Unhealthy Food Production: 200+ Diseases & Severe Illnesses - Essay Sample

Introduction

Consumption of unhealthy food containing chemicals, bacteria viruses, among others, can cause over two hundred diseases. Foodborne diseases are naturally toxic and infectious and can result in acute diarrhea or debilitating infections. Those that contain chemicals can lead to severe illnesses like cancer. Insensitive business people put the lives of people at risk for their benefits. They ignore some of the significant rules and regulations set to guard food production. Every government has its food standard code that all the food businesses should adhere to, but still cases of food poisoning are still alarming.

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When it comes to food poisoning due to the producers' negligence, it doesn't matter the age of the victim since, without labeling, no one can tell whether the product is harmful to his/her health. When it comes to things that affect people's health, making money should not be your first priory but instead ensure that food produced is up to the required standard. An estimate by World Health Organization (WHO) states that the global burden of foodborne diseases is considerable, and people of all ages are affected, especially those from low-income regions and children and the age of 5years (World Health Organization, 2015). Food safety remains a significant challenge globally, and many have and continue to lose their lives daily due to it.

Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) is a body that develops food standards for all the food available in New Zealand and Australia (Ghosh, 2016, 3274). Every business dealing with food is expected to meet its set standard. The standard developed by FSANZ is usually described in the code. Following the deaths that are experienced due to poor food safety, the government wants every food business to ensure its products are up to the required standard (Ghosh, 2016, 3275). In Australia, an estimated number of 4.1 million cases of food poisoning are reported annually. Cases like failure to properly label the foodstuffs have caused many of their lives while others contract dangerous diseases.

A healthy nation is productive, and the government has enacted laws that ensure its people consume excellent and healthy food (Consumer, 2020).) These rules and regulations are inaugurated for all the greedy persons who are after making money at the expense of other peoples' health are punished accordingly. The codes are designed to ensure the consumers get adequate information regarding the foodstuff in the market hence make informed decisions before consuming them (Consumer, 2020). The producers should allow the buyers to make sober decisions of what they should take following the information given on the product.

Most companies use additives in their products for various reasons. The additives can be used to improve the appearance or the taste of a product hence attract more customers. Others use additives as preservatives as a way of lengthening their storage life span, while others use it as food stability (Additives, 2019). Cases of allergens have gone higher people tend to react differently to different additives. Some end up developing severe health conditions while others even die due to the allergic reaction. The food standard is set to ensure that the food companies label their products. They should indicate the ingredients used in the product as a way of protecting people allergic to the additives. They are expected to highlight specific flavoring substances used in the foodstuff.

Reports that additives are banned from the market are all false since every food company intending to use them in the products is free to seek that permission from the authorities. Some food companies don't use additives in their products, not because the government has banned flouring substances but because they have a better alternative that is not health-threatening to anyone. Some of the additives that were banned many years ago has so far been proven safe by scientists (Additives, 2019). Severe reactions due to additives affect a small portion of the population, and the health providers are also expected to provide patients with information regarding their allergens. People should know some of the additives that are harmful to their health hence preventing the rampant cases of food poisoning (Additives, 2019). By labeling the foods, the producers protect people sensitive to additives to avoid consuming them. Every food producing company should know that consumers' health comes first and only by keeping the safe that they be able to purchase more from them.

Releasing contaminated food into the market is very dangerous. All food-producing firms should ensure that their products undergo all the quality tests before they are set for sale (Consumer, 2020). Recalling foodstuff from the market due to their failure to meet the required standard as the set laws also protect the consumer's hence healthy population. The act is good but not safe since they're those who will consume the products especially when they are already in the market. On February 21st, 2020, CTC Australia conducted a recall of Lolly Co Jersey Caramels that were already being sold in different shops within the country (Foodrecalls, 2020). These products were found to contain plastics hence unfit for human health yet they were released into the market. It is clear that the manufacturers as well as law implementers are not doing their duty and therefore risking the lives of the public. Public health officials are also not playing their role hence putting consumers' health at risk.

References

Additives,2019.https://www.foodstandards.gov.au/consumer/additives/additiveoverview/Pages/default.aspx. March 11th, 2020.

Consumer, 2020. https://www.foodstandards.gov.au/consumer/Pages/default.aspx March 11th, 2020.

Foodrecalls,2020.https://www.foodstandards.gov.au/industry/foodrecalls/recalls/Pages/default.aspx.11 March 2020.

Ghosh, D., 2016. Food safety regulations in Australia and New Zealand food standards. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 96(9), pp.3274-3275. Retrieved from https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/IMDS-09-2016-0391/full/html

World Health Organization, 2015. WHO estimates of the global burden of foodborne diseases: foodborne disease burden epidemiology reference group 2007-2015. World Health Organization. Retrieved from https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/199350/9789241565165_eng.pdf