ILRI marks World Food Safety Day 2023 with the launch of a report on improving food safety in informal markets

World Food Safety Day is celebrated on 7 June every year to raise awareness on food safety and inspire action to help prevent and manage foodborne risks thereby contributing to human health, food and nutrition security, economic prosperity, market access, and sustainable development. The theme this year is Food standards save lives.

The International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) is commemorating World Food Safety Day 2023 with the launch of a new ILRI-commissioned report, New directions for tackling food safety risks in the informal sector of developing countries, by Spencer Henson, Steven Jaffee and Shuo Wang.

The report will be launched at a webinar on Wednesday 7 June 2023 at 0900 hours EDT / 1300 hours GMT /1600 hours EAT.

Despite ongoing structural changes, the food systems of most low- and lower middle-income countries are still dominated by small-scale processors, grocers, market vendors and food service operators. Unsafe food is a widespread issue in these informal food systems, with national public health implications.

Few countries have coherent strategies to effectively tackle food safety risks in the informal sector. Most of the policy attention and resources now devoted to domestic food safety in the developing world focus on strengthening centralized systems for ‘food control’. 

The authors of the report argue that a different approach is needed to better tackle food safety risks in the informal sector. This would entail local action that is centrally guided, multisectoral action, rebalancing the use of sticks and carrots, and differentiating local strategies and priorities.

Register for the webinar and join us to learn more about the report and hear reactions from food safety experts.

We have also created a landing page on the ILRI website to showcase our food safety projects, publications, stories and key messages. The page also highlights the profiles of ILRI scientists involved in food safety research.

The production of the report, New directions for tackling food safety risks in the informal sector of developing countries, was supported by the CGIAR Research Program on Agriculture for Nutrition and Health (A4NH) and the CGIAR Initiative on One Health. We thank all funders who supported this research through their contributions to the CGIAR Trust Fund.

Join the online conversations by following the hashtags #FoodSafety, #SafeFood and #WorldFoodSafetyDay.

Photo credit: World Health Organization

 

Experts call for One Health approach to study bacterial hazards and antimicrobial risks in marketed food in Bangladesh

Antimicrobial resistance is a public health problem worldwide. Bangladesh, like its neighbouring countries, faces many public health challenges, including access to safe food, inadequate food surveillance, as well as increasing antimicrobial resistance.

A new study published in Antibiotics (Mar 2023) investigated bacterial contamination and the antimicrobial resistance profile of pathogens in marketed food in Bangladesh. The study also explored barriers to reducing antimicrobial resistance in the country.

The study was carried out by researchers affiliated to the Bangladesh Agricultural University, the Bangladesh Department of Livestock Services, the Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute, the International Livestock Research Institute, the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala University and the University of Greenwich.

The researchers collected 366 tomatoes, 359 chicken and 249 fish samples from 732 vendors in traditional markets in urban, peri-urban and rural areas in Bangladesh, as well as from 121 modern retails in Dhaka capital to analyse Vibrio cholerae and Escherichia coli in fish, Salmonella in chicken, and Salmonella and E. coli in tomatoes.

Antibiotic susceptibility against 11 antibiotics was tested using a disc diffusion test and interpreted by an automated zone inhibition reader.

A qualitative study using key informant interviews was also conducted to explore antimicrobial use and antimicrobial resistance reduction potential in Bangladesh.

They found E. coli in 14.21% of tomatoes and 26.91% of fish samples, while 7.38% of tomatoes and 17.27% of chicken were positive for Salmonella, and 44.98% of fish were positive for Vibrio cholerae.

About 70% of all isolated pathogens were multidrug resistant, that is, they were resistant to three or more antibiotic groups.

Qualitative interviews revealed an inadequate surveillance system for antibiotic use and antimicrobial resistance in Bangladesh, especially in the agriculture sector.

To be able to fully understand the human health risks from bacterial hazards in the food and the antimicrobial resistance situation in Bangladesh, the authors of the study propose that a nationwide study with a One Health approach be conducted, including antimicrobial resistance testing and assessment of antimicrobial use and its drivers.

