Explain the general Importance of Food Technology and Quality Assurance

      

Explain the general Importance of Food Technology and Quality Assurance

  

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Felix
Importance of Food Technology and Quality Assurance

Food quality issues can easily become non-tariff trade barriers and are increasingly used as
marketing tools, nationally and internationally:

Food-borne diseases are a worldwide problem of great magnitude, both in terms of human
suffering and economic costs. It is estimated that almost 70% of the approximate 1.5 billion
episodes of diarrhoea that occur in the world annually are directly caused by biological or chemical
contamination in foods. Even when such diseases are not fatal, they severely increase the effects
of poor diet owing to reduced intake, nutrient losses and mal-absorption, which may lead to mental
retardation and physical disabilities.
Food supply systems in developing countries are often fragmented involving a multitude of
middlemen. This exposes it to various types of fraudulent practices. These may include simple
adulteration of food with something of lesser value or no value at all, or mislabelling the product
with the intent of misleading the consumer. Besides the public health impact due to the reduction
in the nutrient content of food or food contamination, the consumer is defrauded. Considering that
in developing countries, people spend almost 50% of their earnings on food, and among lowerincome
households this figure may rise to above 70%, the impact of such fraudulent practices can
be quite devastating.
Food Technology and Quality Assurance is therefore key in assuring consumers of quality food.
It is however important that attainment of quality is supported by a proper legislative framework
to ensure compliance.
Anganifelix answered the question on June 7, 2018 at 14:33


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