الأمم المتحدة تضع دستورا جديدا لسلامة الغذاء ومعايير جديدة للفاكهة والخضر والأسماك

اعتمدت هيئة الأمم المتحدة للدستور الغذائي "CAC" جملة مواصفات جديدة للمواد الغذائية من أجل حماية صحة المُستهلِكين فى جميع أنحاء العالم، تتضمّن معايير للفاكهة والخُضر والأسماك والمنتجات السمكية وعلف الحيوان.

 

وتبنّت هيئة دستور الغذاء الدولية أيضاً مدونات للوقاية من مادة الأوكراتوكسين أ "ochratoxin A" الملوِّثة والمسبِّبة للسرطان فى الكاكاو، وتوجيهاتٍ لكيفيّة تجنُّب التلوّث المجهرى فى التوت، وأخرى حول تطبيق إجراءات المطالبة فى حالة الأغذية الموصَّفة على أنها "غير محتوية على إضافات أملاح الصوديوم"، بما فى ذلك توصيف: "لا يحتوى على أملاح مضافة" على التغليف الخارجي، بهدف مساعدة المستهلِك فى اختيار حمية صحّية سليمة.

وتُعنى هيئة الدستور الغذائى المشتركة بين منظمة الأمم المتحدة للأغذية والزراعة "FAO" ومنظمة الصحة العالمية"WHO"، بإرساء معايير سلامة الأغذية ومواصفات جودتها دولياً لترويج أطعمة مغذّية أكثر مأمونية وذات قيمة تغذوية أعلى للمُستهلكِين فى جميع أنحاء المعمورة. وغالباً ما تُتخَذ مواصفات هيئة الدستور الغذائى أساسٌ للتشريعات الوطنية فى هذا المجال، ولتحديد مقاييس السلامة المعيارية للأغذية ولتجارة الغذاء الدولية. وفى اجتماعها السنوى مؤخراً، احتفلت هيئة الدستور الغذائى بعيد ميلادها الخمسين وسط دورة حضرها  620 مندوباً عن 128 دولة عضواً، ومنظمة عضو واحدة، ودولة عضو مراقب، و41 منظمة حكومية دولية وغير حكومية، بما فى ذلك وكالات الأمم المتحدة.

 

وتتمثل إحدى مجالات العمل المهمّة بمدونات الدستور الغذائى فى فرض حدود آمنة وإتاحة توجيهات على امتداد السلسلة الغذائية لمنع التلوّث أو خفضه، نظراً إلى أن الغذاء قابل للتلوّث بالمعادن الثقيلة والسُمّيات الفطرية، وبالبكتيريا والفيروسات.
واعتمدت هيئة الدستور الغذائى مدونتين على جانب كبير من الأهمية للوقاية من مادة الأوكراتوكسين "ochratoxin A" الملوِّثة والمسبِّبة للسرطان أو خفضها فى الكاكاو، وللوقاية من حمض الهيدورسيانيك فى الكسافا أو خفض محتواه؛ ويعد كلاهما مُنتَجين مهمّين بالنسبة إلى البلدان النامية.

 

وفى حين يمكن أن يصبح التوت الطازج جزءاً من حمية صحيّة فقد وجِد أيضاً عرضة للتلوث المجهرى ومرتبطاً بالعديد من حالات التفشى المرضى المنقولة عبر الأغذية على هيئة فيروسات التهاب الكبد"Hepatitis A"، وفيروس الأمعاء "Norovirus"، وبكتيريا  "E.coli"التى تصيب القولون، وبكتيريا الأوّالي . "protozoa" وتوجِّه مدونات الدستور الجديدة مشورة وتتيح توجيهات للمنتجين والمُستهلِكين على حد سواء بكيفيّات الحيلولة دون وقوع مثل هذا التلوث.

