Factors Affecting Food Safety in the Environment
Demographics; As life span increases, the population at risk of food borne disease is also increasing because of the higher numbers of the aged population with weakened immune system. Those at high risks include infants, young children, elderly, pregnant women, those on long medication and those with diseases such as aids, cancer and diabetes that weakens immune system.
The body has a number of deficiencies to protect itself against harmful bacteria like the acidic gastric juices in the body because many bacteria cannot survive in acidic Environment. However, young infants and aging adults produce less acidic gastric juices than younger healthy adults.
Another is, Normal bacteria present in the gastro intestinal system which prevents harmful bacteria from colonising the guts. Increase use of antibiotics destroy these protective bacteria making it easier for the pathogenic worms to invade and cause illness. The human immune system is not fully developed at birth, it gradually reaches maturity in puberty and gradually begins to decline from over 50years of age. Therefore making the infants, young children and elderly more susceptible.
Consumer's lifestyle and demand: life today is fast paced and people often eat on the run and less Time is spent on food preparation.
Many prefer to eat at restaurants, fast foods or purchase an already prepared meal. This convenient foods may have been transported, cooked, cooled, stored, transported again, reheated and touched by many individuals. Each of these processing steps introduces new hazards that can allow the survival and growth of pathogens. Also consumer's are increasingly demanding fresh and natural products, prepared with fewer preservatives. These all natural and fresh products are more perishable because they don't contain the traditional preservatives and are not manufactured using conventional processing methods. It is known that freezing, pasturizing and canning extends the shelf live of foods and also inhibit bacterial growth. It has been observed that a number of food borne diseases associated with fresh food produce especially when consumed long after preparation.