborne diseases are a growing threat, especially to the very young and the elderly.

Foodborne diseases can originate from many sources, Dr Oberem says. For example, if people infected with listeriosis handle or package meat, there is a risk that they could contaminate the meat. Some key global statistics on foodborne illnesses include:

• About 600 million people – nearly 1 in 10 worldwide – fall ill each year after consuming contaminated food.

• More than 400 000 people die annually as a result of foodborne diseases.

As farming encroaches on wild areas, Dr Oberem says, particularly forests, as seen in West Africa, pressure is increasing on informal foragers to supply more products – like coconut oil to meet the massive demand from the cosmetics and other industries, cacao beans for chocolate production, and bush meat. “With 45% of the world’s land mass already under agriculture, we are coming into closer and more frequent contact with wild animals, including bats and monkeys.”

It’s from these animals that new diseases and epidemics often emerge, such as HIV, Ebola and the Marburg virus. Dr Oberem describes it as a simple numbers game: “The more contact we have, the greater the chance of encountering a mutated virus that can cross the species barrier and become a human disease.”

Similarly, with the growing intensification of animal production, particularly chickens and pigs, we increase the opportunities for viruses and other microorganisms to multiply and mutate.

It is becoming increasingly important to recognise the interconnectedness of human, animal and environmental health. And we need to significantly strengthen disease surveillance, biosecurity at national borders, and internal controls between farms.

Zoonotic diseases

Zoonoses – diseases that jump from animals to people – are not necessarily spread through food, but food can serve as a transmission route. These diseases tend to spread more readily in areas where intensive animal production takes place. The risk is particularly high where large numbers of people and animals live in close proximity.

Tuberculosis (TB) in humans is a bacterial infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis – in most cases. But Mycobacterium bovis, which mainly infects cattle, can occasionally cause TB in humans, especially through drinking unpasteurised milk or direct contact with infected animals.

Many parasites, especially tapeworms, have life cycles that require transmission between animals and humans. For example, the pork tapeworm, Taenia solium, can infect humans, and is a common cause of epilepsy in children who become infected.”

The World Organisation for Animal Health reports that:

• 60% of known human infectious diseases are zoonotic, meaning they originate from animals.

• At least 75% of emerging infectious diseases in humans have an animal origin.

• Five new human diseases emerge each year, of which three are of animal origin.

• 80% of agents considered potential bioterrorism threats are zoonotic pathogens.

This highlights the importance of collaboration between the medical and veterinary professions, Dr Oberem says. In many cases, controlling a disease in the animal population will lead to a decrease in the number of human cases. Rabies is a good example: If a human is bitten by a rabid dog, the virus can be transmitted through the dog’s saliva, and the person will develop rabies. Effective control measures in animals, such as vaccinating dogs against rabies, are therefore critical to protecting both animal and human health.

Traceability, from farm to plate

Farm-animal veterinarians help farmers to optimise herd productivity and ensure the safety of the meat produced for consumers.

Another key component of food safety is traceability throughout the entire production chain, from farm to plate. Traceability involves four main elements:

1. Identifying animals or groups of animals.

2. Tracking animal movements.

3. Identifying the premises where animals and animal products are kept.

4. Maintaining a register to store this information and make it available when required.

This concept is embodied in a livestock identification and traceability system (LITS). There are several reasons such a system benefits the livestock industry, with the main advantages being disease prevention and control, food safety, and overcoming trade barriers.

The 2019 foot-and-mouth disease outbreak, along with subsequent cases, clearly illustrates the importance of traceability, Dr Oberem says. With an effective system in place, the authorities would have been able to quickly trace the origin of the infected animals, and easily identified any other animals that had been in contact with them.

Moreover, local consumers increasingly want to know the origin of the animal products they buy. Treatment records for individual animals or groups of animals are valuable for feedlots and abattoirs, as they provide crucial information on medicine withdrawal periods to determine whether meat is safe for human consumption. These records also help to ensure that there are no harmful chemical residues in meat, milk or fibre intended for human consumption and use.

“The solution is for society to support the efforts of livestock farms and the entire value chain,” Dr Oberem says. “Government must ensure that safe and nutritious food is available for all people. However, government cannot protect consumers from the consequences of their own actions.”

We can all help to improve food safety

South Africans must prioritise food safety as the most effective prevention strategy. Among the most critical zoonotic diseases are rabies, brucellosis, tuberculosis, and tapeworm infestations, including neurocysticercosis – a brain infection caused by the larvae of pork tapeworm, which leads to epilepsy, particularly in children living in resource-poor communities where free-roaming pigs live in close proximity to humans.

Many zoonotic diseases can be managed effectively if more emphasis were placed on diagnosis and controlling diseases in animals, along with implementing strict hygiene and food safety measures.

It is essential for consumers to become more informed about food safety to make conscious food choices and follow the necessary safety guidelines when handling, preparing and storing food. For example, improper handling, such as microwaving chicken instead of following proper cooking instructions, can lead to serious illnesses like salmonella poisoning. Some foods may appear cooked but still be raw or undercooked inside, posing a hidden risk.

Consumers can improve food safety by:

1. Washing hands thoroughly with soap and water, especially between handling raw and cooked food; and after using the bathroom.

2. Using separate chopping boards and knives for raw meat, vegetables and cooked food.

3. Cooking all meat thoroughly.

4. Avoiding the meat of sick animals.

5. Avoiding unpasteurised dairy products – unless the brucellosis and tuberculosis status of the farm of origin is known.

6. Buying food from reputable sources.

Farmers and everyone else involved in the food chain must adopt good practices, and ensure that the food they supply is safe for consumption. At the same time, consumers must stay informed and take responsibility for safe food handling at home. Everyone has a role to play in protecting our food supply.

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