Food Product Risk Assessment

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Table of Contents

Executive Summary
Overview of Contaminant Types
Likelihood of Food Safety Risk Occurring
Two Contaminants of Most Concern: Mussels and Chicken
The Adverse Impact on Consumer Health
Mitigating the Risks of Mussel and Chicken Contamination
Reference List

Executive Summary

The production of convenience meal products requires companies to be extremely cautious of the ingredients they use and suppliers with which they collaborate. Each category of foods presents specific challenges in terms of quality and safety for consumption, which is why conducting a comprehensive risk assessment of ingredients is high on the agenda for most food producers. In the current evaluation, special attention will be placed on conducting a risk assessment of five ingredients of a pre-prepared meal that will include chicken, mussels, rice, milk powder and spinach. Each of the mentioned ingredients has a different country of sourcing, which represents additional challenges to the food company manufacturing convenience meals for large supermarket chains.

In the current assessment, it was identified that chicken meat and mussels represent the two most significant challenges for the company producing convenience meals. Chicken can be contaminated by a wide range of chemicals used for decreasing the costs of production as well as bacteria that lead to diseases such as Salmonella. As a source country, Brazilian exporters has been in the centre of controversies associated with the improper transportation and management of chicken meat.

Contaminated mussels represent the second challenge to a food company due to the high risks of microplastics being found in mussels sourced from locations around the world. As Portugal has increased its production and export of mussels, the issue becomes even more challenging since completely eliminating the pollution of mussels with microplastic is impossible.

When it comes to eliminating the identified challenges, the consistent monitoring and evaluation of the safety measures taken at facilities that produce or source the ingredients for pre-prepared meals. The standard of no-tolerance to the contamination of chicken meat should be established at poultry factories while companies that source mussels in Portugal should ensure the freshness of their produce.

Overview of Contaminant Types

The issue of food contamination is of concern not only for the producers of meals but also for the global health industry in general. In the beginning, it is important to conduct an overview of types of contaminants that could be found in the product. As the key ingredients include chicken, mussels, rice, milk powder and spinach, assessing the potential contaminants in the dish is the first step toward the identification of mitigation strategies.

Poultry meat is an ingredient of concern due to the increased use of both natural and chemical substances that have dangerous qualities at moderate or very low concentrations (Filazi et al. 2017). According to the study by Filazi et al. (2017, p. 171), “residues are of concern, including veterinary drugs, environmental pollutants (dioxins, pesticides and phthalates), natural contaminants (mycotoxins, etc.) and/or phytosanitary substances accidentally contaminating poultry product during production or marketing stages.” The problem of the use of the substances in poultry presents a challenge due to the high risks of them adversely influencing the health of consumers.

Mussels represent another category of products that require careful attention due to the range of risks associated with the contamination. For instance, the spread of plastic pollution had a negative impact on the quality of mussels as reported by Doyle (2017) for Reuters. Small bits of plastic “were found in mussels fished around the world, from the European Arctic to China” (Doyle 2017, par. 4). Researchers in China, Chile, Canada, Belgium, Britain and Norway reported identifying bits of plastic in mussels, making the chances of the compound ending up in people’s plates very high (Doyle 2017).

Possible contamination of rice by numerous harmful substances is a challenge to the global food industry because rice is a staple ingredient in many cuisines. Arsenic, mineral oil, toxins from bacteria, lead and cadmium, feces of mice and rats, as well as chemicals from packaging material are all contaminants that put consumers at risk of poisoning. According to the study by Sohn (2014, p. 62), “because the way rice is grown, it can harbor arsenic, which is a threat to human health.” The contamination by this material has been linked to the cancers of the skin, bladder, lungs, prostate and heart disease. On a short-term basis, arsenic contamination can result in the occurrence of gastrointestinal issues, the cramping of muscles and lesions of feet and hands.

Milk powder is an ingredient that has been studied from numerous angles. For instance, Bogdanovičová et al. (2017) conducted a risk assessment of milk powder to reveal the occurrence of toxigenic strains of Staphylococcus aureus. In addition, the regular intake of powder milk can lead to the occurrence of weight gain, high levels of blood pressure. It is also important to consider that the prolonged and excessive use can be more harmful compared to the benefits it provides.

Lastly, spinach is a vegetable that can be contaminated by E.coli due to the processes associated with packing, washing and transporting it. The high volumes of production and management of the vegetable with the help of industrial machinery increase the risks of contamination, which is why purchasing spinach from local small-batch vendors that grow it themselves is recommended.