 

فى الوقت ذاته، تبنت هيئة الدستور الغذائى المشتركة بين منظمة "فاو" ومنظمة الصحة العالمية عدداً من المعايير السلعية بغرض حماية المُستهلِك من الاحتيال وضمان ممارسات عادلة فى تجارة الغذاء، متضمنةً الفاكهة والخضروات الطازجة والمعالَجة (مثل الأفوكادو والرمان، والزيتون وغيرها)، وأيضاً الأسماك والمنتجات السمكية (مثل السمك المدخن وغيره). وإذ ينتظَر أن تساعد هذه المعايير الجديدة المشترين والباعة على صياغة عقود مستندة إلى مواصفات مدونات الدستور، فإنها تعدّ أيضاً بمثابة ضمان للمُستهلِكين للحصول من المنتجات على ما يتوقّعونه.

 

كما اعتمدت الهيئة الدولية قِيَماً مرجعية تغذوية بخصوص الصوديوم والحوامض الدهنية المشبّعة، وهى عناصر ترتبط بالأمراض المزمنة غير المعدية"NCDs"، لغرض تضمينها فى ملصقات التوصيف من أجل تعريف القيم الغذائية للمنتجات. ويشكّل هذا الجهد جزءاً فى المساعى المستمرة من جانب هيئة الدستور الغذائى بغية الترويج للممارسات الغذائية الصحّية وتدارُك مشكلات الصحة العامّة المتزايدة الانتشار لأسباب الحمية غير السليمة.

 

كذلك صادقت الهيئة على الخطوط التوجيهية المراجَعة والمحدَّثة للأغذية التكميلية المُعدّة للرضُّع الأكبر سنّاً والأطفال الصغار، لضمان العناية الصحية والتغذية فى حالة المجموعات السكانية الأضعف. وعلاوة على هذا وذاك، تبنّى الدستور الغذائى مئات من الحدود القصوى الآمنة لمخلّفات مبيدات الآفات والعقاقير البيطرية، فضلاً عن الإضافات الغذائية للأطعمة.

 

وبالنظر إلى أن العلف الحيوانى يمكن أن يسبّب تلوّثاً فى البيض ومنتجات الحليب واللحوم، فقد اعتمدت هيئة الدستور الغذائى توجيهات للبلدان حول كيفيات مراقبة العلف الحيوانى وتقييم خطر التلوّث فيه. وعلى نفس الصعيد تبنّت الهيئة الدولية خطوطاً توجيهية لنظم الرقابة الوطنية على الغذاء، من أجل مساعدة البلدان فى تطبيق عمليات رقابة فعّالة على الإمدادات الغذائية لديها.
وعلى اعتبار حجم التداول التجارى وضرورات المُناسَقة فيما بين المعايير والمواصفات الوطنية، وافقت الهيئة الدولية على تشكيل لجنة جديدة منبثقة عنها تُعنى بالتوابل وأعشاب الطهى سوف تستضيف الهند مقرّها الجديد وتقوم على رئاستها.

كما صادقت هيئة الدستور الغذائى على خطتها الاستراتيجية للفترة 2014 - 2019، لتوجيه أنشطتها فى مجالات حماية صحة المستهلِك وضمان الممارسات العادلة فى تجارة الغذاء على مدى السنوات الستّة المقبلة.



كوردستان تستورد اكثر من اربعين نوع من الرز.من سيكشف عن محتوياتها الضاره؟؟

US rice imports 'contain harmful levels of lead'

By Jason Palmer BBC science reporter, New Orleans 10.4.2013

The researchers found the highest levels of lead in rice from China and Taiwan  

Analysis of commercially available rice imported into the US has revealed it contains levels of lead far higher than regulations suggest are safe.

Some samples exceeded the "provisional total tolerable intake" (PTTI) set by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) by a factor of 120. The report at the American Chemical Society Meeting adds to the already well-known issue of arsenic in rice. The FDA told the BBC it would review the research.

Lead is known to be harmful to many organs and the central nervous system. It is a particular risk for young children, who suffer significant developmental problems if exposed to elevated lead levels. Because rice is grown in heavily irrigated conditions, it is more susceptible than other staple crops to environmental pollutants in irrigation water.

