The story of environmental health food and security

The Story of Environmental Health: Food and Security... Presentation Structure• Background: Public Health and Environmental Health • Definitions and Importance • The Food System • Strate

The Story of Environmental Health:

Food and Security

Presentation Structure

• Background: Public Health and

Environmental Health

• Definitions and Importance

• The Food System

• Strategies to Protect the Food System

• Resources

By the end of this presentation, participants

should be able to…

• Explain the term “farm to fork”

• Describe two or more ways in which food

can be contaminated

• Discuss environmental health strategies for

prevention/risk reduction

To protect, maintain and improve the

health of Minnesotans

Core Functions of Public Health

• Assessing the public’s health

• Promoting sound policies

• Assuring effectiveness

What is Environmental Health?

“Public health programs designed to protect the public

health from hazards which exist or could exist in the physical environment.”

Minnesota SCHSAC Environmental Health Leadership Team, December, 2002, Diagram courtesy of Australia’s EnHealth.

Diagram courtesy of Australia’s EnHealth.

Environmental Links to Health Concerns

Foodborne Illness Definitions

• Outbreak the occurrence of two or

more cases of a similar illness resulting from the ingestion of a common food

Importance of Preventing

Foodborne Diseases

• Many are ill or die

– 76 million US cases each year (estimated) – Of these…,

• 325,000 hospitalized

• 5,000 died (CDC)

• Cost in 2000: $6.9 billion per year for 5

bacterial pathogens (USDA/ERS)

Complex System, Many Food

Interests

Food can be contaminated at any point, from farm inputs

Restaurant/Retail Transport/Imports

Consumer

Photo: www.bcsalmon.ca/bcsmc/ffact2.htm

Inputs

Potential Contaminants in Food

• Microbes and microbial toxins

– Salmonella, Clostridium botulinum

Rajneeshee Religious Group

Most “successful” food terrorism yet

 751 reported cases of salmonella

poisoning linked to 10 Oregon

salad bars

 1984 criminal investigation, but

intent actually revealed by

ex-follower in 1985

 Why? Plan to make certain voters

sick, so chosen candidates would

win and support group in land

dispute

Strategies: Community/Retail Standards Protect Consumers

• Adherence to existing standards

1 Verification and Assurance

2 Common Sense Management Plans

3 Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points

4 Active Managerial Control of Risk Factors

…BUT…be aware… “Complete Safety”

cannot be assured!

1 Verification and Assurance

• Inspections

• Investigations

• Industry education

3 Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP)

• A system for ensuring safe food production

• May be used from “Farm to Fork”

The objective is to make the product safely and to be able to prove it! Bill Schafer, U of M

4 Active Managerial Control

(AMC) of Risk Factors

• System for controlling risk

• Places responsibility on establishment

• Manager certification

• On-going worker education

• Recognizing accomplishment of safe food!

Strategies: Surveillance

(Finding Illness and Confirming with Lab Testing)

• FoodElert

– 24/7 emergency contacts for the food industry

• Sharing of food testing results by

government labs (FoodNet, PulseNet)

• Poison Control Centers (FERN)

MN Public Phone number: 1- 877- FOOD ILL

• Federal: Information Sharing and Assessment Centers ( PDD 63: www.fas.org/irp/offdocs/pdd/pdd-63.htm )

• Food Center is one of 8 ISACs

www.fmi.org/isac/

• Members can report national food threats

– fax web form to (202) 323-2079 or (202) 323-2082

Strategies: Public-Private

Collaboration

Strategies: Communication

 The Health Alert Network

 Links all local and state public health

agencies

 Alerts public health contacts, health care providers, emergency workers, etc

Strategies: Health Promotion

to Reinforce Community and

Personal Norms

Strategies: Education for

Individual Action

• Private and public cooperation is required to

maintain and strengthen the food system.

• Following established guidelines will enhance security, including watching for signs and

symptoms of:

chemical , biological, and physical contamination.

• Core public health measures help ensure safer food, including:

assessing threats, developing common sense and

practical policies, communicating, and assuring food safety standards are met.

Key Minnesota Emergency Contacts

• Your Local Health Department

• Minnesota Department of Health

– Acute Disease Investigation and Control:

For more information, contact your

local health department or…

Minnesota Department of Health, Environmental Health Division

Phone: 651-215-0700, TTD: 651-215-0707

http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh