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2. Discuss the concept of “Bioaccumulation of Toxins in the Food Chain.” What role to you believes that you play
as a future RD in helping to prevent the continued growth in the bioaccumulation of toxins in the food chain?
Answer: As outlined in Figure 19-1, the bioaccumulation of toxins in the food chain is a cumulative process
whereby toxins that are deposited into our water supply by manufacturers rest at the bottom of the lake, river,
ocean, etc. and become part of the microorganisms and small animal world that the small fish feed on. As a
3. Describe five environmental contaminants and/or pesticides that gain access to our food supply and suggest
alternatives to minimize the risk they pose.
Answer: Methyl mercury: Intense manufacturing education programs and very heavy fines for any person or
industry that contaminates the environment.
4. Food additives are believed to provide benefits to our food supply and, as indicated in Chapter 19, are regulated
by the FDA to protect the food supply from harmful practices. Discuss five types of food additives and the
rationale for their use in the food supply. Then provide your perspective on whether you believe that food
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additives offer advantages overall to the food supply or have the potential of causing more harm given the
potential for human error and business fraud.
Answer: Additives provide many benefits to the foods we eat. Because our food supply is much more global
than local, additives are used to protect the food from spoilage and enhance quality, especially when processing
has depleted some of the product’s natural nutrients. Additives may also be added for stability, flavor, or
texture.
Finally, flavor may need to be enhanced due to processing; flavors added include salt, sugar, spices, MSG, and
artificial sweeteners.
The following was partially taken from Table 19-6.
The second part of this question is a philosophical question for the student to consider as they work toward their
practice in dietetics. Several times throughout this manual, I have posed questions for the students to ponder
about their philosophical perspective of their practice. These are all important points to consider as they prepare
to become professionals in the field of dietetics.
5. The human body is over 65% water. A changing climate appears to be resulting in vast changes in our glaciers
and important ice formations, causing scientists real concerns about the changing temperatures on our planet
and our water resources. As noted in Chapter 19, contamination of water resources is a concern and consumers
have reacted to potential contamination of water with an increased consumption of bottled water. However, as
you are aware, bottled water is often not the best choice both budget wise and with regard to local minerals
found in the soil that can be healthful. What are some steps that your clients can take to increase their
consumption of water instead of carbonated beverages or other high-fructose corn syrup drinks? How might you
educate them or convince them that tap water is a better alternative to bottled water or other options?
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Answer: As we discussed earlier in this text, bottled water may not be the best and certainly not the most cost
effective alternative to getting one’s daily supply of water. However, individuals frequently turn to bottled
water because they fear contamination of the public water system and believe that bottled water is better for
them than other water sources, and because bottled water has become convenient for the consumer to purchase,
carry with them, and consume all day long.
IM Worksheet Answer Key
Worksheet 19-1: Safe Food Practices – Answers will vary; worksheet indicates which practices are safe.
Worksheet 19-2: Chapter 19 Crossword Puzzle
Worksheet 19-3: Foodborne Illness Trends (Internet Exercise)
Canadian Information8
19.1 Food Safety in Canada
Public health experts estimate there are 11 to 13 million cases of foodborne illness in Canada every year, most of
which can be prevented by proper food handling practices and cooking food to a proper internal temperature.9 Links
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The safety of food is regulated by Canada’s Food and Drugs Act and Regulations and by provincial governments,
municipalities, or regional health authorities. At the federal level, food safety policies, regulations, and standards in
Canada are set and monitored by:
Health Canada, Health Products and Food Branch
o establishes food safety policies, regulations, and standards, and provides guidelines and information related
to the safety and nutritional quality of all food sold in Canada.
Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA)
o enforces the food safety policies and standards established by Health Canada and provides all federal
inspection services related to food safety.
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
o provides information, research, policies, and programs for security of the food system.
