Adulterated food

Adulteration of food consists in its alteration with intent to deceive. Unlike deceit it may exist independently of a contract of sale and constitute a fraud in rem necessarily applied to the food concerned itself.

There are many conceivable ways of trying to cheat by adulterating foods. Adding water to milk or chalk to bread and mixing various substances with spices, and the like, were purposeful acts of the past.

There are always by which foods can become adulterated accidentally, unavoidably and even by natural occurrence. Soil, molds, bacteria, insect parts and pesticides or environmentally contaminants which sometimes appear in food, fall into this category.

What are the effects of adulterated food on health:
 *Food poisoning – Acute illness caused by ingestion of contaminated food by bacteria fungi, virus and harmful chemicals, etc, is called food poisoning.
*Chemical poisoning – It is caused due to consumption food products or water from contaminated environment. Galvanized utensils contain zinc metal.

Adulterated or wrongly labeled products may be seized or legal action may be taken against the food operation through an injunction or restraining order. The order is effective until the FDA is sure that the violations have been corrected.
Adulterated food

Nutritive Value of Fruits and Vegetables: Minerals and Vitamins

Nutritive Value of Fruits and Vegetables: Minerals and Vitamins
The nutritional advantage of fruits and vegetables is that they offer high concentration of micronutrients for a low expenditure of calories and fat. Virtually every national report of diet and health recommendations, recommend an increase in fruit and vegetable consumption to replace foods higher in calories and fat.

Fruits and vegetables are rich sources of vitamins, particularly A and C. It has been estimated that these crops provide 91% of the vitamin C and 62% of the vitamin A consumed in US alone. It should be noted that the importance if a fruit and vegetable as a source of a nutrient is a function of both the concentration of that nutrient and the amount of that item is consumed. Thus carrots, leafy greens vegetables, and sweet potatoes are good sources of vitamin A by virtue of their high concentration of the nutrient. Likewise, citrus fruits, pepper and tomatoes are good sources of vitamin C because of high concentrations. Potatoes while lower in vitamin C concentration are also good source of the nutrient because of the large amount of potatoes consumed. In addition, certain crops are good sources of folic acid, niacin, thiamin, and vitamin B6.

Fruits and vegetables are relatively high in mineral content, particularly potassium, magnesium, iron and calcium. Unfortunate, the amount of these minerals in plant products is not good indication of their nutritive value. The bioavailability of these micronutrients is more important that the actual concentration and the bioavailability of minerals in fruits and vegetables tend to be low, primarily because of the presence of interfering substance. Bioavailability of nutrients depends on the chemical form of the nutrients and the presence of interfering substance.
Nutritive Value of Fruits and Vegetables: Minerals and Vitamins

Product Recall: Hazard Evaluation and Recall Strategy

Product Recall: Hazard Evaluation and Recall Strategy
Hazard Evaluation
An important step in recall procedure is to evaluate the existing hazard to determine if a recall is warranted. The company or regulatory agency should answer the following:

• Has disease or injury already occurred?

• Could exposure to humans be a health hazard?

• Asses hazard according to population of greatest risk (children, hospital, retirement communities, etc)

• Degrees of seriousness if exposed?

• Likelihood of occurrence (exposure)?

• Consequence of hazard (immediate or long term)?

• Classification of recall I, II, III

Recall Strategy
All companies should have a detailed plan to follow should the hazard evaluation warrant a recall. Some critical elements to consider in planning recall strategies are:

• The depth of recall (warehouse, wholesale, retails, consumer levels).

• Whether or not to issue a public warning, to what signet of the public the warning would be directed, and through what media (general, newspaper, TV, radio or though special groups: doctors, etc.)

• Method of recall effectiveness checks to determine how many have received the recall notice.

Product Recall: Hazard Evaluation and Recall Strategy

Product Recall: Policy and Classification

Product Recall: Policy and Classification
Recall Policy
There are basically three types of recall policies

• Voluntary recalls are the most common method of effectively removing or correcting consumer products in violation of FDA and USDA regulations.

• Recalls may be requested by the regulatory agencies due to the product being harmful, a risk to the public, or out of compliance with food regulations.

• Product seizures occur when manufacturers refuse to recall a product or when the recall is ineffective and the violation continues.

Recall Classification

• Class I recall is the situation in which there is reasonable probability that the use of, or exposure to, a violative product will cause serious adverse health consequence or death.

• Class II recall is the situation in which use of, or exposure to, a violative product may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences or where the probability of serious adverse health consequences is remote.

• Class III recall is the situation in which use of, or exposure to, a violative product is not likely to cause adverse health consequences.

Product Recall: Policy and Classification