Safe aquatic food - Sustainable Food from the Oceans and Inland Waters for Food Security and Nutrition

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The key element SAFE AQUATIC FOOD refers to optimising food safety as it is a prerequisite for increased consumption of aquatic food. Actions linked to this key element rely on understanding: the connection between hygienic production and foodborne illness; the connection between environmental pollution; food production and human health; how contaminants and pollutants end up in the food (value) chain; and levels of contaminants. Relevant SDGs related to this element are SDG 2, 3, , 4, 6, 7,, 8, 9, 12, 14, 16, 17. Relevant recommendations from the Committee on World Food Security are CFS 4A.3, 4B, 4B.4. More links are required, especially for topics where no links are present yet. Please send input to FoodFromtheOcean@hi.no

Key element SAFE AQUATIC FOOD

Challenge: General food safety

Knowledge

Reports

Illuminating Hidden Harvests (FAO)

Solutions

Food Safety Authorities (legislation, enforcement)

Food standards, guides and codes of practice

Codex Alimentarius (FAO)

Guidelines

Voluntary Guidelines on the Progressive Realization of the Right to Adequate Food in the Context of National Food Security (No. 9) (FAO)

Challenge: Hygiene

SDG 2, 4, 7, 8, 9 and 17
CFS 4A.3 and 4B

Knowledge

Cooling systems

‘Cold’ handling and storage systems (FAO)

Monitor for knowledge

on improved ovens for smoking, drying racks, preparation of fish powder etc. (LINK REQUIRED)
on climate changes affecting preservation (LINK REQUIRED)

Research project

SmallFishFood

Solutions

Food standards, guides and codes of practice

Codex Alimentarius (FAO)

Innovation for better methods of preservation

Improvement of human skills to handle food

Capacity development for small-scale post-harvest and trade actors, in particular women
Towards gender-equitable small-scale fisheries governance and development (FAO)

Challenge: Contaminants

SDG 3, 6, 12, 14 and 16

Knowledge

Increase knowledge on contamination and food safety in fish

Dioxins and their effects on human health (WHO)
Food safety fact sheet (WHO)

Monitoring programs

IMR seafood monitoring (Norway)

Feed with low levels of contaminants and pollutants LINK?

Connection to terrestrial industry, Contaminants and pollutants from land-based industry ending up in waters

Water pollution from agriculture: a global review (FAO)

Risk-benefit reports

Solutions

Food standards, guides and codes of practice

Codex Alimentarius

Developing transparent national databases

Seafood database on contaminant and nutrient levels in fish and seafood (Norway) (SDG 3.b)

Make research on contaminants easily accessible to public

Contaminants in the fish caught (Finland)
Seafood database (Norway)

Specific recommendations for eating fish and seafood from polluted areas (SDG 17.18)

Restrictions from known polluted areas (e.g. Baltic sea) (Finland) (SDG 3.9, 3.b)

Finding the source of contamination

The Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP)-system (FAO)

Use sustainable and safe feed ingredients (LINK REQUIRED)

Action across boarders ensuring healthy clean waters (LINK REQUIRED)

Challenge: Consumers lack of knowledge

Knowledge

Teaching plans and information brochures

Public education and communication (FAO)

Reports

Solutions

Examples from countries

Consumer information from health and food authorities (No)

Guidelines

Voluntary Guidelines on the Progressive Realization of the Right to Adequate Food in the Context of National Food Security (No. 9) (FAO)

Challenge: Covid-19

Knowledge

Resources

Information on COVID-19 and small-scale fisheries (FAO)

Solutions

Sensitization Workshop

COVID-19 sensitization for NAFPTA (National Fishworkers and Traders Association of Ghana) executives (FAO)