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Food Safety Management 311

In addition to the normal strains of these zoonotic diseases, drug-
resistant strains of bacteria (such as E. coli and Listeria) are emerging
and causing health scares. Centralization of the food industry means
that a single contaminated product may appear in many different
foods and many different forms and infect a considerable number of
people before it is identified. Monitoring, control, and management
of such hazards are central to any food safety strategy. Food safety
management within the EU and worldwide is governed by food
safety policy decisions and effective implementation of these policies
in member states through food safety regulation. Food safety has
become a priority research area worldwide as the global food supply
evolves (Tent 1999).

10.3 Food Safety Measures
A firmer grip on food safety issues has been aided by the introduction
of pertinent regulatory responses on the international stage. This has
enabled a closer analysis of possible risk factors and risk-reduction
measures for existing and emerging pathogens. Food regulation
engenders fair trade in food and food products within and between
nations while protecting the consumer’s health and increasing eco-
nomic viability (Aruoma 2006).

10.3.1 World Trade
The World Trade Organization (WTO) was formed in 1995 following the
Uruguay round of multilateral trade negotiations and is currently
the only global international organization dealing with the rules of
trade between nations. WTO negotiations and agreements are there-
fore agreed on by trading nations (Aruoma 2006). WTO sanitary and
phytosanitary (SPS) agreements, and the codes of practices issued by
the CODEX Alimentarius Commission (CAC), represent current best
practices that are required to ensure trade of safe food in a world
market (Jukes 1993, 2000; Boutrif 2003). All WTO members are required
to ensure that their SPS measures are based on the assessment of risks
to human, animal, or plant life or health (Klapwijk et al. 2000). WHO
also works closely with the Food and Agriculture Organization
(FAO) of the United Nations to address food safety issues worldwide
and to ensure safe food production and trade that is based on risk
assessment.
CODEX was established in the 1960s by the FAO and WHO to
ensure safe and fair trade in food worldwide and to establish interna-
tional standards to ensure this. As stipulated under the SPS agree-
ment reached at the Uruguay round of the General Agreement on
Tariffs and Trade (GATT) negotiations, member states must justify