The study was supported by the CGIAR Research Program on Agriculture for Nutrition and Health, the CGIAR Initiative on Resilient Cities and the CGIAR Initiative on One Health.

Citation
Samad, M.A., Eberson, L., Begum, R., Alam, M.G.S., Talukdar, F., Akter, R., Sinh Dang-Xuan, Sharma, G., Islam, S., Siddiky, N.A., Uddin, A.S.M.A., Mahmud, M.A., Sarker, M.S., Rahman, M.S., Grace, D. and Lindahl, J.F. 2023. Microbial contamination and antibiotic resistance in marketed food in Bangladesh: Current situation and possible improvements. Antibiotics 12(3): 555.

Photo credit: Biponibag fish market (Kingkar Shaha, ECOFISH II/WorldFish)

 

EatSafe project to host webinar on food safety innovations for traditional markets

The World Health Organization estimates that every year, 600 million people become ill and many die because of unsafe food. Up to 38% of those affected are children under five years of age, and 53% were people living in low- and middle-income countries.

To address this gap, the Evidence and Action Towards Safe, Nutritious Food (EatSafe) project recently organized an EatSafe Innovation Challenge aimed at encouraging the development of food safety solutions or safer food products towards improving food safety in traditional markets where most consumers in low- and middle-income countries access their food.

On Tuesday 13 December 2022, the EatSafe project will host a webinar to highlight the importance of innovative solutions in food safety, and their applicability to low- and middle-income countries, specifically in traditional markets and along the food value chain.

This webinar is the second part of a series on innovative approaches to food safety. The first webinar, held in January 2022, featured consumer-centred approaches to food safety research.

In this second webinar, speakers will share on the application, implementation and practice of innovative solutions for food safety, including highlights from finalists of the EatSafe Innovation Challenge.

Below are details of the hour-long webinar and how to register.

Date: Tuesday 13 December 2022

Time: 0800 hours EST / 1400 hours CET / 1600 hours EAT

Registration link: https://bit.ly/food_safetywebinar 

Speakers

• Delia Grace, Professor of Food Safety Systems, Natural Resources Institute and Joint-appointed Scientist, International Livestock Research Institute
• Helen Weldemichael, CEO, Safe Dish Ethiopia and Assistant Professor, Wolkite University
• Oyeyemi Fadairo, Project Lead, Solarflex Dryers
• Richard Pluke, Chief of Party, EatSafe project

EatSafe is a project of Feed the Future and the United States Agency for International Development.

Photo credit: Fruit and vegetable shop in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (University of Florida/Geraldine Klarenberg)

 

Celebrating World Antimicrobial Awareness Week 2022 with highlights of ILRI research on antimicrobial resistance

World Antimicrobial Awareness Week is marked annually from 18 to 24 November to raise global awareness on antimicrobial resistance and encourage rational use of antimicrobials to reduce further emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance.

Antimicrobial resistance occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites change over time and no longer respond to medicines, making infections harder to treat and increasing the risk of disease spread, severe illness and death.

Antimicrobial resistance is currently one of the biggest threats to global public health. Researchers have estimated that bacterial antimicrobial resistance caused 1.2 million deaths in 2019.

Two-thirds of the global increase in antimicrobial use is from the agricultural sector. Rational use of animal health products, particularly antibiotics, should therefore be promoted as one of the strategies to reduce the spread of antimicrobial resistance.

The Animal and Human Health program of the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) seeks to effectively manage or eliminate livestock, zoonotic and foodborne diseases that matter to the poor through the generation and use of knowledge, technologies and products, leading to higher farmer incomes and better health and nutrition for consumers and livestock.

Our research approach to improving flock and herd health in smallholder systems promotes the rational use of antibiotics. To this end, we work with national, regional and international partners to carry out research on antimicrobial resistance at the human–livestock interface.

