Safety of Food throughout the Supply Chain

*Fraidoon Karimi*

### **Abstract**

Today, in addition to food security, food safety is very important, because one of the prominent causes of increasing diseases is changing people's eating habits and lack of food safety along the food chain. Vegetables and fruits, in all stages of the food supply chain, are contaminated with a variety of bacteria, viruses, protozoa, and parasites. The prevalence of many diseases has been recorded in the past as a result of eating fruits and vegetables. The results of extensive research conducted in this field around the world were used in this chapter, and melon is discussed in detail as an example. Research findings show that pathogens that lodge in the skin of melon can enter the melon flesh when cut and infect it. Similarly, in hot climates, the bacteria Salmonella, Listeria, and *E*. *coli* multiply easily in melon flesh at low pH and soon reach pathogenic doses. Therefore, appropriate hygiene measures should be considered along the food chain. These hygiene measures are considered very important from the perspective that very small contamination by campylobacter, *Escherichia coli*, and norovirus, for example, can cause a major health problem. Highly vulnerable people include pregnant women, young children, the elderly, and the sick.

**Keywords:** safety, supply chain, human health, microbial hazards, chemical hazards

### **1. Introduction**

Food security and food safety are two basic concepts of human nutrition and, especially recently, have played an important role in the food industry and trade worldwide. According to the Codex's definition [1] "Food safety is the absence or presence of small amounts of hazardous substances in food that do not threaten the health of the consumer; these include microbial, chemical, and physical factors that are often not seen, such as bacteria, viruses, or chemical residues [1].

Melons (*Cucumis melo* L.) and watermelons (*Citrullus lanatus* L.) are important members of the Cucurbitaceae family. The term musk melons include various cultivars of melon. Commercial melons are evaluated based on their various characteristics, such as shape (spherical or oblong), skin color, and shape of the flesh [2]. More than 100 million tons of melons and watermelons are produced worldwide, 80% of which are from Asia. The main producer, from 2009 to 2011, is China with 60% of world production. However, the exports of this country account for only 0.13% of the total exports of the world [3]. Major exporters of melons have been reported from Mexico,

Spain, the United States, and Brazil [3]. In Europe, melons are grown mainly in southern regions, such as Spain, Portugal, Italy, and Greece. In Europe, 3 million tons of watermelon and 2 million tons of different melon cultivars are produced every year [3]. Melons and watermelons are not produced in Germany [2]. Afghanistan is one of the main centers of melon production, which is currently producing 15 different varieties of melons, mainly in the northern and southern parts of the country. These varieties include Jane Tour, Zermati, Bori Kaleh, Asqalani, Sabz-Maghaz, Alishabi, Sefal-Sar, Marpost, Ghazikhani, Andalak, Qandak, Alla-Poqaq, Arkani, Arkani-Garmah, and Sard-e-Lelmi [4].

Fresh vegetables and fruits are contaminated with a variety of pathogens along the production-to-consumption chain, resulting in dangerous diseases in humans [4]. For example, melon is one of the fruits that is known among people as a fever and disease stimulator that some doctors even include this fruit in the list of patients to avoid (personal interview, August 20, 2018).

Pathogens identified in melon include Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, and Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (E. coli) [5]. Campylobacter, E. coli, and Norovirus can cause serious diseases [5].

A report prepared for the Codex Committee in 2011 states that between 1950 and 2011, 85 cases of the melon disease were recorded [1]. Some cases of the melon disease have also been reported in Germany [2]. Melons, on the other hand, do not appear to contain substances that are harmful to health. Therefore, in this study, it was assumed that external factors cause diseases in consumers, these factors are transmitted from the skin to the inner parts of the fruit when the fruit is peeled and gets contaminated. To test this hypothesis, various relevant sources, including research reports and articles, have been studied and their key concepts have been included in this chapter. Due to production and supply conditions, melon skin is in contact with germs and parasites, especially in melons that have large and rough skin. On the other hand, disinfection of melon fruit does not include the stages of production, supply, and consumption, and therefore the fruit remains contaminated and causes health problems.

## **2. Methodology**

This study has been done using various first-hand sources that include reports and research articles. The study materials were collected in the first step, and in terms of logical relationship with the hypothesis, were divided into three categories: (1) very relevant, (2) relevant, and (3) less relevant.
