Running head: FOOD SANITATION 1

The Importance of Food Sanitation

Alejandra Aguilar

California State University, San Bernardino

HSCI 616: Environmental and Occupational Health

FOOD SANITATION 2

The Importance of Food Sanitation

The proximity of borders between the United States and Mexico allows for easy

transportation and importation of food products between Mexico and the United States. The

United States Department of Agriculture reports that in 2016, U.S. fruit and vegetable imports

from Mexico reached about 10 million metric tons (“USDA ERS - Agricultural Trade,” n.d.).

Resulting in a total value of about $12.4 billion dollars (“USDA ERS - Agricultural Trade,” n.d.).

Having such an economic impact on the United States put Mexico as the second largest supplier

of imported goods in 2017 (“How NAFTA Changed American (And Mexican) Food Forever,”

n.d.). With the high importation of fruit and vegetables entering the United States, food sanitation

plays a critical role in the field of environmental and occupational health. Understanding the

food sanitation procedures implemented in the country of Mexico in comparison to the food

sanitation procedures implemented in the United States can help to understand the importance

sanitation procedures have on decreasing the spread of foodborne illnesses in the United States.

History:1

In 1950, the green revolution changed the way agricultural productivity was increased to

be able to meet the population demand. It revolutionized the approach to increase crop yields by

involving planting monocultures of hybrid plants, application of large amounts of fertilizers,

irrigation waters, and use of pesticides (“Globalization and Food Safety | Globalization101,”

n.d.). Importation and exportation between Mexico and the United States had a significant

impact on the economy on a large scale after the North American Free Trade Agreement was

passed in 1994. The North American Free Trade Agreement incorporated Mexico, United States,

and Canada and allowed for the liberalization of trade in agriculture, textiles, and automobile

manufacturing to flourish (“Globalization and Food Safety | Globalization101,” n.d.). Canada

FOOD SANITATION 3

and Mexico remain the United States largest suppliers of agricultural products (“USDA ERS -

Agricultural Trade,” n.d.).

Evolution:2

The American diet includes many imported products and is dependent of many products

from Mexico. There is a higher demand in the United States for year-round supplies of fresh

produce. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the number one

imported vegetable from Mexico in 2016 was, tomatoes. Importation of tomatoes accounted for

29% followed by cucumbers 12%, chili peppers 10%, squash and bell peppers 7%, onions and

shallots 6%, and all others at 29%. The number one reported fruit imported in 2016 by the

United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) was, avocados at 22%. Other ranked

importations included, 18% watermelons, 15% Limes, 8% mangoes, 5% papayas, 5%

strawberries, and all others at 27% (Nutrition, n.d.-a). The increased demand of fresh produce

signifies hazards in relation to the expansion of globalization. Globalization has permitted gaps

in food safety and with the increase in cross-border trade of products, it has created increased

risk for outbreaks due to the varying quality of food safety regulations and enforcement in

different countries (“Globalization and Food Safety | Globalization101,” n.d.).

Cases of Foodborne Illnesses:3

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention every year 1 in 6 Americans

gets sick from eating contaminated food (Foodborne Illness Acquired in the United States—

Major Pathogens - Volume 17, Number 1—January 2011 - Emerging Infectious Disease journal

- CDC,” n.d.). The Centers for Disease and Control Prevention works with state and local health

departments to track foodborne illnesses. Foodborne illnesses are still a predominant global

health issue concern. According to the World Health Organization, it is estimated that 600
FOOD SANITATION 4

million or 1 in 10 people in the world will fall ill from eating contaminated food (World Health

Organization & Foodborne Disease Burden Epidemiology Reference Group, 2015). The World

Health Organization states that, foodborne illnesses can be caused by bacteria, viruses, parasites,

or chemical substances that enter the body from water or food that has been contaminated

(World Health Organization & Foodborne Disease Burden Epidemiology Reference Group,

2015). The most common foodborne pathogens include; Salmonella, Campylobacter, and

Escherichia Coli (World Health Organization & Foodborne Disease Burden Epidemiology

Reference Group, 2015). Foodborne illnesses remain a high public health concern because food

can essentially become contaminated during any point prior to reaching destination.