Recent studies have highlighted the presence of arsenic in rice - prompting consumption advice from the UK's Food Standards Agency and more recently from the FDA.

However, other heavy metals represent a risk as well.

Dr Tsanangurayi Tongesayi of Monmouth University in New Jersey, US, and his team have tested a number of imported brands of rice bought from local shops.

The US imports about 7% of its rice, and the team sampled packaged rice from Bhutan, Italy, China, Taiwan, India, Israel, the Czech Republic and Thailand - which accounts for 65% of US imports. The team measured the lead levels in each country-category and calculated the lead intake on the basis of daily consumption. The results will be published in the Journal of Environmental Science and Health (Part B). "When we compared them, we realised that the daily exposure levels are much higher than those PTTIs," said Dr Tongesayi.

"According to the FDA, they have to be more than 10 times the PTTI levels (to cause a health concern), and our values were two to 12 times higher than those 10 times," he told BBC News.

'Globalised market'

"So we can only conclude that they can potentially cause harmful effects."

That factor of 120 is for Asian children, who are most susceptible by virtue of age and comparatively high rice intake on average. For non-Asian adults the excesses above the PTTI ranged from 20 to 40.

Rice from China and Taiwan had the highest lead levels, but Dr Tongesayi stressed that all of the samples significantly exceeded the PTTIs.

Dr Tongesayi has also worked on quantifying arsenic contamination - and is in effect working his way through the heavy metals one by one to determine their prevalence.

The problem, he said, is the range of agricultural practices around the world. "If you look through the scientific literature, especially on India and China, they irrigate their crops with raw sewage effluent and untreated industrial effluent," he explained.

"Research has been done in those countries, and concerns have been raised because of those practices, but it's still ongoing." Dr Tongesayi also said that the increasing practice of sending electronic waste to developing countries - and the pollution it leads to - exacerbates the problem.

"With a globalised food market, we eat food from every corner of the world, but pollution conditions are… different from region to region, agricultural practices are different from region to region, but we ignore that.

"Maybe we need international regulations that will govern production and distribution of food."

So far, such international oversight exists informally in the form of the Codex Alimentarius, a collection of food-safety standards first set out by the United Nations.

FDA spokesman Noah Bartolucci told BBC News that the "FDA plans to review the new research on lead levels in imported rice released today".

"As part of an ongoing and proactive effort to monitor and address contaminants in food traded internationally, FDA chairs an international working group to review current international standards for lead in selected commodities, including rice, and to revise, if necessary, maximum lead levels under the… Codex Alimentarius," he said.

السعودية متضررة من تلوث حليب فونتيرا

أبوظبي - سكاي نيوز عربية

فونتيرا رابع شركه في العالم للانتاج الالبان

أعلنت السلطات النيوزيلندية، السبت، سحب نحو ألف طن من منتجات الألبان في سبع دول، منها السعودية، بعدما قالت شركة فونتيرا، رابع أكبر شركة لإنتاج الألبان على مستوى العالم، إن الاختبارات أظهرت وجود نوع من البكتيريا يمكن أن يتسبب في تسمم غذائي.

وقالت وزارة الصناعات الأساسية في نيوزيلندا إن المنتجات الملوثة تشمل حليب الأطفال والمشروبات الرياضية وغيرها من المشروبات، مضيفة أن البلدان المتضررة من هذه المشكلة إلى جانب نيوزيلندا، تشمل الصين وأستراليا وتايلاند وماليزيا وفيتنام والسعودية.

وكانت شركة فونتيرا قالت إنها باعت نيوزيلندا بروتين مصل اللبن مركز وملوث بكلوستريديوم البوتولينوم لثمانية عملاء، منهم شركات غذاء ومشروبات وشركات غذاء حيواني لإمكانية استخدامها في حليب الأطفال ومسحوق الحليب وغيرها من المنتجات.

