Ensuring Global Economic Growth

Food is essential for human life. Unsafe food, contaminated with pathogens or chemical hazards, is estimated to cost 110 billion US$ each year in productivity and medical expenses in low-and middle-income countries. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 1 in 10 people get sick due to the consumption of contaminated food and about 420,000 deaths occur due to foodborne illnesses annually around the world (WHO, Food Safety, 2022). The impact of unsafe food extends far beyond individual health, creating a significant financial burden on individuals, healthcare systems, and national economies. The finan- cial cost of unsafe food encompasses various direct and indirect expenses. These costs arise fr om both the immediate impacts of foodborne illnesses and the long- term  consequences  on  public  health,  productivity,  and  economic well-being. Thereby effecting the global economic growth adversely. Food contamination due to microorganisms, mycotoxins, heavy metals, microplastics, persistent organic pollutants possess great food safety concern. In addition, climate change induced food safety risks, prolonged use of synthetic food additives, antibiotic resistance and water contamination also further contributing to soaring food safety concerns globally.
Microbial contaminants include bacteria, viruses, and parasites can contaminate food at any step of the food chain. Microbial contaminants are ubiquitous in nature, cross contamination encourage the spreading of infection, while unavailability of adequate refrigeration conditions further agitate the infec- tion by providing optimum growth conditions, thus increasing the opportuni- ties for food poisoning.
Mycotoxins are toxic secondary products of fungi that contaminate food commodities  i.e.,  aflatoxins,  ochratoxin,  patulin,  fumonisins,  zearalenone and nivalenol/deoxynivalenol have become a serious health concern as these toxic materials can cause poisoning and serious health issues in animals and humans (Mukhtar et al., 2023). The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has estimated that more than 25% of the global food crop is contaminated with mycotoxins, however the origin of this value is unclear, and research suggests that up to 60-80% of crops have detectable levels of mycotoxins (Eskola et al., 2019).
Heavy metals (HM), such as cadmium, chromium, mercury, lead, copper,
zinc and nickel, are defined by their densities greater than 5 g/cm3, which are non-biodegradable hazardous substances derived from natural mineral sources or industrial/agricultural discharges (Qin et al. 2020). The abundance of heavy metals in common foods, such as fresh vegetables and fruits, poses several human health risks including carcinogenesis, kidney dysfunction, immune system imbalance, and even death due to biomagnification and bio- accumulation (Sarker et al., 2021).
Microplastics (MPs) originated from single-use water bottles, to-go containers, food cans, and storage wraps etc. These small fragments of wastes being 1 μm - 5 mm contaminate the environment and threaten human health and ecosystem including crops, leading to economic losses. Based on reports from the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) and the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP), plastics in the environment annually burden the global economy by $19 billion, causing concerns for long-term ecological sustainability and the Global Goals. It is reported that about 8.3 billion tons of plastic waste have been created, leading to 4.9 billion tons discarded through landfilling globally, causing more than $13 billion financial loss annually. Microplastic waste management is more challenging compared to macroplas- tics due to their tiny size and less noticeable. The potential accumulation of microplastics in food chains, particularly in fish and crustaceans, appears to be the main source of human exposure to microplastics. Contamination of foodstuffs with MPs could have consequences for the health of human con- sumers by disrupting hormones, increasing risk of chronic diseases, impairing immune health etc. (Medicalnewstoday.com).
Persistent organic pollutants (POPs), are a group of carbon-based organic chemicals that are persistent, bio-accumulative with long-range transport
Microbial contaminants include bacteria, viruses, and parasites can contaminate food at any step of the food chain. Microbial contaminants are ubiquitous in nature, cross contamination encourage the spreading of infection, while unavailability of adequate refrigeration conditions further agitate the infec- tion by providing optimum growth conditions, thus increasing the opportuni- ties for food poisoning.
Mycotoxins are toxic secondary products of fungi that contaminate food commodities  i.e.,  aflatoxins,  ochratoxin,  patulin,  fumonisins,  zearalenone and nivalenol/deoxynivalenol have become a serious health concern as these toxic materials can cause poisoning and serious health issues in animals and humans (Mukhtar et al., 2023). The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has estimated that more than 25% of the global food crop is contaminated with mycotoxins, however the origin of this value is unclear, and research suggests that up to 60-80% of crops have detectable levels of mycotoxins (Eskola et al., 2019).