Cases of Foodborne Illnesses in the United States:3

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 31 known

pathogens are responsible for 9.4 million annual number of illnesses associated with foodborne

agents in the United States (Al, n.d.). Some of the 31 known pathogens that are mentioned are;

astrovirus, bacillus cereus, campylobacter spp, clostridium botulinum, clostridium perfingens,

Escherichia coli, enterotoxigenic, shiga toxin-producing O157, etc. (Al, n.d.). This does not

include the estimated annual number of illnesses related to unspecified foodborne agents which

accounts for 38.4 million cases in the United States. Fortunately, the data collected provides

insight or a brief overview of the number of cases of foodborne illnesses in the United states yet

a problem with the data collected is that it only accounts for the number of foodborne illnesses

that are reported. The number of foodborne illnesses cases could potentially be higher yet

unfortunately, not all cases are reported.

FOOD SANITATION 5

Foodborne pathogens in importations from Mexico:4

According to the Centers for Disease and Control, the most common foodborne illnesses

prevalent in Mexico include; amebiasis, cysticercosis, brucellosis, listeriosis, and infections with

Mycobacterium bovis. A very common foodborne issue seen with tourists that travel to Mexico

is, Traveler’s Diarrhea. Many of the infectious diseases seen are related to contaminated food

and water due to water treatment, sanitation, and hygiene are inadequate (Al, n.d.). Tap water can

contain viruses, bacteria, parasites, or chemical contaminants. It is also strongly advised that ice

be avoided as it might also be made from contaminated water. Prevention of foodborne illnesses

present in food produce that is being imported from Mexico or while traveling to Mexico can be

established and enforced by proper food sanitation procedures.

Regulation Laws in Mexico: 5

Regulations in Mexico can be as extensive as the processes that occur in the United States. The

National Program of control and monitoring of toxic waste in sampling procedures in Mexico is

a program that is run by the Federal Government through the Ministry of Agriculture Livestock

Rural Development, Fishing and Food (Secretaría de Agricultura Ganadería Desarrollo Rural,

Pesca y Alimentación /SAGARPA) (“Programa Nacional, n.d.). The program follows the

accorded international rules accepted by officials that ensures the procurement of safe products

for the population and for those that hold the TIF certification. TIF stands for Tipo Inspección

Federal or Federal Inspection Type. The problem though that arises is that according to a

publication of the agricultural and applied economics association, The Food and Drug

Administration (FDA) inspects about 1% of the imported foods it regulates at the border (“Food

safety,” n.d.). The small percentage of imported foods being regulated at the border can be

associated with foodborne illnesses that are brought into the United states. This occurs due to
FOOD SANITATION 6

resource limitations and a high volume and border facility limitations (Al, n.d.). It is extremely

challenging to inspect all produce at the port of entry and with only a random inspection system

currently being enacted, the chances of foodborne illnesses entering can occur at any given time.

According to the Secretaria de Salud (Health Secretary) in Mexico there are certain

guidelines established by the Comision Federal para la Proteccion de productos y servicios

(“NAFTA’s Economic Impact,” n.d.) which is translated to The Federal Commission for the

Protection of goods and services that should be followed to prevent the spread of foodborne

illnesses. Yet, there are multiple ways to bypass indirectly the guidelines set in place. An

example of this is the region in which certain vegetables and fruits are grown may determine

whether they are approved for importation into the United States. There is a specific regulation

currently in place that only permits avocados to be imported only from the state of Michoacán,

Mexico into the United States. Owners can bypass some of the sanitation and guidelines by

planting in other regions of Mexico and then transporting to the state of Michoacán where the

approval has already been given for owners to import into the United States. An appointed

member of the Department of National agrifood health and quality service (Servicio Nacional de

sanidad y calidad agroalimentaria) will be appointed to take a sample of the avocados prior to

harvesting occurring. The sample collected will determine whether the approval is granted for

the importation of the avocados into the United States. Once the approval has been granted the

harvesting continues and this is when the transportation of other avocados in different regions

takes place. Since no follow up is need by the appointed member it is almost uncertain what

complications can occur or what foodborne illnesses can be carried and imported into the United

States. This often occurs to meet the high demand of produce required in the United States.
FOOD SANITATION 7

Regulation Laws in The United States: 6

Regulations and codes established by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are

extensively explicit to help minimize the number of foodborne incidences that occur. Guidance

procedures for industries are available to help minimize microbial food safety hazards of fresh-

cut fruits and vegetables. Several guideline categories are established such as; personnel

guidelines, building and equipment, sanitation operations, production and process controls, and

documentation and records guidelines (Nutrition, n.d.-b). All procedures are important

components in preventing the outbreak of any foodborne diseases.