To celebrate World Antimicrobial Awareness Week 2022, under the theme Preventing Antimicrobial Resistance Together, we feature a curated selection of recent research outputs on antimicrobial resistance authored and co-authored by scientists from ILRI’s Animal and Human Health program.

Peer-reviewed journal articles

• Brunn, A., Kadri-Alabi, Z., Moodley, A., Guardabassi, L., Taylor, P., Mateus, A. and Waage, J. 2022. Characteristics and global occurrence of human pathogens harboring antimicrobial resistance in food crops: A scoping review. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems 6: 824714.
• Garza, M., Mohan, C.V., Brunton, L., Wieland, B. and Häsler, B. 2022. Typology of interventions for antimicrobial use and antimicrobial resistance in aquaculture systems in low- and middle-income countries. International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents 59(1): 106495.
• Holohan, N., Wallat, M., Thi Hai Yen Luu, Clark, E., Duong Thi Quy Truong, Sinh Dang-Xuan, Hue Thi Kim Vu, Dung Van Truong, Hoang Tran Huy, Hung Nguyen-Viet, Unger, F., Son Thi Thanh Dang and Stabler, R.A. 2022. Analysis of antimicrobial resistance in non-typhoidal Salmonella collected from pork retail outlets in Vietnam using whole genome sequencing. Frontiers in Veterinary Science 9: 816279.
• Hung Nguyen-Viet, Lam, S., Huong Nguyen-Mai, Dao Thu Trang, Vu Thi Phuong, Nguyen Do Anh Tuan, Dang Quang Tan, Nguyen Thu Thuy, Dang Thuy Linh and Phuc Pham-Duc. 2022. Decades of emerging infectious disease, food safety, and antimicrobial resistance response in Vietnam: The role of One Health. One Health 14: 100361.
• Nohrborg, S., Dione, M.M., Winfred, A.C., Okello, L., Wieland, B. and Magnusson, U. 2022. Geographic and socioeconomic influence on knowledge and practices related to antimicrobial resistance among smallholder pig farmers in Uganda. Antibiotics 11(2): 251.
• Sharma, G., Mutua, F., Deka, R.P., Shome, R., Bandyopadhyay, S., Shome, B.R., Kumar, N.G., Grace, D., Dey, T.K. and Lindahl, J. 2022. Comparing the effectiveness of different approaches to raise awareness about antimicrobial resistance in farmers and veterinarians of India. Frontiers in Public Health 10: 837594.

Conference posters and presentations

• Dey, T.K., Shome, B., Deka, R.P., Shome, R. and Lindahl, J. 2022. Molecular characterization of antibiotic resistant bacteria and antimicrobial residues in the dairy milk in India. Poster presented at the 16th International Symposium of Veterinary Epidemiology and Economics, Halifax, Canada, 9 August 2022. Nairobi, Kenya: ILRI.
• Kakooza, S., Eneku, W., Waiswa, J., Barasa, M., Ayebare, D., Mbatidde, I., Ndoboli, D., Dione, M., Roesel, K., Tenhagen, B.-A. and Moodley, A. 2022. Capacity building through training in antimicrobial resistance control in Uganda’s poultry value chains. Poster presented at the Boosting Uganda’s Investment in Livestock Development (BUILD) project annual planning meeting, Kampala, Uganda, 20–22 September 2022. Nairobi, Kenya: ILRI.
• Mbatidde, I., Ndoboli, D., Ayebare, D., Biryomumaisho, S., Roesel, K., Dione, M., Muloi, D., Tenhagen, B.-A., Wampande, E., Olsen, J.E. and Moodley, A. 2022. Antimicrobial use and antimicrobial resistance in broiler farms in peri-urban Wakiso, Uganda. Poster presented at the 16th International Symposium of Veterinary Epidemiology and Economics, Halifax, Canada, 9 August 2022. Nairobi, Kenya: ILRI.
• Moodley, A. 2022. Antimicrobial resistance in the animal sector. Presentation at the ReAct Africa and South Centre 2022 annual conference, Lusaka, Zambia, 25–27 July 2022. Nairobi, Kenya: ILRI.
• Mutua, F., Kiarie, G., Mbatha, M., Onono, J., Boqvist, S., Kilonzi, E., Lindahl, J. and Lewerin, S.S. 2022. Antimicrobial use in a peri-urban smallholder poultry system, Kenya. Poster presented at the 16th International Symposium of Veterinary Epidemiology and Economics, Halifax, Canada, 9 August 2022. Nairobi, Kenya: ILRI.
• Worku, M., Gelaw, B., Tesema, B., Ferede, G., Moodley, A. and Grace, D. 2022. High erythromycin-resistant Campylobacter jejuni and C. coli among humans and chickens in Africa. Poster presented at the 16th International Symposium of Veterinary Epidemiology and Economics, Halifax, Canada, 11 August 2022. Hawassa, Ethiopia: Hawassa University.