Heavy metals (HM), such as cadmium, chromium, mercury, lead, copper,
zinc and nickel, are defined by their densities greater than 5 g/cm3, which are non-biodegradable hazardous substances derived from natural mineral sources or industrial/agricultural discharges (Qin et al. 2020). The abundance of heavy metals in common foods, such as fresh vegetables and fruits, poses several human health risks including carcinogenesis, kidney dysfunction, immune system imbalance, and even death due to biomagnification and bio-accumulation (Sarker et al., 2021).
Microplastics (MPs) originated from single-use water bottles, to-go containers, food cans, and storage wraps etc. These small fragments of wastes being 1 μm - 5 mm contaminate the environment and threaten human health and ecosystem including crops, leading to economic losses. Based on reports from the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) and the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP), plastics in the environment annually burden the global economy by $19 billion, causing concerns for long-term ecological sustainability and the Global Goals. It is reported that about 8.3 billion tons of plastic waste have been created, leading to 4.9 billion tons discarded through landfilling globally, causing more than $13 billion financial loss annually. Microplastic waste management is more challenging compared to macroplas- tics due to their tiny size and less noticeable. The potential accumulation of microplastics in food chains, particularly in fish and crustaceans, appears to be the main source of human exposure to microplastics. Contamination of foodstuffs with MPs could have consequences for the health of human con- sumers by disrupting hormones, increasing risk of chronic diseases, impairing immune health etc. (Medicalnewstoday.com).
Persistent organic pollutants (POPs), are a group of carbon-based organic chemicals that are persistent, bio-accumulative with long-range transport
potential. POPs have been used and released to the environment through various human activities of industrial and agriculture sector. The released POPs can easily contaminate crops, livestock, seafood and drinking water and pose a high risk to human health.
Climate change significantly aggravating aforementioned food safety con    cerns. As extreme heat increases food safety risks, especially in areas without     adequate cold-chain management facility, which makes it harder to prevent     the growth of microbial contaminants. Warmer temperatures and droughts     increase the production of aflatoxins in harvested crops. Warming seawater     can induce the growth of toxin-producing algae that contaminate marine     products and further incubate foodborne illnesses causing Vibrio species.     Heavy rains and flooding encourage the spreading of infections. Moreover,     extreme weather affects and reduces the quality and nutritional profile of agri    cultural commodities.
Permitted food additives, with or without nutritional value, is used in processed foods. Food additives deliver numerous functions in food industry as they intensify colour, thickness, shelf life and flavor of processed food. Regu- latory authorities issue approvals as safe within acceptable quantitative limits. However, certain food additives such as artificial colorants, benzoate preser- vatives, non-caloric sweeteners, emulsifiers and their degradation derivatives reported to cause adverse health concerns by increasing risks of mental health disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, cardiovascular diseases, metabolic syndrome and possess potential carcinogenic effects. Further, ultra-processed foods (UPFs) contain combinations aforementioned addi- tives possess a great risk on adult obesity, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular diseases, mental health disorders and cancers (Warner, 2024).
Misuse of antimicrobial agents leading to the development of widespread antibiotic resistance (ABR) in organisms ranging from spoilage microorganisms to pathogens is another soaring issue. ABR is a threat to food industry, as it compromises the quality and safety of the food supply chain. ABR is one of the biggest threats to global health, food security, and development. Data from more than 200 countries forecasts the full toll of antimicrobial resistance on people, livestock and the economy and estimates a return of US$ 28 for every US$ 1 invested in drug innovation and health care improvements (World Organization for Animal Health).
Accessibility to safe water is a prerequisite in the food industry as water quality directly influences the product safety and quality. Water is one of the vital food ingredients which required from primary stage of crop production till its consumption. Water contamination by physical, chemical, or biological haz- ards poses health risks. Further, pesticide residues, heavy metals, persistent organic pollutants, and industrial chemicals contaminate food via water routes. Polluted water causes food contamination that leads to various food- potential. POPs have been used and released to the environment through various human activities of industrial and agriculture sector. The released POPs can easily contaminate crops, livestock, seafood and drinking water and pose a high risk to human health.