وطلبت الصين التي تستورد معظم استهلاكها من مسحوق الحليب من نيوزيلندا من المستوردين المحليين سحب أي من المنتجات التي قد تكون ملوثة بالبكتيريا، وتكثيف اجراءات فحص منتجات الألبان الواردة إلى البلاد من نيوزيلندا.

وذكرت وكالة أنباء أيتار تاس الروسية، السبت، نقلا عن وكالة روسبوتربنادزور المعنية بحماية المستهلك أن روسيا علقت واردات وتداول منتجات فونتيرا.

ألموقع اذا وصلت للسعوديه وعلى الاكثر تصدر لدول اخرى 



الخطة الاستراتيجية للقطاع الزراعي في اقليم كوردستان 2009-2013 .ماذا حصل؟

13.11.2012 اربيل

قبل اسبوع تلقيت مكالمة تيلفونية من جريدة هاولاتي الكوردية حول موضوع الخطة الاستراتيجية الزراعية  لكوردستان وما نفذ منه حتى الان. وبما ان المكالمة كانت تليفونيه اوجزت ردي  ولخصت كلامي بإنه وحسب علمي و تأكيد وزير مالية الاقليم في اجتماع للجنة الوزارية الاقتصادية والتي كان يترأسها انذاك الدكتور( برهم صالح ) فإن وزارة المالية لم تخصص فلسا واحدا لخطة كلفتها عشرة ونصف مليار دولار امريكي. افهمت الصحفي بإن الخطة لم تنفذ رغم مرور اكثر من أربعة سنوات على البدء بها ولايمكن تنفيذها لانها كانت تفتقر الى اهم عنصر وهي الميزانية. نشرت الجريدة الحقيقة التي ذكرته الى جانب تصريح من رئيس اللجنة الزراعية في برلمان كوردستان حيث "ذكر بأن الخطة  على مايرام ولكن فيها بعض التقصير".

 لقد قدمت انا والدكتور جمال فؤاد(خبير زراعي متقاعد بالبنك الدولى ووزير زراعة سابق) وزملاء اكراد اخرين تقيمنا و ملاحظاتنا حول الخطة الزراعية  وكتبتها انا باللغه بالانكليزية. ان محتويات  الخطة تذكرنا بالاستراتيجيات والتخطيط التي كانت تتبناها الدول الاشتراكية محاولة من حكامها تحسين الامن الغذائي  والخدمات الاخرى الضرورية للشعوب المغلوبة على امرها.  ان الخطط "الايدلوجية" تلك  ولكافة القطاعات والتي كانت تنتهى  عادة بعدد من السنوات كمدة زمنية لتنفيذها اصبحت فيما بعد من احدى مسببات انهيار المنظومة الاشتراكية .

 لقد تكلمت انا وزملائي للصحافة ولوسائل الاعلام الاخرى حول عدم جدية الخطة الاستراتيجية للقطاع الزراعي في الاقليم  ولكن المسئولين  المهتمين بالقطاع وبعض السياسيين كانوا يطلون على الشعب الكوردستاني بين الفينة والاخرى ويعلنون لوسائل الاعلام بأن نسبة كذا وكذا من الخطة قد نفذت. بل واصر بعضهم بأن "كوردستان على ابواب ان تصدر المواد الغذائية الى ايران وتركيا". ولكون ارائي واستشاراتي كانت ولازالت غير مسموعة الى درجة الاحباط لى و لزملائى المختصين, لدى ذوي الامرفي الاقليم , في امور كثيرة تخص الامن الغذائي و تخريب الاراضي الزراعية  وكذلك حول عدم جدوى و تنفيذ الخطة الاستراتيجية رغم مرور اربعة سنوات على الاعلان عنها. لذا قررت كتابة هذه السطور لتوضيح الامور وباللغة العربية ورغم فوات اوان تنفيذ الخطة الا انني اعتقد انه من الاهمية ان يطلع اصحاب المصلحة وهم بلاشك عموم الشعب الكوردستاني على الحقيقة و معرفة اسباب فشل الخطة الاستراتيجية وخوفا بأن اتهم يوما بأني تقاعست في مهامي .

