Food safety and food security linkage: a focus on livestock products

Abstract

Food safety is of high priority nationally and internationally. It implies absence or acceptable and safe levels of contaminants (chemical, physical and biological) in food, adulterants, naturally occurring toxins or any other substance that may make food injurious to health or an acute or chronic basis. The prevailing food production, handling, processing and distribution systems determine the safety of food. This paper explores the linkage between food safety and food security with a focus on livestock products. It looks at food security at the individual, household, national, regional and global levels and is based on the premise that it is achieved when all people, at all times, have physical, economic and social access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life.