Nutrition, Food Safety and Food Security (Post-Harvest)
Introduction
Food security refers to sustained access at all times, in socially acceptable ways, to food adequate in quantity and quality to maintain a healthy life. Hunger is the uneasy or painful sensation caused by a lack of food, and is a potential, although not necessary, consequence of food insecurity. Having enough calories is not sufficient to assure nutritional adequacy, since foods available may not provide essential nutrients for health. Thus obesity and food insecurity can co-exist in the same individual. It is a priority of [CCE]…to work with vulnerable populations to educate families and influence policies that will allow youth, families and communities to make sound nutritional decisions with constrained resources. Home and community gardening are active and affordable ways to improve food security; CCE staff and volunteers are often well-positioned to provide guidance and assistance with these projects.
The food supply must be safe to ensure a healthy, well-nourished population. While the United States has one of the safest food supplies in the world, foodborne illness occurs and has a significant impact on both the health of Americans and the economy. By some estimates, foodborne illnesses cost the United States $77.7 billion annually in health care and other losses. Center for Disease Control compiled data indicating that known pathogens account for an estimated 48 million illnesses, 128,000 hospitalizations, and 3,000 deaths annually. An untold number of foodborne illnesses go unreported because people may not seek medical attention and because of varying capabilities of local and state health departments to collect and report incidences. Food contamination also affects the viability of firms in the food system, from small, to regional to international companies. Safety from farm to retail and then in the home can be improved through research, education and training that results in better practices that reduce contamination risks.
A variety of good agricultural and manufacturing practices can reduce the spread of microorganisms throughout the food system, farm to fork. This encompasses training of farmers, wholesalers, processors, retailers and consumers, areas where Cornell University has active research and training programs. (Excerpts from the CCE 2017 Statewide Plan of Work.)
By completing this section you will:
- Recognize SNAP-Ed NY nutrition education activities and how garden programs link to their main messages. Identify the ways in which MGVs can partner with SNAP-Ed NY.
- Understand safe handling, preparation and preservation of food including important practices in preventing foodborne illnesses and avoiding cross contamination.
- Examine aspects of food security including the availability and access to food, sufficiency of food, social and cultural acceptability of food, and nutritional quality and safety of food.
- Become familiar with the latest statistics and impacts of food insecurity in New York State and articulate the importance of gardening as a way to foster food security.
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