Climate change significantly aggravating aforementioned food safety con    cerns. As extreme heat increases food safety risks, especially in areas without     adequate cold-chain management facility, which makes it harder to prevent     the growth of microbial contaminants. Warmer temperatures and droughts     increase the production of aflatoxins in harvested crops. Warming seawater     can induce the growth of toxin-producing algae that contaminate marine     products and further incubate foodborne illnesses causing Vibrio species.     Heavy rains and flooding encourage the spreading of infections. Moreover,     extreme weather affects and reduces the quality and nutritional profile of agri    cultural commodities.
Permitted food additives, with or without nutritional value, is used in processed foods. Food additives deliver numerous functions in food industry as they intensify colour, thickness, shelf life and flavor of processed food. Regu- latory authorities issue approvals as safe within acceptable quantitative limits. However, certain food additives such as artificial colorants, benzoate preser- vatives, non-caloric sweeteners, emulsifiers and their degradation derivatives reported to cause adverse health concerns by increasing risks of mental health disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, cardiovascular diseases, metabolic syndrome and possess potential carcinogenic effects. Further, ultra-processed foods (UPFs) contain combinations aforementioned addi- tives possess a great risk on adult obesity, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular diseases, mental health disorders and cancers (Warner, 2024).
Misuse of antimicrobial agents leading to the development of widespread antibiotic resistance (ABR) in organisms ranging from spoilage microorganisms to pathogens is another soaring issue. ABR is a threat to food industry, as it compromises the quality and safety of the food supply chain. ABR is one of the biggest threats to global health, food security, and development. Data from more than 200 countries forecasts the full toll of antimicrobial resistance on people, livestock and the economy and estimates a return of US$ 28 for every US$ 1 invested in drug innovation and health care improvements (World Organization for Animal Health).
Accessibility to safe water is a prerequisite in the food industry as water quality directly influences the product safety and quality. Water is one of the vital food ingredients which required from primary stage of crop production till its consumption. Water contamination by physical, chemical, or biological haz- ards poses health risks. Further, pesticide residues, heavy metals, persistent organic pollutants, and industrial chemicals contaminate food via water routes. Polluted water causes food contamination that leads to various food-
borne diseases of bacterial (Travelers’ diarrhea, cholera, shigellosis), viral (hep- atitis, poliomyelitis), and protozoal (giardiasis and cryptosporidiosis) origin.
In parallel to the global scenario, numerous food safety challenges have been identified in recent times in Sri Lanka. Coconut oil imported to the country, was found contaminated with Aflatoxin, above permitted levels (Samarajeewa, U., 2021). Less data is available on the locally produced coconut oil, sold in the open market. Similarly, coconut refuse is added to animal feed and is known to con- tain aflatoxin, thus it becomes a potential contaminant in cow’s milk as aflatoxin M (Lakshman, et al., 2022). Similarly, the presence of class 2A and 2B carcinogenic compounds, namely 3-MACP and GEs, are known to be formed in palm oil and other during refining and deodorizing (Gesteriro, et al., 2019.). The presence of such components has not been investigated adequately. Heavy metals are important environmental pollutants threatening the health of human population and natural ecosystems in Sri Lanka. Due to the application of imported low priced fertilizer may have also affected our food production and supply, increasing contamination with heavy metals. Heavy metals can affect the quality of agricultural soils, includ- ing phytotoxicity and transfer of heavy metals to human diet from crops. Excessive usage of poor-quality fertilizer, industrial and municipal waste are the potential contributory factors to toxic metals in soil and ground water. The heavy metals of most concern are Cd, As, Pb. (Mahendranathan and Priyashantha, 2019). Climate change has been challenging to the farmers, causing poor drying conditions and storage of food produce, thus reducing shelf life. The emergence and re-emergence of foodborne pathogens has been a serious concern. Major food borne infections recorded in Sri Lanka as per the Epidemiology Unit of Ministry of Health (2017), are Campylobacter (in raw milk, raw or undercooked poultry and drinking water), Entero-haemorrhagic Escherichia coli (in unpasteurized milk, undercooked meat and fresh fruits and vegetables), Vibrio cholera (in contaminated food and water), Hepatitis A (in raw/ undercooked sea-food) and Listeria monocytogenes (in unpas- teurized dairy products, vegetables and fresh/frozen chicken).  