Likelihood of Food Safety Risk Occurring

The likelihood of chicken-associated risks occurring is extremely high due to a large number of chemicals used in meat production. Chicken is subjected to a range of accidental, intentional, or environmental contaminants, including veterinary drugs of phytosanitary products (Filazi et al. 2017). In addition to this, Brazil has recently been subjected to controversy associated with the production of chicken products in relation to sanitation concerns (Spring 2018). Brazilian chicken was referred to as a “serious health risk” because of retailers labelling chicken that could have been “thawed, reworked and refrozen” (Rousseau 2018). This means the high risks of dangerous bacteria occurrence, including Salmonella, which represents a challenge for the food safety system.

In regards to mussels, the contamination with plastic is among the highest possible risks to occur because European researchers have reported finding bits of the material in mussels sourced in the region. Portugal has started investing in mussels sourcing and expanding the exploited areas. For instance, Finisterra S.A. grew the area it was using from 44.4 to 161 hectares (European Maritime and Fisheries Fund 2013). The project was extremely successful, leading to the production of 4200 tonnes of muscles per year (European Maritime and Fisheries Fund 2013). The increased sourcing of mussels in Portugal raises the changes of finding plastic in them.

In Bangladesh, the problem rice irrigation with arsenic-contaminated groundwaters has increased arsenic levels in both the crop and the soils in which it is grown. The high concentrations of arsenic are directly associated with poor water management during production (Roberts et al. 2012). Additionally, the high rates of Bangladesh purchasing of rice lead to the increased risks of arsenic contamination (Jadhav & Paul 2018).

In terms of milk powder, China has been subjected to a scandal associated with the production of dry baby milk, as reported by Huang (2018) for Quartz. Babies consuming the powder milk made in China were diagnosed with kidney stone disease, which is extremely rare in children. This incident “shattered the confidence of people in Chinese-made infant formula – and in the entire local food supply” (Huang 2018, par. 5).

This means that powder milk sourced in China represents some risks in terms of food safety. As to spinach sourced from the Netherlands, no evidence pointing to the possible risks associated with the use of the vegetable has been found. The Netherlands is among the largest producers and exporters of spinach and manufactures approximately 45,000 tons of the vegetable per year.

Two Contaminants of Most Concern: Mussels and Chicken

Based on the assessment above, chicken and mussels are the two products that represent the most challenges. In the case of chicken, chemical contaminants are of greatest concern along with the high risks of bacteria-based infections such as Salmonella. In regards to mussels, the contamination by plastic is the most concerning issue. The breakdown of these issues will help to identify the specific reason for their occurrence as well as point to the ways in which food suppliers violate the established standards.

Contamination of Chicken Meat

When it comes to the justification for the high risks of chicken contamination, veterinary drugs and toxic or radioactive elements may cause some issues for end consumers of the final products. Veterinary drugs are substances prescribed from the prevention and treatment of diseases that occur in chicken (Filazi et al. 2017). The illnesses range from bacterial infections to Coccidia, which is why the most substances used for the treatment predominantly include antibacterial growth promoters and anticoccidial substances.

Chicken is usually fed soybean and corn meal mixtures that include a range of vitamin and minerals as well as medications, which make up approximately 68% of the total cost of production. Among the costs of manufacturing, the application of vaccinations and drug application cover approximately 2% (Filazi et al. 2017). It should be noted that in the production of poultry, hormone injections are forbidden and not considered profitable.

Antimicrobial medicine is regularly used for the prevention and treatment of diseases, sustaining the health of chicken, inducing their growth and subsequently enhancing the quality of the meat with the aim of reducing the costs of production. While in the European Union the use of antimicrobials for promoting growth has been prohibited, the medicine is still being used in Brazil. The prevention of coccidiosis has become a usual procedure in contemporary farming due to the possibility to decrease the high risks of birds’ mortality and morbidity.

For birds, the residue of drugs in eggs is a problem since only several medications have been approved for laying eggs. Nevertheless, the contamination of eggs is predominantly accidental. Veterinary drugs are used in the form of feed additives at factories. Specialised mixing equipment is used for ensuring that the birds get the necessary amount of medication.

Toxic and radioactive elements represent another challenge in terms of chicken contamination. Arsenic, lead and cadmium are all toxic compounds that can have a negative influence on chicken’s meat quality. Arsenic compounds, which can include roxarsone, nitarsone, arsanilic acid and carbazone, have been used in the industry to promote growth, improve the pigmentation of meat, prevent diseases and increase the efficiency of feed. Lead emissions represent direct results of the chicken industry operations, which is why the public health and governmental regulations have advocated for their decrease.

