FOOD SAFETY AND HYDROPONIC FARMING

MORE PEOPLE TALKS OF RELATION BETWEEN HYDROPONIC AND FOOD SAFETY recently. For me as agronomist and referring from internet definition in which  Hydroponics is a type of horticulture and a subset of hydroculture, which is a method of growing plants, usually crops, without soil, by using mineral nutrient solutions in an aqueous solvent. Food safety are defined as a scientific discipline describing handling, preparation, and storage of food in ways that prevent food-borne illness. The occurrence of two or more cases of a similar illnesses resulting from the ingestion of a common food is known as a food-borne disease outbreak. Today more consumers asked why they need a culture of Food Safety and the relation of the dangers of foodborne illnesses. Latest report shows that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 48 million people get sick (1 in every 6 person), 128,000 patient are hospitalized and 3,000 die from foodborne illnesses each year in the USA. Food can be contaminated by many different disease-causing germs. There are many different types of foodborne illnesses (sometimes described as food poisoning or foodborne disease). In Malaysia the local media reported the food poisoning case increase 23.6% in 2019 for school student (NST Report). Actually over 250 types of foodborne illnesses have so far been identified in the world annually. The majority are infections caused by bacteria, parasites, and viruses. Food can also be contaminated with harmful toxins and chemicals. This blog in "Anim Agriculture Technology" I share an article about the relation of food safety issues and hydroponic farming system.

May be food may become contaminated during any stage of the food supply chain that was from production, distribution, processing, preparation, to storage. Germs can spread to food from unclean utensils, surfaces, or equipment. And it’s not uncommon for these contaminated foods to make it to market and into kitchens and restaurants before anyone knows there is a problem. I took raw seaweed dishes in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah for food testing competition and at the end was trouble last year for mild food poisoning (See photo above). When I went back to the hotel and 'google' than read about “Food safety” as describes all operations and practices that are utilized to keep food safe. Keeping food safe is a joint effort involving everyone in the food supply chain. All along the food supply chain from producers and farmers to wholesalers and retailers there are standardized regulations and controls in place to reduce the risk of food contamination. Part of food safety practices involves growing, handling, preparing, packaging, and storing food in a way that best reduces the risk of people getting ill from foodborne diseases. Food safety is a concern all over the world and one that we should take great care to address. Most significant basic fundamental include the principles of food safety focus on preventing food from becoming contaminated and causing food poisoning. 

The food safety measure is achieved through several different methods include the understanding food allergies, food intolerance, and food poisoning. By keeping up high standards of personal hygiene (i.e hand-washing) when handling food at any step in the food supply chain. The storing, heating and cooling food properly with regard to temperature, environment, and equipment. By using effective and adequate pest control measures, cleaning and sanitizing all surfaces, utensils, and equipment. In the question of how hydroponics can improve Food Safety are very interesting subject. Hydroponic farming unlike in traditional or conventional farming, wildlife and also livestock can’t contaminate produce grown in a vertical farm’s greenhouses. It’s almost impossible to prevent such ability for contamination in traditional agriculture where wide open fields are susceptible to bird droppings and animal encroachment. For me although there are not many industry-wide food safety standards for hydroponic growers but the vast majority of companies or growers have rigorous processes in place. From my bservation where the vertical farms are generally and significantly safer than conventional agriculture. I also believes that the reason many vertical farms don’t have internationally recognized food safety certifications is because their stellar food safety reputation is proof enough.

Recently since vertical farms use a hydroponic system for watering, there’s very little chance that contamination from water will infect the produce. Hydroponic systems add basic nutrients to tested or purified water and then apply that water directly to the plants’ roots. The system completely bypasses the use of soil in which is a possible contaminant with a lengthy history of getting people very sick. Currently the hydroponic technology also avoids the problem of runoff from nearby sources of toxic chemicals or biological waste. From study reported that the major pathogen such as E. coli outbreak occurred in many food poisoning cases in local hospital and related to contaminated food seems to be over. Epidemiologic, laboratory, and traceback evidence that conclusively showed where the contaminated where the food came from. Sources said that from a total of more than 140  individuals were infected with the outbreak strain of E. coli about 70 people were hospitalized due to this outbreak. Worst when about 12 who developed hemolytic uremic syndrome as a kind of kidney failure and luckily, no deaths were reported. The medical report claimed that some think that  E. coli results in little more than an upset stomach, but outbreaks can be very serious affairs and in some cases have caused death. At best, it causes vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach cramps and let alone an long-term aversion to lettuce after getting sick. Basically many said that hydroponic in the greenhouses are more safer than from the soil-based farming produce. At the end for me in this case there are recommendation that that hydroponic-grown produce was not related to the food poisoning. Actually hydroponic growing offers many other Food Safety benefits. Hydroponic growing does not require high levels of pesticides and uses less water, land, and fertilizers than conventional farming. Vertical farms also use a soilless medium for growing their plants. This means that food products are not infected by pathogens that can sometimes contaminate soil and be passed to traditionally grown crops. The greenhouse vertical farms are highly under controlled environments in which the light intensity, temperature, and humidity are closely monitored and controlled and the growing solution is strictly regulated. With so many levels of checks and controls, it is far less likely that pathogens and toxins could be introduced into these closed environments. Thanks for reading and the intention to start hydroponic activities!.

Thanks.

By,

M Anim,

Putrajaya,

Malaysia.

(Febuary 2021).