Adulteration of foods is common, to gain market advantage, without realizing the consequences. The adulteration of black tea with sugar, glucose, sodium bicarbonate and ferrous sulphate to improve colour of tea leaves (Gunathilaka and Warnasooriya,2021) is known. Microplastics that can be harmful to marine and freshwater organisms, may also enter our food chain (Dharmadasa et al., 2021). The risk of microplastics to be found in table salt is questionable. Two main salterns of Sri Lanka, out of three are located in areas, (Puttalam and Mannar) wh ere the sea is mostly polluted. There- fore, there is a high possibility of salt produced in Sri Lanka to contaminate with microplastics. The main chemical contaminant problems for seafood export in Sri Lanka are histamine and non-essential trace metals, especially mercury (Hg) (Jina- dasa and Fowler, 2019). Chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology (CKDu) has emerged as a significant contributor to the burden of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in rural Sri Lanka. The prevalence of CKDu is 15.1–22.9% in some Sri Lankan dis- borne diseases of bacterial (Travelers’ diarrhea, cholera, shigellosis), viral (hep- atitis, poliomyelitis), and protozoal (giardiasis and cryptosporidiosis) origin.
In parallel to the global scenario, numerous food safety challenges have been identified in recent times in Sri Lanka. Coconut oil imported to the country, was found contaminated with Aflatoxin, above permitted levels (Samarajeewa, U., 2021). Less data is available on the locally produced coconut oil, sold in the open market. Similarly, coconut refuse is added to animal feed and is known to con- tain aflatoxin, thus it becomes a potential contaminant in cow’s milk as aflatoxin M (Lakshman, et al., 2022). Similarly, the presence of class 2A and 2B carcinogenic compounds, namely 3-MACP and GEs, are known to be formed in palm oil and other during refining and deodorizing (Gesteriro, et al., 2019.). The presence of such components has not been investigated adequately. Heavy metals are important environmental pollutants threatening the health of human population and natural ecosystems in Sri Lanka. Due to the application of imported low priced fertilizer may have also affected our food production and supply, increasing contamination with heavy metals. Heavy metals can affect the quality of agricultural soils, includ- ing phytotoxicity and transfer of heavy metals to human diet fr om crops. Excessive usage of poor-quality fertilizer, industrial and municipal waste are the potential contributory factors to toxic metals in soil and ground water. The heavy metals of most concern are Cd, As, Pb. (Mahendranathan and Priyashantha, 2019). Climate change has been challenging to the farmers, causing poor drying conditions and storage of food produce, thus reducing shelf life. The emergence and re-emergence of foodborne pathogens has been a serious concern. Major food borne infections recorded in Sri Lanka as per the Epidemiology Unit of Ministry of Health (2017), are Campylobacter (in raw milk, raw or undercooked poultry and drinking water), Entero-haemorrhagic Escherichia coli (in unpasteurized milk, undercooked meat and fresh fruits and vegetables), Vibrio cholera (in contaminated food and water), Hepatitis A (in raw/ undercooked sea-food) and Listeria monocytogenes (in unpas- teurized dairy products, vegetables and fresh/frozen chicken).  Adulteration of foods is common, to gain market advantage, without realizing the consequences. The adulteration of black tea with sugar, glucose, sodium bicarbonate and ferrous sulphate to improve colour of tea leaves (Gunathilaka and Warnasooriya,2021) is known. Microplastics that can be harmful to marine and freshwater organisms, may also enter our food chain (Dharmadasa et al., 2021). The risk of microplastics to be found in table salt is questionable. Two main salterns of Sri Lanka, out of three are located in areas, (Puttalam and Mannar) wh ere the sea is mostly polluted. There- fore, there is a high possibility of salt produced in Sri Lanka to contaminate with microplastics. The main chemical contaminant problems for seafood export in Sri Lanka are histamine and non-essential trace metals, especially mercury (Hg) (Jina- dasa and Fowler, 2019). Chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology (CKDu) has emerged as a significant contributor to the burden of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in rural Sri Lanka. The prevalence of CKDu is 15.1–22.9% in some Sri Lankan dis- tricts, and reports suggested an association with farming occupations, in terms of agricultural practices, geographical and contaminants identified in drinking water. Investment in technology is the ideal way to ensure food safety as cutting-edge technological advancements can bring preventive and remedial actions to address
critical food safety concerns thereby ensuring global economic growth.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is emerging as a transformative force in addressing     the multifaceted challenges of food safety, food quality, and food security. AI     enhances food safety through real-time contamination detection, predictive     risk modeling, and compliance monitoring therby reducing public health risks.     It improves food quality by automating defect detection, optimizing shelf-life     predictions, and ensuring consistency in taste, texture, and appearance. Fur-     thermore, AI addresses food security by enabling resource-efficient agricul-     ture, yield forecasting, and supply chain optimization to ensure the availability     and accessibility of nutritious food resources.