Cadmium is an element that has become a widespread contaminant that was released from industrial and agricultural sources. Radioactive substances that include Iodine-131 and Cesium-137 also represent significant challenges to the safety of chicken products. While the former can be transferred to animals through the feed cropped in meadows where Iodine-131 is present, the latter is the result of nuclear reactor leakages and leads to significant health concerns.

The contamination of chicken meat by such bacteria as Salmonella is another dangerous consequence of the improper production of meat. The bacteria can even lead to lethal consequences for consumers, as reported by Eskin (2018) for the Pew Charitable Trusts. Salmonella outbreaks can occur in any country due to poor management practices on farms and food production facilities. Apart from the dangerous substances that could be found in chicken meat, the country where it is sourced, chicken sources from Brazil have been reported to present significant health risks, with consumers from South Africa diagnosed with bacterial diseases (Rousseau 2018).

The chicken exported from Brazil was found to be stocked wrongly, refrozen and reworked. This led to the detection of high levels of dangerous bacteria in the chicken, which could subsequently increase the likelihood of bacterial disease occurrence. In addition, several producers from Brazil are at high risk of being banned from exporting meat to the European Union due to the considerations of inadequate sanitation. While some of the allegations regarding the improper management of chicken during transportation and storage may not be substantiated, the reports of the poor quality of chicken from Brazil raise questions regarding the safety of the product’s consumption.

Contamination of Mussels

As identified in the risk assessment, small bits of plastic sourced in oceans around the world have been found. This points to the challenge of plastic pollution not only ending up in waters but also in the food that is being eaten. In the Reuters article by Doyle (2017), it was mentioned that microplastics were found in mussels in multiple locations where scientists have looked, which presents a significant issue. While the impact of plastic contaminants on humans when eaten is not clear, it is suspected that people who eat large numbers of mussels may experience the adverse effects of contamination by plastic.

The issue of mussels being polluted by plastic is especially problematic because shellfish plays the role of the seas and oceans’ natural filters. By being the mechanisms of purity, mussels absorb the pollutants that get subsequently released back to consumers. Unfortunately, the issue has become common and widespread, pointing to the need for further studies in the area.

Scientists in the UK have conducted research to sample mussels from eight coastal locations of mussel harvesting and eight random supermarkets to reveal that 100% of the collected samples containing microplastics as well as other pollutants such as rayon and cotton (Gabbatiss 2018). The mussels stocked in supermarkets, which came from different locations around the globe, contained more plastic particles if they were cooked or frozen compared to when they were freshly caught. No issues occurred at the stages of storage and transportation.

The Adverse Impact on Consumer Health

Chemical compounds such as the residue from veterinary drugs can have a potentially negative impact on the health of individuals who consume chicken products. According to Filazi et al. (2017, p. 174), “in addition to the specific effects of antimicrobials, edible tissues of poultry may contain veterinary drug residues, which would cause hazardous health effects in human, such as direct toxicological/pharmacological effects, hypersensitivity, allergic reactions, change of gut microflora and increased bacterial resistance to antibacterials.”

The chronic intoxication with lead emissions was found to cause consumers pain, anaemia, constipation, as well as hypertension and cardiovascular disease in adults. In children, the contamination of chicken meat with lead leads to neuropathological disorders and the decrease in learning capacities (Filazi et al. 2017). The absorption of cadmium through liver and kidneys is a significant risk due to the long biological half-life of the substance.

Also, cadmium can lead to both direct and indirect damage of bone. Apart from this, the European Union Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the International Agency on Cancer Research (IARC) classified cadmium as a human carcinogenic that could lead to the development of lung, breast, bladder and endometrium cancer (IARC 2018). When the toxic substance of Iodine-131 is absorbed by the canal of digestion, it predominantly targets the thyroid gland, which is a crucial organ that regulates major processes in the human body. The absorption of Cesium-137 by the body is associated with the complications of the soft tissues.

These poor management practices implemented at chicken production plants increase the chances of consumers developing food poisoning associated with Salmonella. A gastrointestinal infection by the bacteria usually develops in the small intestine and is one of the most widespread types of poisoning by food (Erickson Gabbey 2017). In the United States, approximately nineteen thousand people are hospitalised with Salmonella poisoning each year, which points to the need for chicken farmers and large companies to develop strategies targeted at the elimination of the disease.

