Globalization and food safety draft #3

How can the Singapore government protect consumers from being affected by contaminated food from global sources?

In 2007, frozen meat and vegetable dumplings imported from China contained pesticide causing food poisoning in Japan (Chanda, 2013) and in the next year, melamine contaminated milk products took the lives of at least 6 children and caused 300,000 children to fall ill in china (Branigan, 2009). Melamine had been deliberately added into the milk to boost its protein in order to pass nutritional tests. Singapore, Malaysia, Japan and Hong Kong made a move to ban and recall Chinese dairy products in 2008 (Klamann, 2008). Globalized trade has enabled an increase in the variety of food products available for consumption and at the same time also increases the growing risk of consuming tainted food brought in from other countries,

Singapore imports over 90% of food products as it has a limited land resources. The over reliance on imported food products exposes Singapore to a high risk of being susceptible to food scandals (Tan, 2013). Singapore has to be alert in ensuring that imports are safe for consumption as tainted food can bring about severe socio-economic consequences. With the rise in food scandals occurring around Singapore, the Singapore government has to continue to be vigilant and ensure that regulations are secure to protect consumers from being affected by contaminated food from global sources. Two ways in which the government can do so is to work with international food safety authorities and continue to remain vigilant.

Products that are harmful will continuously arise as producers utilizing cheap chemicals to fulfill requirements and find ways to reduce costs and maximize profits. Also, unprecedented animal epidemics such as the mad cow disease need to be guarded against. Diseases can be transmitted when a person consumes infected animal meat.

Currently, the Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) has strict requirements for imported and locally manufactured food to comply with. The import of meat and meat products are authorized only from approved sources. Imports must have a health certificate by a veterinary authority of the country of origin to certify that Singapore's animal health and food safety requirements are met (AVA, 2013). Imports with high risks are required to be sent for testing to certify the safety of the imported food (Singapore customs, 2013). The government gives out food safety excellence and food safety partners’ awards to encourage the food industry to guarantee the safety of food provided commitment.

As the saying goes, prevention is better than cure. The government agency AVA should also work closely with food safety authorities internationally to share information and work on protecting the health of consumers. This way, when a certain food is found to be affecting the health of consumers, the food safety authority of that country will pass information regarding the food scandal on to the food safety authorities in other countries immediately to prevent the problem from escalating.

Furthermore, Singapore should not take the zero incident rate for granted. The AVA government agency should continue to be vigilant and not slack in the strict requirements they have. Employees should be well taken care of to prevent them from taking bribes to let imported food that do not meet requirements in to Singapore.

Despite being a small number, Singapore producers should be educated and warned severely about unethical actions that are harmful to the public. Producers who are guilty of such actions must be severely penalized.

In preventing contaminated food from being consumed, consumers are protected from harm. Issues such as consumers distrust arising from unethical selling of tainted food would not exist.

                                                            References

Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA). (2013). Requirements to

Import, Export and Transship Food. Retrieved October 12, 2013, from http://www.ava.gov.sg/AVA/Templates/AVA-GenericContentTemplate.aspx?NRMODE=Published&NRNODEGUID=%7b2BA0A4AA-05D8-4E3C-A8F9-60F26F90EA76%7d&NRORIGINALURL=%2fFoodSector%2fImportExportTransOfFood%2fReqToImportExportTransshipFood%2f&NRCACHEHINT=Guest#begin

Branigan, T. (2009, November 24). China executes two for tainted milk scandal.

theguardian. Retrieved from http://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/nov/24/china-executes-milk-scandal-pair

Chanda, N. (2013, April 4). One man’s meat is another man’s poison. YaleGlobal

online. Retrieved from http://yaleglobal.yale.edu/content/one-man’s-meat-another-man’s-poison

Klamann,  E. (2008, September 20). China Orders recalls as milk scandal widens.

Reuters. Retrieved from http://www.reuters.com/article/2008/09/20/us-china-milk-idUSSHA8903920080920

Singapore customs.(2013). Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (Processed Food).

