Food is one of our most basic requirements. Access to safe, healthy food is now considered a right, not a privilege. To that effect, several national and international committees have been constituted to ensure food safety. Globalisation has given us access to various kinds of food; however, the increasing use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, increase in the production and consumption of processed foods and pollution in the environment have impacted the quality of the food we consume.
Food Safety and Quality Control presents a comprehensive overview of food safety and discusses the different types of hazards present in food—biological, chemical and physical. The important topics covered in this book are:
Presence and growth of microorganisms in food
Spoilage and preservation of food
Food-borne diseases
Contaminants like pesticides, veterinary drug residues, heavy metals and chemicals in food
Food adulteration
Laws, regulations and statutory bodies governing food safety
Risk analysis and procedures ensuring food safety
Quality management
Importance of hygiene and sanitation in the food sector
Emerging concerns for safety of food
A complete handbook on all aspects of food safety, this informative volume discusses both the organized food industry and the small-scale and unorganized sector. It will serve as a core text for undergraduate students of home science, nutrition and hotel management and will also be useful to professionals in the health and food sectors.