Application of Non-Thermal Processing methods such as cold plasma in food     processing operations neutralize pathogenic micro-organisms, including bac-     teria, viruses, pathogenic fungi, and parasites. Pulsed electric field processing     in food is a technology in which food is subjected to a short-term high-voltage     electrical pulse. These impulses cause transient structural changes in the cells,     which can lead to the inactivation of micro-organisms and enzymes, positively     affecting the shelf life of the product. Application of Ultrasound in in opti-     mizing food-freezing processes. High hydrostatic pressure (HHP) treatment     enhances the food quality due to the lack of heat treatment, which preserves     higher nutritional value and sensory quality.
Rapid food testing methods are cutting-edge techniques created to promptly identify allergies, infections, pollutants, and other dangerous materials in food. Rapid testing procedures yield results in a couple of hours or even minutes, in contrast to traditional methods that can take days to give results. Thus, facili- tating quick decision-making and remedial measures in the event of contam- ination identification. These sophisticated techniques use state-of-the-art technology such as chromatography, biosensors, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and immunoassays to detect pollutants with high sensitivity and pre- cision.
Natural or natural-derived food additives such as microorganisms-derived     preservatives (i.e. Lactic Acid Bacteria, Bacteriocins, Antimicrobial peptides)     and plant-derived preservatives (corn syrup, plant chitosan, plant secondary     metabolites, plant antimicrobial peptides, phytochemicals) can replace the     harmful synthetic additives and improve the product safety
Designing sustainable, recyclable, reusable and/or biodegradable food pack-     aging solutions, such as bio-plastics, edible films, anti-microbial films etc. can     be novel technological interventions in food packaging. Further, environment     friendly materials such as starch, poly hydroxy alkanoates, polylactic acid, and polybutylene succinate, and their blends with active agents, rendering them suitable for innovative food packaging applications.
Engineered nanomaterials have emerged as a promising technology for water     treatment, particularly for removing heavy metals. Their unique physicochem-     ical properties enable them to adsorb large quantities of metals even at low     concentrations.
Risk communication “an interactive process of exchange of information and     opinion among individuals, groups, and institutions”. As such, risk commu-     nication encompasses a range of activities, from consulting with the pub-     lic or professional organizations, to meeting with governmental partners, to     designing and delivering recalls or warnings. The future of food safety and     risk assessment can be evolved rapidly with the emergence of New Approach     Methodologies (NAMs). NAMs comprise in silico computational models, in     vitro assays, omics technologies, and Adverse Outcome Pathways (AOPs).     These technologies offer more accurate, human-relevant insights into expo-     sure of chemical and biological hazards, while reducing reliance on animal     testing.
Optimized pre-harvest practices and establishing Critical Control Points in     post-harvest practices can prevent and reduce mycotoxin formation in grains,     respectively. Further  application of decontamination treatments with vola-     tile bioactive compounds, cold plasma, ozonization or UV treatment can be     adopted in case with grains contaminated with mycotoxins.