Platform Created to Exchange Information on Food Safety in Ethiopia

Addis Ababa October 27/2023 (ENA)  A conference organized by the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) has established One Health National Food Safety Technical Working Group that is aimed at serving as a platform to exchange information on food safety in the country and discuss evidences that inform decisions to improve food safety.   

This formation of the working group took place at the conclusion of a conference organized by the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) in Addis Ababa today.

 

The conference has discussed the outcome of research conducted by 6 food safety research projects on health and economic impacts of food borne diseases in Ethiopia as well as the challenges and opportunities for improving food safety in the country. 

In an exclusive interview with ENA, International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) Principal Scientist Theo Knight Jones said food borne diseases have huge impact globally, especially in low middle income countries in Africa. 

Accordingly, the studies examined dairy, meat, and vegetables value chains and assessed the prevalence and impact of major food borne pathogens in Ethiopia.

The findings can be used to inform government policy and the general public in order to try improve this situation. 

"We will link with the government in order to effect change," Jones stated, adding that "we look to them trying to understand the problem where research and innovation is needed to come up with new solutions."

ILRI Food safety researcher, Kebede Amenu said the results of the research suggestes that the evidence can be used to inform policy and intervention design to enhance food safety and nutrition in the country, reducing disease burden and improving health of people in Ethiopia.

"The research is carried out to generate evidence for intervention,, evidence in a sense that what kind of evidence are lacking. Most of the time research produces knowledge. The next steps are how to translate that knowledge into practice and policy."

The research has identified some of the critical knowledge gaps and research priorities for food safety in Ethiopia, such as the need for more investment from both public and private sectors, the key role of consumer demand and awareness in driving improvements in food quality, and the need to use innovative tools and approaches to enhance food safety

Many studies found high levels of bacterial pathogen contamination in different food items.  Stakeholders ranked twelve food borne pathogens as the most significant public health concerns based on burden of disease estimates.

They then prioritized critical control points in 4 food chains that would contribute most to preventing illnesses and, in particular deaths, it was learned.

University of Florida Professor Arie H. Havelaar who participated in the research said the economic cost of food borne diseases, based on death, pain, and suffering, and loss of  productivity through illness, found an annual cost of 725 million USD per year (1% of GDP) in Ethiopia. 

He pointed out that this only considered 3 key food borne germs, and the total cost due to types of food borne diseases will be much, much higher. 

Looking  at diseases from just 2 key germs (Campylobacter and Nontyphoidal Salmonella), an estimated 400,000 people get sick and 100 people die in Ethiopia every year from eating beef contaminated with these germs, Havelaar revealed. 

Similarly, dairy products are estimated to cause 500,000 illness cases and 200 deaths with an even greater burden attributed to chicken which accounted for 1.8 million illness and 850 deaths from the same two germs.  

The professor proposed 2 lines of action. "One is working with the value chain in general to promote safe production in agricultural; and also informing consumers safe ways to handle food in their home when they feed their children." 

The research was led by ILRI, the Ohio State University, the University of Florida, Addis Ababa University, and Technical University of Denmark, with funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the UK Government Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office LUKAID), it was learned.