For more information, contact Arshnee Moodley (a.moodley@cgiar.org), antimicrobial resistance team leader at ILRI, or visit the CGIAR Antimicrobial Resistance Hub website.

Join the online conversations by following the hashtags #AntimicrobialResistance and #WAAW.

Photo credit: Chickens on a poultry farm in Kiambu County, Kenya (ILRI/Hung Nguyen-Viet)

 

New research provides estimates of foodborne disease burden in Burkina Faso and Ethiopia

Foodborne disease is a significant global health problem, with low- and middle-income countries disproportionately affected. Given that most fresh animal and vegetable foods in these countries are bought in informal food systems, much of the burden of foodborne disease here is also linked to informal markets.

Developing estimates of the national burden of foodborne disease and attribution to specific food products will inform decision-makers about the size of the problem and motivate action to mitigate risks and prevent illness.

A new research study, published in Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems (Nov 2022), provides estimates for the burden of foodborne disease caused by selected hazards in Burkina Faso and Ethiopia and attribution to specific foods.

Country-specific estimates of the burden of disease in 2010 for Campylobacter spp., enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli, Shiga-toxin producing E. coli and non-typhoidal Salmonella enterica were obtained from the World Health Organization (WHO) and updated to 2017 using data from the Global Burden of Disease study.

Attribution data obtained from WHO were complemented with a dedicated Structured Expert Judgement study to estimate the burden attributable to specific foods. Monte Carlo simulation methods were used to propagate uncertainty.

The burden of foodborne disease in the two countries in 2010 was largely similar to the burden in the region except for higher mortality and disability-adjusted life years due to Salmonella in Burkina Faso.

In both countries, Campylobacter caused the largest number of cases, while Salmonella caused the largest number of deaths and disability-adjusted life years.

In Burkina Faso, the burden of Campylobacter and enterotoxigenic E. coli increased from 2010 to 2017, while the burden of Salmonella decreased.

In Ethiopia, the burden of all hazards decreased. Mortality decreased relative to incidence in both countries.

In both countries, the burden of poultry meat (in disability-adjusted life years) was larger than the burden of vegetables.

In Ethiopia, the burdens of beef and dairy were similar, and somewhat lower than the burden of vegetables.

The burden of foodborne disease by the selected pathogens and foods in both countries was substantial.

Uncertainty distributions around the estimates spanned several orders of magnitude.

This reflects data limitations, as well as variability in the transmission and burden of foodborne disease associated with the pathogens considered.

Citation

Havelaar, A.H., Sapp, A.C., Amaya, M.P., Nane, G.F., Morgan, K.M., Devleesschauwer, B., Grace, D., Knight-Jones, T. and Kowalcyk, B.B. 2022. Burden of foodborne disease due to bacterial hazards associated with beef, dairy, poultry meat, and vegetables in Ethiopia and Burkina Faso, 2017. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems 6: 1024560.

Photo credit: Fruit and vegetables on sale alongside other food items in a local market in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (ILRI/Geraldine Klarenberg)

 

Experts call for cross-sectoral collaboration to tackle disease risks in changing food systems

The rapid transformation of food systems is creating unintentional infectious disease risks that will need to be addressed through effective coordination between agricultural and public health sectors, a new review study says.