Sanitation: 7

Sanitation operations are a key component and must be carried through with detailed

precaution. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, it is recommended that

industries practice a form of sanitation standard operating procedures that includes cleaning and

sanitation of all equipment, storage area, fresh and fresh-cut produce production areas, air

systems, and water storage areas (Nutrition, n.d.-b). Proper documentation must also be kept of

the set sanitation schedule with a designated employee to sign for and enforce that sanitation is

promptly being completed. In accordance to the guidelines provided by the U.S. Food and Drug

Administration, cleaning and sanitizing chemicals must be accounted for not only the prevention

of foodborne diseases but also for safety of the employees handling such chemicals. Employees

must be well trained for chemical usage as for overall industrial or company procedures. Another

important aspect of sanitation includes pest control. Pests are associated with the bacteria E. coli

or O157:H7. Pest control procedures are vital to ensure that there are no rodents, birds, reptiles,

and insects that can harbor or be a vector to pathogens. Pest control can be a difficult aspect to

control as it includes physical and chemical controls. According to the U.S. Food and Drug
FOOD SANITATION 8

Administration; keeping all exterior doors closed when areas are not in use, removing waste

products, using pesticides, traps, bait, as well as keeping a map that identifies numbered

locations that have rodent traps or bait boxes inside and outside of the facility (Nutrition, n.d.-b).

Procedures for recall of fresh fruits and vegetables:8

Certain regulations or implications are established to avoid the exposure to foodborne

illnesses. The Mexican importer is responsible for making sure that products fully comply with

the revised NOM. Mandatory labeling requirements are required by NOM-051-SCF1-2010

(Nganje et al., 2009). Label requirements include; product name, product description, brand

name, exporter’s name, and address, country of origin, importer’s name, address, and RFC

number. The products must also include a list of ingredients, net content/drained mass,

manufacturer and importer’s information, batch number, expiration date, and nutritional

information. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the recent outbreak of

E. coli O157:H7 in romaine lettuce has a case count of 149 and was traced back to 29 states

(“Multistate Outbreak of E. coli O157,” 2018). Although this specific case did not occur from

produce imported from Mexico, it was easily traceable thanks to the mandatory labeling

requirements. Food sanitation should not be taken for granted as foodborne illnesses if left

untreated can lead to severe health conditions. The recent outbreak of E. Coli is a perfect

example of the severity that an outbreak can have. The recent outbreak of E. coli caused the

hospitalization of 64 people and included 17 people that developed a type of kidney failure

known as hemolytic uremic syndrome (“Multistate Outbreak of E. coli O157,” 2018).

Regulations established by the Food and Drug Administration work with many regulatory

government agencies to prevent the outbreaks of such harmful bacteria’s.

FOOD SANITATION 9

Safe home practices:9

The dependence or belief that the fresh fruits and vegetables have already been inspected

and pre-washed should not be the only source of disinfecting procedure taken at home.

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, during the growing phase, fruits and

veggies may be contaminated by animals, harmful substances in the soil or water, and poor

hygiene among workers. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration also state that even after

produce is harvested, it passes through many hands, increasing the contamination risk since

contamination can happen after the produce has been purchased, during food preparation, or

through inadequate storage (Nutrition, n.d.-b). The U.S. Food and Drug Administration

recommends picking produce that is not bruised or damaged. It is also recommended that once

fresh fruits and vegetables are at home to wash your hands for 20 seconds with warm water and

soap before and after preparing fresh produce, cut away any of the bruised areas off the produce,

and gently rubbing produce while holding under running water. There is also produce wash that

can be purchased to clean fresh fruits and vegetables prior to eating. The U.S. Food and Drug

Administration strongly recommends washing produce before peeling it so that dirt and bacteria

are not transferred to the knifes and then onto the fruit and vegetable. Other techniques that can

be used include using a clean vegetable brush to firmly scrub produce like cucumbers and

melons. Drying produce with clean paper towels can also reduce the bacteria that may be

present and throwing away the outermost leaves of a head of lettuce or cabbage are also helpful

techniques to reduce foodborne illnesses caused by bacteria.

