Crisis management
Food safety crisis situations may occur following, for
example, a natural disaster or the accidental or deliberate contamination
of food or water supplies, potentially leading to the exposure of consumers
to contaminated food and the outbreak of food-borne diseases.
Food safety can be compromised at any point in the food chain. Threats posed
by contaminated water and food are interrelated and cannot be separated. In
the case of natural disasters, poor sanitation, including lack of safe water
and a shortage of suitable conditions to prepare food prior to consumption,
can all lead to outbreaks of food-borne disease.
In crisis situations people may already be at risk through malnutrition, exposure,
shock and other traumas, thus it becomes even more essential that the food
they consume is safe. In any situation, this is particularly important
for foods intended for people who are immuno-compromised or suffering from
some underlying illness, infants, pregnant women and the elderly, who are often
the most vulnerable.
The provision of food in crisis situations is often carried out under crude
conditions, and the people available to organize and implement feeding operations
may not have the necessary experience to manage food safety effectively.
AGNS can assist those involved in preparedness response planning and the overseeing
of food operations in crisis situations to ensure food safety and consumer
protection, to minimise the incidence of food-borne diseases and to manage
related issues effectively.
In October 2006 FAO inaugurated a new Crisis Management Centre (CMC) to fight
avian influenza outbreaks and other major animal and plant health or food safety-related
emergencies. The CMC will draw on the specialist services of AGNS when dealing
with food safety crises.
Similarly, in 2005, FAO established a Nuclear Emergencies Crisis Network of
Technical Experts (ECN) with members drawn from 11 units across FAO, including
AGNS. Technical experts will be called upon to provide guidance in the case
of a nuclear event concerning food safety and the contamination of food with
radioactive substances.
See also
Integrated food control systems > Biosecurity |
Crisis management
