Food Safety in a Varied and Changing World

Food quality standards can be costly to enforce, but the cost of low standards can often be far higher, with a similar impact to other major health issues. Food quality issues often disproportionately affect people in developing countries, particularly the most vulnerable. Compounding this effect, food production often represents a large proportion of GDP in developing countries — while lack of food quality standards can negatively affect the viability of their products in a global market. Dr. Renata Clarke, Senior Food Safety and Quality Officer with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, discusses how technological innovation and policy framework can enable improved food standards, quality of life, and ultimately global market access in developing countries.