لم يبقى سوى بضعة اسابيع لنحتفل بنهاية السنة الحالية وبدء سنة 2013 وحسب تقويم عملي فهي السنة الاخيرة لتنفيذ الخطة الخماسية والموجوده على صفحات كتب جميلة و مصقولة فقط  و تم توزيعها بكثرة.

 خلال عام 2008 عقدت خمسة مؤتمرات في وزارة الزراعة في اقليم كوردستان تمخضت الاجتماعات المكثفة عن ولادة خطة خماسية وبكلفة عشرة ونصف مليار دولار امريكي.خصص ثلث الميزانية للزراعة وثلثيها للمياه ومع ذلك سميت الخطة بخطة القطاع الزراعي وكان المفترض تسميتها بخطة المياه. نوقشت الخطة يوم 28.1.2008 في مؤتمر كبير عقد فى اربيل  دعي اليه 280 شخصا وحضره عدد كبير من الاجانب والمنظمات الدولية والمحلية ومن القلائل الذين لم يحضروا ذلك الاجتماع الخطير الذي كان سيحل مشكلة الامن الغذائي في كوردستان هم ذوي الخبرة والاختصاص الكورد.

واتذكر جيدا ذلك اليوم 28.1.2008 حيث كنت في لندن مع الاستاذ (عدنان موفتي) رئيس برلمان كوردستان انذاك بصحبة شقيقى ( عادل مراد ) وكان التلفزيون يعرض وقائع المؤتمر والكاميرات كالعادة كانت تركز على وجوه المجتمعين هذا مما دفعني الى ان اقول لكاك عدنان بأني لاارى اي من الاشخاص اللذين كنت اتوقع حضورهم في مثل هذا المؤتمر المهم  وكان رده "المهم عندنا هو ان يعقد الموتمر وتتسلط الاضواء على بعض الحاضرين".

كان هناك لجنتين لوضع وتنفيذ الخطة. لجنة عليا ولجنة فنية, يمكن الرجوع الى اسماء اعضاء اللجنتين في كتاب الخطة والتي طبع منها 500 نسخة ملونة منها بالعربية وعدد مماثل باللغات الانكليزية والكوردية.

الخطة دونت على 176 صفحة كبيرة ولكن ركاكة الخطة ظهرت واضحة وجلية في الصفحات الاولى  حيث كتب مايلي" حسب الاحصاء العام لسنة 1966 فإن 66% من نفوس كوردستان كانوا يعيشون في القرى و الريف ويتعايشون على الزراعة لكن النسبة  هذه قد انخفضت انخفاضا ملحوظا   ووصلت الى 16% في الاحصاء العام لسنة1986 " . الانخفاض الملحوظ هو 75% من نفوس القرى والارياف وخلال عقدين من الزمن فقط.. في نفس الصفحات تفاجئنا الخطة بطموحات وعبارات كبيرة وغير قابلة للتفيذ مثل"القطاع الزراعي هو رائد الانتعاش الاقتصادي والاجتماعي في الاقليم" بينما يصر الذين على سدة الحكم في الاقليم بأن النفط هو الكل في الكل.  ورسالة الخطة هي تأمين الاكتفاء الذاتي لكوردستان وياحبذا لو يتكرم الجهابذة الذين كتبوا الخطة, ويذكروا لنا اسم دولة واحدة فى العالم امنت الاكتفاء الذاتي الغذائي.

الاهداف الاستراجية قدمت على شكل ثمانية جداول من دون عناوين ومصادرومليئة بالمغالطات . لقد  قمنا بدراسة وتقييم الخطة بشكل مفصل ومهني مستعملين الطرق المتعارف عليها في منظمة الاغذية والزراعة الدولية وفي البنك الدولي.  واستنتاجنا الذي قدمناه منذ ثلاثة سنوات كان بإن الخطة غير قابلة للتنفيذ . وبالفعل لم تخصص لها الاموال ولم تبد القيادة السياسية اهتماما عمليا بالموضوع.

بما ان المدة الزمنية للخطة الاستراتيجية قاربت على الانتهاء ولم يحصل اي شىء ملموس. لذا لاجدوى من ترجمة  التقييم و الجدوى  للخطة الى العربية او الكوردية .وما جاء في التقرير الذي اعددناه حول جدوى الخطة والطريقة غير المهنية التي تم اعدادها وعدم  الاخذ بالاعتبار الظروف والواقع  وتخصيص ميزانية خيالية كانت معروفة للقاصي والداني بأن الحكومة غير مستعدة لتخصيصها لخطة تخص قطاع ليس من اولويات الحكومة .  سلمت تقرير الجدوى (39 صفحة) مع خطاب الى مكتب رئيس الوزراء  ووزارة الزراعة  وكذلك الى جهات رسمية اخرى ذات علاقة  يوم 3.5.2010



KNOW THE FRESH FISHتعرف على الاسماك الطازجه

سه لامه تي خوراك و خوارد نه وه مان- هوولاتي24 /3/2012

The Safety of our Food and Drinkسلامة ما ناكل ونشرب

A trip to the supermarket here, in Kurdistan, reveals the selection of dairy products available (1) and, in particular, the range of cartons of milk. The consumer in Kurdistan can chose milk from both the neighbouring states and the small countries of the Gulf, but not locally produced milk, and all are formed from dried cow’s milk that has been mixed with water. Most of these products have ‘Natural Milkحليب طبيعي’ or even ‘100% Natural Milk حليب طبيعي 100%’ written on them yet in the process of drying fresh milk some of the nutrients such as vitamin C, vitamin B12 and thiamine are lost and the reconstituted product does not contain these therefore as the product was made from powdered milk it is not the same as the milk that came from the cow’s udder.. 

(1)

   I purchase milk from the Almarai Company as its cartons carry the greatest amount of information regarding the contents. The carton clearly carries the information that the milk has been made from powdered milk and then there is some information as to the main nutrient composition of the product as shown in the picture. The presence of Vitamin D indicates that the milk has been fortified with this vitamin, (vitamin D has been added). Finally there is a list of ingredients including the additives (E numbers) that have been used to make the final mixture similar in taste and texture to fresh cow’s milk but the first ingredient given is fresh cow’s milk. So the milk in the carton was made from cow’s milk powder, which is not on the list of ingredients, but fresh cow’s milk is on the list. So one is left to wonder how much fresh milk, 1%, 10% or 90%, and how much dry milk powder was used in producing the contents of the carton (2 & 3). This is a question that should be looked into by the Ministries of Trade and Food Quality Agencies in both Baghdad and Erbil

(2)

(3)

While there is some lack of clarity of information on the Almarai carton it does state the milk is made from powdered milk and that no preservatives are used. Other brands of milk on the market do not carry this type of information and indeed the packaging often indicates that the contents are ‘natural milk’ which can be misleading to the consumer.

I have frequently raised my concerns over the lack of food safety regulations and monitoring in Iraq and Kurdistan. We are all too ready to take for granted that food safety checks are done at the place of origin of the food, wherever in the world that might be, and so put ourselves at risk. The Ministry of Trade should make sure of the origin, contents and safety standards of all food entering the country. The various milk products in the supermarkets should be tested to determine the exact contents, is it fresh or reconstituted milk, what are the nutrient contents, are the contents free of pathogenic bacteria, is the storage of the product correct etc. We should not accept the products at face value. The Lebanon has a dedicated food safety and standards authority to maintain checks on all food products produced within the country or imported yet here we are prepared to rely on foreign companies. The attached advert(4) that has been published for many weeks in Iraqi newspapers tells food importers that they should now have their imports checked by the SGS company instead of Bureau Verits, both being foreign companies. If a small country like Lebanon has the facilities and organisation to regulate and monitor food safety and, in addition, have a union for its food safety scientists then surely Iraq can do the same if not better. Iraq had its first modren agricultural college over 60 years ago and we have a dozen veterinary colleges so, in other words, we have a wealth of trained people who could be utilised in the much needed food safety agency.

