Food Safety College Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Food Safety College - Essay Example The government at all levels has a role to oversee the enforcement of laws and regulations which are created for food safety. Although there are various agencies which take note of the health and safety of the public especially when it comes to the food they take, the presence of enforcement programs at the local health department is necessary. It can more far-reaching since it would be very well supervise whether everyone concerned adheres with it and violators can be easily identified. However, even with the presence of these enforcement programs, there are still many cases of food-borne diseases. This turns the focus to the food handling practices. Food handling practice may be the main cause of the persistent cases of food-borne illness. In many food establishments in the country, food handling training with particular mention to sanitation procedures has been inadequate because it is usually done quickly. This result to dangerous food handling practices related to temperature control, personal hygiene and prevention of cross-contamination. This makes effective training programs very important. The FDA Food Code recommends the certification of food safety managers as a way of demonstrating food safety knowledge. Studies have shown that sanitation in food service establishments are greatly affected by food safety training and certification (Almanza et al., 2004). In addition, the behavior of food handlers also determines food safety. If they be careless in preparing the food, it can result to contamination. Many food handling practices and sanitation procedures however can be learned through food safety training. This highlights the significance of food safety training as a very effective approach to food safety. Thu s everyone working in food establishments should undergo adequate food safety training and must be certified before they are allowed to work with food. Food safety must be ensured at all times. Since consumers may get sick with improperly prepared or contaminated foods, all food employees must undergo proper and adequate training with regards to food handling practices and all food establishments should deem it necessary. Mosquitoes are the most common vectors of many pathogenic microorganisms. A mosquito bite can sometimes result to a fatal disease. Hence, it is important that the community has enough knowledge on how to reduce the risk of acquiring these diseases. West Nile virus (WNV) is a group of disease-causing viruses usually carried by a female Culex pipiens mosquito. Each bite of this mosquito can transmit the West Nile virus. Worse is that people who become infected does not show symptoms. Only few show signs of fever and body aches but can further infect the brain and the spinal cord making it life-threatening. In places where it its endemic, it was observed that not all mosquitoes becomes infected and infection does not occur with all that individuals that are exposed to mosquitoes (Bren, 2003). According to Jesse Goodman, M.D., M.P.H., director of the Food and Drug Administration's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, West Nile virus can be transmitted through organ transplant and blood transfusion. Aside from that, a September 2002 case in Michigan suggests that breast milk can transmit WNV. These cases however are rare. The common cause though is