In regards to the effects of mussels contaminated by plastic pollutants, the frequent intake of the particles may lead to the accumulation in the organism and cause health issues associated with the digestive tract, liver, kidneys and the organs of elimination. However, it should be noted that a person should eat between seventeen and eighteen mussels each day to consume dangerous amounts of plastic. In addition to the issue of contamination by plastic, consumers should be aware of the risks of poisoning by Salmonella and other bacterial diseases.

Mitigating the Risks of Mussel and Chicken Contamination

The first step in addressing the identified food safety risks is resolving the issue of chicken contamination by bacteria and harmful substances. An example of an effective solution was demonstrated by factories in Denmark; they developed a strategy of zero tolerance to the disease and required contaminated flock to be eliminated along with the tainted eggs and chicken meat (Terry 2014).

A company that works with the manufacturers of chicken meat should ensure that its partners follow the no-tolerance strategy. High risks of Salmonella contamination of chicken can be reduced through the administration of vaccines as well as programs intended to test animals for the presence of the disease (Terry 2014). It should be noted that many poultry companies fail to adopt appropriate measures to eliminate Salmonella development in birds.

Independent evaluators can be hired to oversee that the standards of hygiene are kept at the highest level. In addition, frequent check-ups can be conducted through taking the samples of chicken meat and testing them for the contamination with toxic substances including veterinary drugs, toxic compounds, as well as diseases such as Salmonella.

The assessment of risks associated with the contamination of mussels showed that eliminating the likelihood of customers consuming the traces of debris caught in shellfish. When working with the suppliers of mussels, a company making convenience meals for supermarkets should require them to provide fresh mussels. The freshness of seafood has been directly associated with the high quality of ingredients due to the reduced risks of contamination by Salmonella as well as other bacteria-related conditions.

This means that if the sourcing of mussels is unavailable in the regions that are in sufficient proximity to the manufacturer of pre-prepared meals, the ingredient must be substituted for another seafood product that has lower risks of contamination by plastic. Overall, the strategies aimed at the mitigation of the identified risks and possible food safety hazards should be targeted at the proactive management of relationships with suppliers that deliver the ingredients to the company producing convenience meal products.

Reference List

Bogdanovičová, K, Necidová, L, Haruštiaková, D & Janštová, B 2017, ‘Milk power risk assessment with staphylococcus aureus toxigenic strains,’ Food Control, vol. 73, no. A, pp. 2-7.

Doyle, A 2017, ‘Plastic found in mussels from Arctic to China – enters human food’, Reuters. Web.

Erickson Gabbey, A 2017, Salmonella food poisoning. Web.

Eskin, S 2018, To reduce salmonella contamination in chicken, target the problem on farms. Web.

European Maritime and Fisheries Fund 2013, Portugal. Web.

Filazi, A, Yurdakok-Dikmen, B, Kuzukiran, A & Sireli, U 2017, ‘Chemical contaminants in poultry meat and products,’ Poultry Science. Web.

Gabbatiss, J 2018, ‘All UK mussels contain plastic and other contaminants, study finds,’ Independent. Web.

Huang, E 2018, ‘Ten years after China’s infant milk tragedy, parents still won’t trust their babies to local formula,’ Quartz. Web.

IARC 2018, Cadmium and cadmium compounds. Web.

Jadhav, R & Paul, R 2018, ‘India rice exports seen surging to record as Bangladesh boosts buying,’ Reuters. Web.

Roberts, L, Hug, S, Dittmar, J, Voegelin, A, Kretzschmar, R, Wehrli, B, Saha, G, Ali, A & Badruzzaman, A 2012, ‘Arsenic contamination of paddy fields through groundwater irrigation in Bangladesh: risks for rice production and mitigation perspectives,’ Interdisciplinary Studies on Environmental Chemistry – Environmental Pollution and Ecotoxicology, vol. 2012, pp. 109-115.

Rousseau, O 2018, ‘Brazilian chicken ‘a serious health risk’’, Global Meat. Web.

Sohn, E 2014, ‘Contamination: the toxic side of rice,’ Nature, vol. 514, pp. 62-63.

Spring, J 2018, ‘EU expected to block Brazil chicken exports: agriculture minister,’ Reuters. Web.

Terry, L 2014, ‘Contaminated chicken: how Denmark solved its salmonella problem,’ The Oregonian. Web.

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