Could climate change make food less healthy and unsafe for consumption?
| Feb 15, 2019, 15:32 IST
It's no secret that the world is going through a tremendous change in terms of global warming. Temperatures have been rising everywhere and now experts have opined that this change in climate could have a negative effect on the foods we consume. Each year more than 600 million people fall ill and 420,000 people die worldwide due to food contaminated with bacteria, viruses, parasites, toxins or chemicals.
Since unsafe food costs low, most middle-income economies tend to purchase these food items. And although unsafe food is a major concern worldwide, it “has not received political attention”, said WHO Director. “It is known that temperature increase as a result of greenhouse gas emissions may increase food contamination and food-borne diseases,” said the director of an International climate change initiative.
Apart from this, rising temperatures also make the environment a better breeding ground for flies. And more flies means there will be more bacteria. In fact, the temperatures could even give rise to certain fungi that are unsafe for health. “To have safe and nutritious food, our food system must be resilient in the face of climate change,” said an agricultural officer.
“If climate change brings extreme changes in weather, such as floods, some crops and food products may be more vulnerable to spoilage - and those products may end up in the food chain, which (raises) the food safety issue,” said Silvia Alonso Alvarez, an epidemiologist. “But the very interesting question of the relationship between food safety and climate change has never really been quantified,” she concluded. Stay tuned for more updates.
Since unsafe food costs low, most middle-income economies tend to purchase these food items. And although unsafe food is a major concern worldwide, it “has not received political attention”, said WHO Director. “It is known that temperature increase as a result of greenhouse gas emissions may increase food contamination and food-borne diseases,” said the director of an International climate change initiative.
Apart from this, rising temperatures also make the environment a better breeding ground for flies. And more flies means there will be more bacteria. In fact, the temperatures could even give rise to certain fungi that are unsafe for health. “To have safe and nutritious food, our food system must be resilient in the face of climate change,” said an agricultural officer.
“If climate change brings extreme changes in weather, such as floods, some crops and food products may be more vulnerable to spoilage - and those products may end up in the food chain, which (raises) the food safety issue,” said Silvia Alonso Alvarez, an epidemiologist. “But the very interesting question of the relationship between food safety and climate change has never really been quantified,” she concluded. Stay tuned for more updates.