Consumers, as well as government and industry, have a shared responsibility for the safety of food. Consumer-
oriented educational materials to promote food safety are available from your local public health authority, and the
following nation-wide web sites:
With the launch in 2007 of the Healthy Canadians web site, a shared initiative of Health Canada and the Public
Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), Canadians now have easy access to Government of Canada health-related
promotional campaigns. In late 2007, the government announced a Food and Consumer Safety Action Plan for
Canada to protect the health and safety of Canadians. The Action Plan focuses on: (1) actively preventing problems
in the first place by building safety throughout the supply chain, (2) targeting food and products with the highest or
unknown risks by requiring producers and suppliers to conduct safety tests and provide the results, and
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At a more localized level, provincial, regional, and municipal authorities for health, the environment, and agriculture
share responsibilities for the safety of food and water supplies. Mishandling of foods during handling, storage, and
preparation often permit the growth of pathogens leading to food-borne illness. The Food and Drugs Act and
Regulations define storage requirements and microbial specifications for foods to be offered for sale. Inspectors
monitor foods for contamination from extraneous matter such as insects, insect fragments, rodent hair, animal
droppings, metal or wood fragments, glass, etc. Agencies monitor all aspects of food safety, including the use of
pesticides that are primarily regulated by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.
19.2 Food Irradiation in Canada
Food irradiation is the process of exposing food to a controlled amount of energy called “ionizing radiation” to kill
microorganisms that cause foodborne illnesses and food spoilage, and to increase shelf life. Three different types of
radiation are allowed: Gamma rays, X-rays, and electron beam radiation. Canada’s Food and Drug Regulations11
indicate which foods are permitted to be irradiated, the sources of irradiation, the purpose of treatment, and the
acceptable absorbable dose of radiation. Health Canada is responsible for ensuring the regulations are met.
19.3 Organic Foods in Canada
In December 2006, following a multi-year consultation process, the federal Minister of Agriculture announced
release of the final version of the Canadian Organic Products Regulations, under the Canada Agricultural Products
Act.12 These national regulations, which came into force on June 30, 2009, were developed to protect consumers
against false and deceptive organic claims on food labels, to establish guidelines for proper use of the new “Canada
Organic” logo, and to set dynamic, yet current, standards that are equivalent to Canada’s trading partners’ standards.
19.4 Sustainable Seafood in Canada
For consumers who want to make sustainable seafood choices when dining out or eating at home, choosing foods
with the logo of Canada’s national seafood conservation program, Ocean Wise, ensures a sustainably sourced
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19.5 Food Additive Regulations and Food Allergies in Canada
Food additives are regulated in Canada under the Food and Drugs Act and Regulations,13 and defined as: “any
substance the use of which results, or may reasonably be expected to result, in it or its by-products becoming a part
of or affecting the characteristics of a food, but does not include:
(a) any nutritive material that is used, recognized or commonly sold as an article or ingredient of food;
(b) vitamins, mineral nutrients and amino acids, other than those listed in the tables to Division 16,
(c) spices, seasonings, flavouring preparations, essential oils, oleoresins and natural extractives;
(d) agricultural chemicals, other than those listed in the tables to Division 16,
(e) food packaging materials and components thereof; and
(f) drugs recommended for administration to animals that may be consumed as food.”
Canada’s regulations are similar to those of the United States. The policy on use of food additives in Canada is
consistent with that of the FAO/WHO Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives.
The safety of food additives is of particular concern for individuals with food allergies, sensitivities, or intolerances.
The requirement that ingredients and food additives are included on labels of pre-packaged foods helps these
individuals select foods that they can tolerate; however, some ingredients are currently exempt from declaration in
the list of ingredients. Therefore, Health Canada has proposed amendments to the Food and Drug Regulations to
enhance labelling requirements for specific priority allergens, gluten sources, and added sulphites in prepackaged
foods sold in Canada. A period of public comment on the amendments has now closed. Health Canada is taking
these comments into account, before publishing the final regulations in the Canada Gazette, Part II. Health Canada
also posts advisories, warnings, and product recalls for foods or beverages when the health of Canadians is of
declare on pre-packaged food labels when there is a possible inadvertent presence of an allergen in their food. The
two proposed precautionary statements are: “may contain X”; or, “not suitable for consumption by persons with an
allergy to X,” where “X” is the name by which the allergen is commonly known.
19.6 Water Quality in Canada
Water quality is an important issue in Canada. Health and environmental departments of the federal, provincial,
territorial, and municipal governments have responsibilities for safe water. Additional Canadian information is
found in Section 12.2 of this Instructor’s Manual.