A food system includes all the aspects of feeding and nourishing people: growing, harvesting, packaging, processing, transporting, marketing and consuming food.

The review, published in Lancet Planetary Health (Sept 2022), explored how intensification of agricultural production and increasing complexity of food supply chains, particularly in low-income and middle-income countries, change the risks and relative burdens of infectious diseases.

The review covered four case studies:

• vector-borne disease in irrigated agriculture;
• zoonotic diseases in livestock value chains;
• food safety; and
• antimicrobial resistance associated with food systems. 

For each case study, the authors asked three questions:

1. What aspects of food system transition are creating unintentional infectious disease risks?
2. What solutions might exist for these problems?
3. How would they require better coordination of agricultural and public health policy and practice?

Food systems in transition are characterized by intensification and diversification of food production, as an increasingly urban and more wealthy population demands different diets.

The review showed that successfully addressing the challenges of evolving food systems calls for constructive dialogue between agricultural and public health sectors.

Such a cross-sectoral approach recognises the costs and benefits of disease-reducing interventions and seeks win–win solutions that are most likely to attract broad policy support and uptake by food systems.

For areas such as antimicrobial resistance, it is important to identify the potential agricultural and health outcomes of agricultural interventions to reduce health risks.

Citation

Waage, J., Grace, D., Fèvre, E.M., McDermott, J., Lines, J., Wieland, B., Naylor, N.R., Hassell, J.M. and Chan, K. 2022. Changing food systems and infectious disease risks in low-income and middle-income countries. Lancet Planetary Health 6(9): e760–e768.

Photo credit: Fruit and vegetables on sale alongside other food items in a local market in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (ILRI/Geraldine Klarenberg)

 

One Health experts to host webinar on animal health and pandemic prevention

Governments are currently negotiating a historic global pandemic treaty to protect us from future pandemics. The special session of the 2021 World Health Assembly agreed that the new accord will focus on early detection and prevention of pandemics, as well as the One Health approach which recognises the interconnectedness of human, animal and environment health.

On Tuesday 28 June 2022, the Action for Animal Health coalition will host an online event during which experts from civil society and multilateral organizations will discuss why robust animal health systems are critical to putting One Health into practice to reduce the risk of zoonoses spilling over to people.

The International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) is a member of the Action for Animal Health coalition which calls on governments, donors and international agencies to invest in animal health systems through five pillars of action:

• Support community engagement and equitable access to animal health services
• Increase the numbers and improve the skills of the animal health workforce
• Close the veterinary medicines and vaccines gap
• Improve animal disease surveillance
• Enhance collaboration for One Health

Join the online event to hear more about why stronger animal health systems are key to preventing another pandemic. 

Below are details of the event and how to register.

Date: Tuesday 28 June 2022

Time: 1200–1315 hours (BST, GMT+1)

Location: Online (a Zoom link will be sent to registered participants the day before the event)

Registration link: https://takeaction.thebrooke.org/page/103248/event/2 

Speakers

• Klara Saville, head of animal health, welfare and community development, Brooke/Action for Animal Health
• Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka, founder and chief executive officer of Conservation Through Public Health
• Mariana Vale, Ecology Department, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Preventing Pandemics at the Source, and member of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
• Chadia Wannous, One Health global coordinator, World Organisation for Animal Health
• Angélique Angot, laboratory specialist, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

Moderator: Patricia Amira

Photo credit: Village women and livestock in Niger (ILRI/Stevie Mann)

 

ILRI marks World Food Safety Day 2022 with a focus on food safety research for better health

To commemorate this year’s World Food Safety Day (7 June) under the theme Safer food, better health, the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) has launched an online food safety campaign and landing page to showcase its collaborative research on risk-based approaches to improving food safety in low- and middle-income countries.

Better management of foodborne diseases could save nearly half a million lives a year and safeguard the livelihoods of over one billion small-scale livestock producers.

