POTENTIAL FOOD HAZARDS

Smallholders should be made aware of the range of potential food hazards and of the sources of these hazards. These include biological, chemical and physical hazards.

If the risk of microbial, chemical and physical hazards occurring is to be minimized, smallholders should be aware that hazards need to be controlled at all stages of crop production. The most effective way of controlling these hazards is by implementation of the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) system adapted to the needs of smallholders.

The hygiene elements of Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) are an effective way to manage the microbiological, chemical and physical hazards that are likely to be encountered at different stages of crop production. GAP is also a means to establish control procedures and remedial actions for each hazard together with a system of record keeping. Such hazards include:

• Contaminated soils;
• Grazing of livestock, use of the field for disposal of waste;
• Microbial or chemical contamination on crop;
• Presence of bacterial pathogens, parasites, viruses, or environmental contaminants, e.g. pollutants in irrigation water;
• Inappropriate use of pesticides;
• Presence of E. coli etc. in irrigation water;
• Microbiological and chemical contamination of harvested crops;
• Biological, physical and chemical contamination of harvested crops;
• Temperature and condition of harvested crop.

Fresh horticultural produce is considered to be low-risk, providing that it has been handled in clean hygienic conditions. The level of risk may, however, increase as it is processed further in the food chain. All fresh produce must satisfy microbial specifications set by supermarkets to confirm that the safety and quality management systems (QMS) practised on farms are in place, that Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) is implemented and that the hygiene and safety laws are complied with. If counts of microbes exceed these limits, the produce will be rejected, as it will not be safe to eat.