Food policy analyses and prioritisation of food systems to achieve safer food for South Africa

Food safety has become an important international public health and economic issue since the first and only publication of global estimates on the burden of food borne diseases by the World Food Organisation in 2015. The consumption of unsafe food has had a detrimental effect on public health and ec...

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Main Authors: Tshilidzi Isaac Dama, Olwethu Loki, Wegayehu Fitawek, Sikwela M. Mpuzu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2024-12-01
Series:Applied Food Research
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772502224000866
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author Tshilidzi Isaac Dama
Olwethu Loki
Wegayehu Fitawek
Sikwela M. Mpuzu
author_facet Tshilidzi Isaac Dama
Olwethu Loki
Wegayehu Fitawek
Sikwela M. Mpuzu
author_sort Tshilidzi Isaac Dama
collection DOAJ
description Food safety has become an important international public health and economic issue since the first and only publication of global estimates on the burden of food borne diseases by the World Food Organisation in 2015. The consumption of unsafe food has had a detrimental effect on public health and economic development due to productivity loss, chronic diseases, and death because of the consumption of unsafe food. The challenges that constrain the provision of safe food in South Africa's food systems and potential solutions were identified through a systematic literature review and meta-analysis. Identified potential solutions were then ranked through stakeholder interviews. Twelve actions from various thematic focuses were prioritised as no-regret solutions using Best-Worst scaling. The prioritised no-regret actions include research and technology actions such as the multi-sectoral collaboration of researchers to develop strategies to deal with the complexity of food systems and identify priorities for interventions, adopting technological innovations throughout the value chain to improve food safety, strengthen laboratory diagnostic services, and conducting more research studies on the use of easy-to-understand food safety labels to improve awareness. The no-regret options prioritised are feasible and provide the basis for policy interventions to improve food safety and achieve developmental goals. This study recommended harmonising the legislative framework to improve stakeholder collaboration and accelerate the much-needed transformation of the food systems.
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issn 2772-5022
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publishDate 2024-12-01
publisher Elsevier
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series Applied Food Research
spelling doaj-art-dae26ebe47c14d3c85f691d527c8dd032024-12-18T08:54:22ZengElsevierApplied Food Research2772-50222024-12-0142100476Food policy analyses and prioritisation of food systems to achieve safer food for South AfricaTshilidzi Isaac Dama0Olwethu Loki1Wegayehu Fitawek2Sikwela M. Mpuzu3Department of Agricultural Economics, Extension and Rural Development, University of Pretoria, South Africa; Corresponding author.Department of Agricultural Economics, Extension and Rural Development, University of Pretoria, South AfricaDepartment of Agricultural Economics, Extension and Rural Development, University of Pretoria, South AfricaDepartment of Public Administration and Economics, Mangosuthu University of Technology, South AfricaFood safety has become an important international public health and economic issue since the first and only publication of global estimates on the burden of food borne diseases by the World Food Organisation in 2015. The consumption of unsafe food has had a detrimental effect on public health and economic development due to productivity loss, chronic diseases, and death because of the consumption of unsafe food. The challenges that constrain the provision of safe food in South Africa's food systems and potential solutions were identified through a systematic literature review and meta-analysis. Identified potential solutions were then ranked through stakeholder interviews. Twelve actions from various thematic focuses were prioritised as no-regret solutions using Best-Worst scaling. The prioritised no-regret actions include research and technology actions such as the multi-sectoral collaboration of researchers to develop strategies to deal with the complexity of food systems and identify priorities for interventions, adopting technological innovations throughout the value chain to improve food safety, strengthen laboratory diagnostic services, and conducting more research studies on the use of easy-to-understand food safety labels to improve awareness. The no-regret options prioritised are feasible and provide the basis for policy interventions to improve food safety and achieve developmental goals. This study recommended harmonising the legislative framework to improve stakeholder collaboration and accelerate the much-needed transformation of the food systems.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772502224000866Food safetyFood systemsFood-borne diseasesNo-regret optionsTransformation
spellingShingle Tshilidzi Isaac Dama
Olwethu Loki
Wegayehu Fitawek
Sikwela M. Mpuzu
Food policy analyses and prioritisation of food systems to achieve safer food for South Africa
Applied Food Research
Food safety
Food systems
Food-borne diseases
No-regret options
Transformation
title Food policy analyses and prioritisation of food systems to achieve safer food for South Africa
title_full Food policy analyses and prioritisation of food systems to achieve safer food for South Africa
title_fullStr Food policy analyses and prioritisation of food systems to achieve safer food for South Africa
title_full_unstemmed Food policy analyses and prioritisation of food systems to achieve safer food for South Africa
title_short Food policy analyses and prioritisation of food systems to achieve safer food for South Africa
title_sort food policy analyses and prioritisation of food systems to achieve safer food for south africa
topic Food safety
Food systems
Food-borne diseases
No-regret options
Transformation
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772502224000866
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