ILRI’s approach to food safety research is based on risk analysis. We identify the hazards in food and build the capacity of policymakers to understand risk-based approaches.

Policy will be more effective and efficient if based on actual risk to human health rather than the presence of hazards. ILRI’s approach is therefore to generate research evidence and develop solutions to improve the safety of animal products in informal food markets.

Visit the landing page to read key food safety messages as well as the latest food safety news from ILRI and information on projects and selected publications. You will also find the profiles of ILRI scientists involved in food safety research.

Join the online conversations by following the hashtags #FoodSafety, #SafeFood and #WorldFoodSafetyDay.

Photo credit: World Health Organization

 

ILRI scientist Delia Grace wins 2022 Arrell Global Food Innovation Award for research innovation

We congratulate Delia Grace, professor of food safety systems at the Natural Resources Institute and joint appointed scientist at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), on winning the 2022 Arrell Global Food Innovation Award in the research innovation category.

Delia Grace is a renowned scientist with unique and transformative impacts on the safety of food systems and public health in developing countries.

As a trained veterinarian and epidemiologist, she brings a special expertise on the interconnectedness of animal health, human health and ecohealth to her work. A focus of her work is improving food safety in informal markets in developing countries.

‘I’m honoured to be named the recipient of the Arrell Global Food Innovation Award in the area of research impact,’ she said.

‘There is a very critical relationship between animal, human and environment health and I hope we can continue to research and find ways to help improve food safety and thus the health of humans and animals. While there is still a lot to learn, by listening and engaging, thinking and trying, we can achieve much more.’

‘Congratulations to Delia Grace Randolph for being awarded with the Arrell Global Food Innovation Award for excellence in research,’ said Evan Fraser, Arrell Food Institute Director.

‘Food safety is critical to food systems, and Delia Grace Randolph’s research in this field has clearly had a positive impact on many people.’

The mission of the Arrell Food Institute at the University of Guelph is to bring people together to conduct research, train the next generation of food leaders and shape social, industrial and governmental decisions, always ensuring food is the central priority.

The Arrell Global Food Innovation Awards are adjudicated by a group of internationally recognized scientists and community activists. This year’s adjudicators are Nadia Theodore, senior vice president, global government and industry relations, Maple Leaf Foods; Florence Lasbennes, managing director, 4SD; Lawrence Haddad, executive director, Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition; and Adrienne Xavier, acting director of the Indigenous Studies Program, McMaster University.

Browse Delia Grace’s research publications here

 

Risk-based and One Health approaches for improved food safety in Africa

The rapid evolution of global food safety systems in response to population growth, urbanization, climate change and other socio-economic factors poses many food safety challenges.

Globally, unsafe food causes an estimated 600 million illnesses and 420,000 deaths annually, with Africa disproportionately bearing the highest burden of foodborne diseases.

To effectively tackle the challenge of foodborne diseases in Africa, a team of scientists from the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) and Ohio State University has proposed the use of risk-based and One Health approaches.

These approaches to food safety management were put forward in a presentation titled Better food safety solutions in Africa: Understanding the complex social, economic and policy perspectives. The presentation was given at the 37th World Veterinary Association Congress held in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates on 29–31 March 2022.

The main foodborne hazards in the African context were discussed, with local and continental examples of food safety initiatives aimed at reducing the burden of foodborne disease and improving public health. Examples of action research and political decision-making on food safety at the continental level were also described.

In light of the complex nature of global and African food safety systems, food safety interventions to reduce foodborne diseases need to be well designed and coordinated, the researchers say.

Citation

Amenu, K., Alonso, S., Mutua, F., Roesel, K., Lindahl, J., Kowalcyk, B., Knight-Jones, T. and Grace, D. 2022. Better food safety solutions in Africa: Understanding the complex social, economic and policy perspectives. Oral presentation at the 37th World Veterinary Association Congress, 29-31 March 2022, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Nairobi, Kenya: ILRI.

Photo credit: Vegetable market in Ethiopia (East African Policy Research Institute/Birhanu Lenjiso)