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Highlight 19: Food Biotechnology
Considerable advances have been made in the past decade in food biotechnology and genetic engineering research to
produce novel foods, which are subject to Canada’s Food and Drugs Act. Health Canada, CFIA, Fisheries and
Oceans Canada, and Environment Canada have joint responsibility to regulate biotechnology-derived food products.
Health Canada is responsible for establishing regulations, guidelines, and public health policies for novel foods and
for assessing the human health and safety of all genetically-modified and other novel foods derived from
biotechnology and proposed for sale in Canada.17,18 Guidelines for the introduction and safety of novel foods are
found in Canada’s Food and Drugs Regulations.19 Companies who want to sell their novel foods in Canada must
receive approval from Health Canada in accordance with the Guidelines for the Safety Assessment of Novel Foods
(2006).20 These guidelines are based on internationally accepted principles for establishing the safety of foods
derived from genetically modified organisms. For example, foods produced from cloned livestock or their progeny
that have been produced using somatic cell nuclear transfer are considered novel foods and cannot be sold in the
Fisheries and Oceans Canada is responsible for developing regulations for biotechnology-derived aquatic organisms
under Canada’s Fisheries Act.22 Environment Canada is responsible for the New Substances Program, which
administers the New Substances Notification Regulations (Chemicals and Polymers) and the New Substances
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Notification Regulations (Organisms) under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999.23 These regulations
have been set to ensure no new substance (e.g., animate products of biotechnology) enters the Canadian marketplace
before an assessment for toxicity has been conducted.
In a collaborative initiative, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, CFIA, Public Works and Government Services
Canada, and Health Canada developed the voluntary standard that allows labelling claims for the presence or
absence of genetically engineered food ingredients. In 2004, the Canadian General Standards Board officially
adopted the standard for Voluntary Labelling and Advertising of Foods That Are and Are Not Products of Genetic
Engineering.24 The scope of this voluntary labelling standard defines terms, and sets out criteria for claims and for
their evaluation and verification for all foods sold in Canada.
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Worksheet 19-1: Safe Food Practices
Answer the following questions based on your understanding of food safety and see how you
rank in terms of being a “Food Safety Advocate.” (Circle “Yes” or “No.”)
1. I use a meat thermometer when I cook foods in the oven.
Yes
No
2. I wash my hands before I start meal preparation.
Yes
No
6. If a food smells funny, I taste it just to make sure that there is a problem.
Yes
No
7. I only purchase foods from a grocery store freezer that feel solidly frozen.
Yes
No
8. I use the extra marinade used in food preparation as a sauce when serving
food products.
Yes
No
Scoring:
• If you have answered “Yes” to questions 1, 2, 4, 7 and 10 give yourself 2 points for each
question, and if you have answered “No” then deduct 2 points for each question.
• If you have answered “No” to questions 3, 5, 6, 8 and 9 give yourself 2 points for each
question, and if you have answered “Yes” then deduct 2 points for each question.
Grading:
• A higher score indicates that you are a stronger “Food Safety Advocate,” whereas a lower
score indicates that you a weaker advocate and you need to go back to the kitchen!
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Worksheet 19-2: Chapter 19 Crossword Puzzle
Across:
Down:
2. antimicrobial agents, antioxidants, and other
additives that retard spoilage or maintain desired
qualities, such as softness in baked goods
3. heat processing of food that inactivates some, but
not all, microorganisms in the food
8. substances not normally consumed as foods but
added to food either intentionally or by accident
1. a class of chemical pollutants created as by-products
of chemical manufacturing, incineration, chlorine
bleaching of paper pulp, and other industrial
processes
4. the ability of a substance to harm living organisms
5. in agriculture, crops grown and processed according
to USDA regulations defining the use of fertilizers,
1
2
3 4 5
6
7
8
9
10
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Worksheet 19-3: Foodborne Illness Trends (Internet Exercise)
1. Which of the following statements is true concerning FoodNet?
2. E. coli O157 infection was the most common problem spread by contaminated foods in the year 2007.
a. True
b. False
3. Salmonella is a common bacterial germ.
4. There is only one way to transmit Salmonella from animals to humans.
5. Food contamination with E. coli O157 can cause diarrhea in humans.
a. True
b. False
6. In order to minimize the risk for transfer of organisms, it is advised that you wash your hands the