Retrieved October 10, 2013,from http://www.customs.gov.sg/leftNav/trad/TradeNet/Agri-Food+and+Veterinary+Authority+(Processed+Food).htm

Tan, P.H. (2013, July 19). Opening remarks by Ms Tan Po Hong, chief executive

officer, agri-food and veterinary authority of Singapore, at AVA’s food safety awards night on 19 July 2013. Retrieved October 10,2013, from http://www.ava.gov.sg/NR/rdonlyres/9253E7B2-E57D-4992-982C-1304E73748D6/26395/CEOsSpeechforFoodSafetyAwardsNight13_Final.pdf

Globalization essay draft 2

Globalization is the process that has allowed the world to become integrated and interdependent. Globalization has brought about a rise in the production of goods and services. The process has enabled free movement of capital, goods and services and expanded international trade. Globalization has changed the world economies and the lives of people. People are exposed to a variety of foods and other products from other countries. Although, people are able to enjoy a diversity of food, contaminated food from global sources can also have a direct impact on them. In 2007, frozen meat and vegetable dumplings imported from China contained pesticide causing food poisoning in Japan (Chanda, 2013). With the rise in food scandals occurring around Singapore, the Singapore government has to be vigilant and ensure that regulations are secure to protect consumers from being affected by contaminated food from global sources.        

In 2008, melamine contaminated milk products took the lives of at least 6 children and caused 300,000 children to fall ill (Branigan, 2009). Singapore, Malaysia, Japan and Hong Kong made a move to ban and recall Chinese dairy products in 2008 (Klamann, 2008). Singapore is highly reliant on imported food thus there is a high risk of Singapore being susceptible to food scandals (Tan, 2013). Singapore has to be alert in ensuring that imports are safe for consumption as tainted food can bring about severe socio-economic consequences. Food safety in Singapore should not be taken for granted.

Currently, the Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) has strict requirements for imported and locally manufactured food to comply with. The import of meat and meat products are authorized only from approved sources. Imports must have a health certificate by a veterinary authority of the country of origin to certify that Singapore's animal health and food safety requirements are met (AVA, 2013). Imports with high risks are required to be sent for testing to certify the safety of the imported food (Singapore customs, 2013). The government also encourages with the food industry to guarantee the safety of food provided through awarding food safety excellence and food safety partners’ awards for their commitment. Products that are harmful will continuously arise as producers find ways to cut costs by using cheap chemicals as substitutes or when animal epidemics occur. The government has to ensure that methods used to test for poisonous substances in imported food are reliable and constantly upgraded.

As the saying goes, prevention is better than cure. The government agency AVA should also work closely with food safety authorities internationally to share information and work on protecting the health of consumers. This way, when a certain food is found to be affecting the health of consumers, the food safety authority of that country will pass information regarding the food scandal on to the food safety authorities in other countries immediately to prevent the problem from escalating. In preventing contaminated food from being consumed, consumers are protected from harm. Issues such as consumers distrust arising from unethical selling of tainted food would not exist.

References

Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA). (2013). Requirements to

Import, Export and Transship Food. Retrieved October 12, 2013, from http://www.ava.gov.sg/AVA/Templates/AVA-GenericContentTemplate.aspx?NRMODE=Published&NRNODEGUID=%7b2BA0A4AA-05D8-4E3C-A8F9-60F26F90EA76%7d&NRORIGINALURL=%2fFoodSector%2fImportExportTransOfFood%2fReqToImportExportTransshipFood%2f&NRCACHEHINT=Guest#begin

Branigan, T. (2009, November 24). China executes two for tainted milk scandal.

theguardian. Retrieved from http://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/nov/24/china-executes-milk-scandal-pair

Chanda, N. (2013, April 4). One man’s meat is another man’s poison. YaleGlobal

online. Retrieved from http://yaleglobal.yale.edu/content/one-man’s-meat-another-man’s-poison

Klamann,  E. (2008, September 20). China Orders recalls as milk scandal widens.

Reuters. Retrieved from http://www.reuters.com/article/2008/09/20/us-china-milk-idUSSHA8903920080920

Singapore customs.(2013). Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (Processed Food).

Retrieved October 10, 2013,from http://www.customs.gov.sg/leftNav/trad/TradeNet/Agri-Food+and+Veterinary+Authority+(Processed+Food).htm

Tan, P.H. (2013, July 19). Opening remarks by Ms Tan Po Hong, chief executive

officer, agri-food and veterinary authority of Singapore, at AVA’s food safety awards night on 19 July 2013. Retrieved October 10,2013, from http://www.ava.gov.sg/NR/rdonlyres/9253E7B2-E57D-4992-982C-1304E73748D6/26395/CEOsSpeechforFoodSafetyAwardsNight13_Final.pdf

Essay first draft

Globalisation is a phenomenon resulting in the world becoming integrated and interdependent. The world has become a global market as manufacturing, assembling and purchasing of products occur all over the world. Many companies are outsourcing to take advantage of cheaper labor in other countries.

