Review ArticleOpen Access

Farm-To-Fork Food Surveillance System: A Call for Public Health Education

Volume 1 - Issue 6

**Mario Brondani*¹ and Adriana RB Siqueira²**

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- ¹Department of Oral Health Sciences, University of British Columbia, USA
- ²Speech Language Pathologist, Private Practice, USA
*Corresponding author: Mario Brondani, Associate Professor, Director, Dental Public Health Graduate Program, Department of Oral Health Sciences, Division of Preventive & Community Dentistry, and Prosthodontics and Dental Geriatrics, University of British Columbia, 2199 Wes brook Mall. Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, USA

Received: November 07, 2017; Published: November 14, 2017

DOI: 10.26717/BJSTR.2017.01.000527

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Abstract

Objective: This paper aims to present a generalized farm-to-fork surveillance system framework with a focus on education for improving health and controlling and preventing food borne illnesses.

Method: A brief literature search compiled some of the existing surveillance systems with special attention to the Canadian context. The Public Health Agency of Canada conceptual model for food borne surveillance was used to develop a framework focused on educating the public on controlling and preventing food borne illnesses.

Result: The farm-to-fork surveillance system presented focuses on the end-user as well as producers and food handlers, with special attention on how to keep illness-causing pathogens out of food, destroy them once they have contaminated the food, and control their growth in already contaminated food. There are many local and worldwide efforts on how to properly hand-sanitize before, during and after food preparation in restaurants/eateries and at home so that food borne illnesses are prevented.

Conclusion: A food borne illness surveillance system is needed in Canada focusing on introducing a harmonious and standardized surveillance system across the country; strengthening local and provincial capacity for implementing such surveillance and in responding to food borne illnesses through networking; and enhancing the surveillance capacity along the entire farm-to-fork chain.