National Food Control Systems: A Review

Abstract

This article reviews literature on national food control systems (NFCS). The major objectives of NFCS, their main components, and current issues relating to NFCS are discussed. Common problem areas and the actions taken by countries to improve their system are analysed. The review shows that elements of NFCS suffer from certain limitations, such as obsolete food laws, duplication of work, lack of resources, and poor organisation, which make the system ineffective. NFCS have been established to various extents in both developed and developing countries; however, most countries have not used management techniques in developing and implementing their food control programme. Since NFCS face a number of challenges, it is important for both developed and developing countries to strengthen their food control systems to meet these challenges.

Keywords:

• Food control system
• Food legislation
• Enforcement

Acknowledgement

Comments received from Harris Neeliah, of the Department of Agriculture and Food Economics, University of Reading are gratefully acknowledged.

Notes

¹For instance, in the United Kingdom (UK), there was the sad episode of the Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy in 1997, a Listeria monocytogenes outbreak in US in 1999, and E. coli O157:H7 infection in 1996 in Japan that have triggered new forms of control.(23)

²Much later it evolved to meet a demand for quality by consumers.

³Different appellations exist for the inspector: food officers, food inspectors, police, veterinarians, health inspectors.

⁴This includes the analysis of domestic food production, imports, and exports.

⁵This is because the consumer is at the end of the food chain.

⁶Non-participation of consumers or sometimes, multinationals are behind consumers' association, and they try to influence policy formulation in their favour.

⁷For example, they have a low level of education and lack of scientific knowledge and information.

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