Conclusion: 10

Food Sanitation can be a serious life threat if procedures and regulations are not

thoroughly complied. There are multiple components that are involved with the prevention of
FOOD SANITATION 10

foodborne illnesses. Many factors can be incorporated or seen play a role with the transportation,

sanitation, guideline and procedures that tie in with food sanitation. The outbreak of foodborne

diseases plays a huge role in health implications as well as in other areas. The proximity of

Mexico has had advantages for the consumers in the United States such as a wider availability

year-round of fresh fruits and vegetables to continue meeting demand. Unfortunately, the

probability of foodborne illnesses also being commuted increases. On a global and national scale

the cases of foodborne illnesses will also rise. The importance of organizations to emphasize

procedures and regulations will decrease the number of incidences as well as proper techniques

to disinfect food produce and vegetables at home to minimize the risk of acquiring foodborne

illnesses.
FOOD SANITATION 11

References

Programa Nacional residuos toxicos y contaminantes aves y huevos.pdf. (n.d.). Retrieved from

https://www.gob.mx/cms/uploads/attachment/file/118398/6.ProgramaNacionalresiduosto

xicosycontaminantesavesyhuevos.pdf

Al, L. G. et. (n.d.). Outbreaks of Disease Associated with Food Imported into the United States,

1996–2014 - Volume 23, Number 3—March 2017 - Emerging Infectious Disease journal

- CDC. https://doi.org/10.3201/eid2303.161462

Food safety. (n.d.). Retrieved May 16, 2018, from http://www.who.int/news-room/fact-

sheets/detail/food-safety

Globalization and Food Safety | Globalization101. (n.d.). Retrieved May 16, 2018, from

http://www.globalization101.org/globalization-and-food-safety-2/

How NAFTA Changed American (And Mexican) Food Forever. (n.d.). Retrieved May 16, 2018,

from https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2015/02/13/385754265/how-nafta-changed-

american-and-mexican-food-forever

Multistate Outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 Infections Linked to Romaine Lettuce | Investigation

Notice: Multistate Outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 Infections April 2018 | E. coli | CDC.

(2018, May 11). Retrieved May 16, 2018, from https://www.cdc.gov/ecoli/2018/o157h7-

04-18/index.html

NAFTA’s Economic Impact. (n.d.). Retrieved May 16, 2018, from

https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/naftas-economic-impact

Nganje, W., Richards, T., Bravo, J., Hu, N., Kagan, A., Acharya, R., & Edwards, M. (2009). Food

Safety and Defense Risks in U.S.-Mexico Produce Trade, 5.

FOOD SANITATION 12

Nutrition, C. for F. S. and A. (n.d.-a). Produce & Plant Products - FDA Survey of Imported Fresh

Produce - Import Produce Assignment (DFP # 05-16). Retrieved May 16, 2018, from

http://wayback.archive-

it.org/7993/20171114172347/https://www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceRegulation/GuidanceD

ocumentsRegulatoryInformation/ProducePlantProducts/ucm118884.htm

Nutrition, C. for F. S. and A. (n.d.-b). Produce & Plant Products - Guidance for Industry: Guide

to Minimize Microbial Food Safety Hazards of Fresh-cut Fruits and Vegetables.

Retrieved May 16, 2018, from

https://www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceRegulation/GuidanceDocumentsRegulatoryInformati

on/ProducePlantProducts/ucm064458.htm#ch7

Table A1 - Foodborne Illness Acquired in the United States—Major Pathogens - Volume 17,

Number 1—January 2011 - Emerging Infectious Disease journal - CDC. (n.d.). Retrieved

May 16, 2018, from https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/17/1/p1-1101-ta1

USDA ERS - Agricultural Trade. (n.d.). Retrieved May 16, 2018, from

https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/ag-and-food-statistics-charting-the-

essentials/agricultural-trade/

World Health Organization, & Foodborne Disease Burden Epidemiology Reference Group.

(2015). WHO estimates of the global burden of foodborne diseases. Retrieved from

http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/199350/1/9789241565165%5Feng.pdf?ua=1
FOOD SANITATION 13