Today, products are sold globally. In Singapore, a supermarket sells a variety of food and household products imported from countries such as China, America, Malaysia and many more. With such a diverse range to choose from, one is spoilt for choice. However, in the recent years, the number of food scandals have risen. In 2007, Chinese frozen meat and vegetable dumplings containing pesticide caused food poisoning in Japan (Chanda, 2013). With the rise in food scandals occurring around Singapore, the Singapore government has to tighten regulations and ensure testing methods are secure to protect consumers from being affected by contaminated food from global sources.        

Horsemeat was detected in frozen beef burgers in mid January. France beef meals tainted with horsemeat were treated as beef when it was sold from Romania to other countries and eventually back to France. Beef ready meals in other parts of Europe have been recalled after investigation showed horsemeat in them. The UK Food Standards Agency was criticized and doubted after this incident (BBC, 2013). Consumer confidence in labels has to be restored as a result.

In 2008, melamine contaminated milk products took the lives of at least 6 children and caused 300,000 children to fall ill (Branigan, 2009). Singapore, Malaysia, Japan and Hong Kong made a move to ban and recall Chinese dairy products in 2008 (Klamann, 2008). Tainted food can bring about serious health consequences as seen in this example. Food safety should not be taken for granted. Singapore is highly reliant on imported food thus there is a high risk of being susceptible to food scandals (Tan, 2013). Singapore has to be alert in ensuring that imports are safe for consumption.

The Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) has strict requirements for imported and locally manufactured food to comply with. Imports with high risks are required to be sent for testing to certify the safety of the imported food (Singapore customs, 2013). The government also encourages with the food industry to guarantee the safety of food provided through awarding food safety excellence and food safety partners’ awards for their commitment.

Harmful products will continuously arise as producers find ways to cut costs by using cheap chemicals as substitutes or when animal epidemics occur. The government has to ensure that methods used to test for poisonous substances in imported food are constantly reliable and upgraded. Animals imported should also continue to be strictly controlled and certified to prevent diseases from being introduced into the country. The AVA should also work closely with food safety authorities internationally to share information and work on protecting the health of consumers. This way, when a certain food is found to be affecting the health of consumers, the food safety authority of that country can pass information regarding the food scandal on to food safety authorities in other countries immediately to prevent the problem from escalating. In preventing contaminated food from being consumed, issues such as consumers distrust arising from unethical selling of tainted food would not exist.

(citations soon...)

Essay idea - Globalisation and Food Safety

a.  Description of a situation
Globalisation has resulted in the world being integrated and interdependent and this also means that countries will be affected by another country's mistake. Melamine-tainted milk causing infants to fall ill resulted in a world wide recall of China products containing melamine and the horse meat scandal where horse DNA was found in supposedly processed beef meat. In 2007, Chinese frozen meat and vegetable dumplings containing pesticide caused food poisoning in Japan (Chanda, 2013).

b.  Identification of a problem

Everyone is susceptible to buying dubious food which may be contaminated. There is a reduced trust in food labels.  Products produced from countries where food scandals occur will be boycotted as consumer confidence drops. A decrease of sales of products from these countries will be seen. At the same time, the public's health is at risk. Food safety has to be ensured.

c.  Description of a solution
Governments should require stringent checks on food imports, enforce strict standards. Impose fines if necessary and set regular checks on production factories. 
Food companies should be required to submit reports on the content of their food, ensure their food is safe for consumption. 
Sellers of global food should also implement measures such as requiring food companies to guarantee the safety of their food in order to prevent contaminated food from being sold.

d. Evaluation of the solution
The solution will only be effective if there is action taken. Although it will be a tedious process to check all the products, the health of the public is safe guarded. The implications of the public being affected by contaminated food is far greater.

e. Thesis/Intro.

Thesis
The rise in food scandals resulting in worldwide issues has shown that more attention should be given to food safety.

Introduction
Globalisation refers to the shift towards a more integrated and interdependent world economy. The ease of transporting and distributing products worldwide has increased. Falling transportation costs and removed trade barriers have enabled companies to sell their products in global supermarkets. In Singapore, a supermarket sells a variety of food and household products imported from countries such as China, America, Malaysia and many more. This expands the choices people have when choosing a particular product to purchase. However, in the recent years, food scandals have been rising.  In 2007, Chinese frozen meat and vegetable dumplings containing pesticide caused food poisoning in Japan (Chanda, 2013).