Premium
Middle East food safety perspectives
Author(s) -
Idriss Atef W,
ElHabbab Mohammad S
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
journal of the science of food and agriculture
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 142
eISSN - 1097-0010
pISSN - 0022-5142
DOI - 10.1002/jsfa.6571
Subject(s) - food safety , traceability , agriculture , business , accreditation , middle east , food safety risk analysis , globalization , work (physics) , quality (philosophy) , food packaging , good agricultural practice , food systems , food security , international trade , economic growth , economics , political science , engineering , geography , medicine , philosophy , software engineering , law , archaeology , epistemology , market economy , mechanical engineering , pathology
Food safety and quality assurance are increasingly a major issue with the globalisation of agricultural trade, on the one hand, and intensification of agriculture, on the other. Consumer protection has become a priority in policy‐making amongst the large economies of the Middle East and North Africa ( MENA ) countries following a number of food safety incidents. To enhance food safety, it is necessary to establish markets underpinned by knowledge and resources, including analysis of international rejections of food products from MENA countries, international laboratory accreditation, improved reporting systems and traceability, continued development and validation of analytical methods, and more work on correlating sensory evaluation with analytical results. MENA countries should develop a national strategy for food safety based on a holistic approach that extends from farm‐to‐fork and involves all the relevant stakeholders. Accordingly, food safety should be a regional programme, raising awareness among policy‐ and decision‐makers of the importance of food safety and quality for consumer protection, food trade and economic development. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry