Miller Magazine Issue: 131 November 2020

48 COVER STORY MILLER / November 2020 cess to healthy, safe and diverse diets. The pandemic has decimated jobs and placed millions of livelihoods at risk. As breadwinners lose jobs, fall ill and die, the food securi- ty and nutrition of millions of women and men are under threat, with those in low-income countries. In the COVID-19 crisis, the major grain importers countries like Egypt, Algeria, Turkey, Morocco and the Philippines are steping up efforts to top up their grain reserves to guarantee their people’s food security. Chi- na is set to buy the most wheat in a quarter century and has already booked large amounts from the U.S. and France. Demand is also emerging in unusual places like Pakistan, which is poised to become a net import- er. Many nations want to bolster reserves to protect against any coronavirus-related supply disruptions. While global stockpiles are at a record high, inventories in major exporters are near a six-year low, partly be- cause of strong imports. During the pandemic, another issue that has increased in importance along with food security is food safety. Sci- entists and food safety authorities around the world are closely monitoring the spread of COVID-19. There are currently no confirmed cases of COVID-19 being spread through food or food packaging. However, the pandemic has made us more aware of the critical importance of food safety. According to a new study from the Mars Global Food Safety Center (GFSC) that surveyed more than 1,750 people in the U.S., U.K. and China, more than half of respondents (52 percent) feel food safety is a top three global issue – and 77 percent think it’s a top 10 global issue. Food can become contaminated with microorganisms that cause human illnesses from multiple sources along the entire food chain, starting from infections in live an- imals up to the point of consumption. Preventing such contamination will reduce foodborne illness and decrease the likelihood of new viruses emerging in the food chain. Effective management of risks arising from food related hazards is technically a complex process. A process that has been traditionally the responsibility of the industry that has to operate an array of control measures relating to the food hygiene within an overall regulatory frame- work. A “Risk-based” approach is the mean of evaluating and controlling food related hazards to help protecting the health of consumers and ensure fair practices in food trade. Risk analysis includes 3 component parts of risk assessment, risk management and risk communication. Unsafe food is a major social and development chal- lenge and public health cannot be improved if the food reaching the consumer is not safe. Food safety must