The role of Government in Food

1. The role of Government in Food Renusha Chanda 2012

2. Principles and functions • Jobs at the national level • Related jobs • International level • Skills Roadmap

3. The primary role of Government is to regulate food. Regulation is based on three principles: • Safety • Quality/Composition • Prevention of misleading consumers • Functions are carried out under different legislation, i.e. Acts of law • All government functions related to regulation of food is known as a food control system Government and Food

4. Aim is to ensure that foods consumed are safe. Why? Public health initiative. • Regulates additives, contaminants and chemicals used in food production by legislating maximum limits or criteria for hygiene or registration. • Also legislates penalties if safety regulations are not complied with. Therefore enforcement inspectorate is required. • Safety related legislation in South Africa: Foodstuffs, Cosmetics and Disinfectants Act, 1972 (Act 54 of 1972), Meat Safety Act, 2000. Safety of food

5. Relevant for classification of foods, regulates criteria for classification • Examples: • Fruit juices and drink classification based on percentage juice in the product (juice, nectar, drink etc) • Cake flour, industrial flour, brown bread wheat flour, white bread wheat flour etc. • Jams, jellies and marmalades • Also legislates penalties if regulations are not complied with. Therefore enforcement inspectorate is required. • Linked to prevention of misleading consumers • Agricultural Products Standards Act, 1990, National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications Act, 2008. Quality/composition of food

6. Usually applicable to labelling of foodstuffs and claims • Aim is to ensure consumers are informed of the true contents of a product. • Criteria published for claims and use of certain words on labels. Regulation of warning statements (polyols, caffeine etc) if certain ingredients are used. • Penalties are also legislated. • Foodstuffs, Cosmetics and Disinfectants Act, 1972 and Agricultural Products Standards Act, 1990, Consumer Protection Act, 2008 Prevention of misleading consumers

7. Jobs per function

8. Drafting legislation • Scientists: Microbiologists, biochemists, toxicologists, nutritionists, agricultural scientists, food scientists, veterinarians. • Enforcement • Environmental health practitioners, agricultural production technicians, chemists and analysts for lab testing • IECT/Promotion/Extension • Environmental health practitioners, agricultural production technicians, other Careers

9. Food security specialists • Agricultural input control: • Chemists & biologists for pesticide registration and evaluation • Veterinarians and pharmacists for veterinary drug registration and evaluation • Genetic scientists for registration and evaluation of genetically modified food • Animal health scientists • Public health specialists • Public administrators • Lawyers (consumer law) Other food related Government jobs

10. United Nations, Food and Agriculture Organization, World Health Organization • Public health specialists • Scientists: Toxicologists, chemists, nutritionists, agricultural scientists, pharmacologists International level

11. Technical knowledge • Legislative/regulatory knowledge. • Analytical thinkers • Contextual thinkers (government goals, public administration) • Systems thinkers Skills