1. HEALTH HAZARDS OF FOOD CONTAMINANTSYakindra Prasad Timilsena(Food Research Officer)Department of Food Technology and Quality Control,Babarmahal, Kathmandu

2. Food contaminantsVolume 1 of the Codex Alimentarius defines a foodcontaminant as follows:Any substance not intentionally added to foodorAny substance present in food as a result of theproduction (including operations carried out in crophusbandry, animal husbandry and veterinarymedicine), manufacture, processing, preparation,treatment, packing, packaging, transport or holdingof such food or as a result of environmentalcontamination.Does not include insect fragments, rodent hairsand other extraneous matters. 3. Contaminants Pollutants Toxicants Impurities Residual unwanted materials 4. Health Hazard = Toxicity xExposurerisk; the the capacitypotential of afor contaminant the risk of ainjuryto cause contaminantinjury contacting or entering the body 5. HazardHigher toxicity = greater hazard Lower toxicity = less hazardHigher exposure = greater hazard Lower exposure = less hazard North Carolina Dept. of Agriculture and Consumer Services 6. Hazard Physical Chemical Biologicalnoise, lighting,vibration, solvents, acids, bacteria, virus,temperature, metals, dust,fungus/moldselectricitypesticides occupationalside of environmental health Ergonomic-repetitivemovement, poorly designedequipment 7. Food Borne hazards BiologicalContamination Associated with poor domestic sanitation and hygiene arrangements Chemical Contamination E.g. food additives, pesticides 8. Vector Borne HazardsWaterrelated vectorsE.g. malaria, guinea worm, schistosomiasisAnimal related vectorsE.g. sleeping sickness, bubonic plague 9. Pesticide Residues asFood ContaminantsPesticidesare chemical / biological substances which kill the insect (excluding honey bees) weeds and fungi selectively by not harming the hostWithinthe specified dose, not toxic to the mammals and is only toxic to the target pest 10. Major Types of PesticidesInsecticidesHerbicidesPlantgrowth regulatorsFungicidesRhodenticidesHouse hold(Insect repellants) 11. Pesticides and HumansInsects,rodents, and humans have similar nervous, circulatory, and respiratory systems, so pesticides can affect people too!Health effects - short- or long-term 12. HealthrisksCarcinogenicMutagenicTeratogenic(interfere with normal embryonic development)Birth defectsSYMTOMS Reproductive problemrash, headache, Liver, Kidney, Neuralnausea, dizziness damageOther fatal effect 13. Current scenario Rejection of Nepalese agricultural commodities(honey and tea) in EU market Lack of enforcement of GAP Lack of Pesticide Residue Monitoring Plan andMechanism Lack of awareness about risks and safety issues Low national priority 14. Government Interventions Till 2010, GoN set obligatory pesticide residuerestriction (MRLs) in some foods Cereals, pulses & their products Processed water Infant foods From 1995-2007, the total samples contaminatedwith pesticides were 12.1% Analysis of honey and tea showed that pesticideresidues in Nepalese honey is below MRLsestablished by EU and Codex. DFTQC developed RMP which is on the process offinalizing with the trading allies Pesticide related Reference Material productionand dissemination by DFTQC. 15. Pesticides in Nepalese foods (1995-2007)Total samples analysed: 1034No. of contaminated samples: 126 16. Government Interventionscontd Total diet study (TDS) conducted in 2009 and 2010 Diet analysed for 97 types of pesticides Revealed the use of banned pesticides in cereals,pulses, vegetables, beaten rice and bread. Random samples of food items collected from Ilam, Jhapa, Dhankuta, Morang and Sunsari Chitwan, Hetauda, Janakpur, Sindhupalchowk and Dhading Gorkha and Kaski Nepalgunj and Surkhet Mahendranagar, Dadeldhura, Kanchanpur, Doti Residue of chlorpyrophos, malathion, cypermethrin andfenvalerate were found in bread. 17. Good Practices as preventivetool Pesticides are used in household level,hotels and restaurants for the control ofinsects and pests Various codes of conduct and goodpractices developed Keeping the food away from pesticides Separate storage of chemicals and eatables Proper cleaning of utensils Washing the fruits and vegetable with plenty ofwater Preventing the access of the pests/ proofing ofentrances and other access points Use of electronic pest killers Periodic cleaning of the floor and tables 18. Ways forward Strict enforcement of GAP Focus on awareness programs Formation of RMP and its mechanism Building analytical capability of laboratoryand human resources Co-ordination of multi-organization: Deptof Agriculture, DFTQC, Dept. of veterinary,consumers, farmers, agro-enterperneurs,media etc. Alternative technologies(biobasedpesticides, less toxic chemicals, lessdependent cropping system) 19. Food is not food if it is not safe. Thank you for your patience