(4)

If we do not take responsibility for food safety there could be disastrous consequences. China has a bad record on food safety and many people were made ill and children died from drinking milk that had been contaminated with melamine. The result of this is that many Chinese buy milk literally direct from the udder as shown below(5&6). The consumer pays for the milk that he/she witnesses being milked from the goat, therefore ensuring their children have fresh milk.

(5)

It is time that we took steps to control what food products are offered for sale in the country and set up an independent government body to ensure that all local and imported food and drink reaches accepted standards and thereby safeguard the health of the nation. The system will generate an income from fees to producers and importers who are obviously profiting from selling their goods and should pay for the service. 

STORAGE WHEAT IN OPEN-COMMENT-

 It is a poor situation when grain is left in the open to be contaminated by disease carried by rodents, insects and birds. I consider it a wasteful practice and a potential health hazard. Leptospirosis (Weil’s disease), contracted by contact with urine from rodents, has early symptoms similar to those of influenza and, unless treated immediately, rapidly progresses leading to kidney failure and death. This disease has been contracted from any surface contaminated by rodent urine e.g. cans or bottles of coke and other soft drinks. People must wash any container of drink from stores before drinking from it.

STORAGE OF WHEAT IN THE OPEN

The storage of wheat in the open gives rise not only to economic loss but also to health risks.

Wheat is considered suitable for shipment and storage when its water content is less than 15% and when the moisture content of the grain rises above this level mold growth, mustiness, agglomeration (clumping together of grains), self heating, fermentation and premature germination can occur resulting in considerable damage and economic loss. Wheat seeds are biotic stores of nutrients that are affected by warm temperatures and moisture. The grain seeds can begin to germinate and the respiration process that takes place will produce more water (sweating of the grain) and affect neighbouring seeds so the damage spreads. In addition the temperature within the stored grain will increase (self-heating). If grain begins to germinate it cannot be used for flour production and is only fit for alcohol production.

In a warm, damp environment fungal molds can grow causing deterioration of the grain which becomes musty. Musty grain has a smell and undergoes flavour changes that will remain even after the grain has been milled and cooked.

Freshly harvested wheat is at greatest risk because of its higher water content. It should be dried before shipment or storage but when wheat is stored open to any rain the moisture content will rise.

If grain is stored in the open it is at greater risk of losses caused by insects, (e.g. weevils, flour beetles, cereal moths) that will have easy access to the grain. In addition rats and mice will find easy access to this food supply and in feeding on the grain they will contaminate it with faecal droppings and urine. Rodent contamination can lead to the spread of enteritic diseases to man, e.g. Salmonella, cholera and rats are responsible for the spread of the bacterial disease Leptospirosis which can lead to death in humans. In addition birds, eg. Sparrow, pigeons will be attracted to the free food represented by the grain and in turn can assist the spread of bacteria such as Salmonella and Esherichia into the food chain.

The economic losses and health risks posed by inadequate storage of wheat cannot be tolerated when there is every need to increase the wheat harvest. There is no sense in endeavouring to increase wheat production when poor storage facilities result in loss of the product




Lack of good and  modern larg silos



SEVEN TYPES OF FOOD PROVEN TO FIGHT CANCER

 By; Mohammed Sa’id Berigari, Senior Scientist, PhD- Soil and Environmental Chemistry, MS- Natural Product Chemistry,BS-Agronomy- USA.

About one third of all cancers can be prevented if people adhered to healthier lifestyle including eating healthier foods. For better protection choose the following seven specific foods that have been proven to combat cancers:

1. Cabbage-:

Cabbage is high in anticarcinogenic compounds known as glucosinolates. Fresh cabbage and when fermented as sauerkraut, also are good sources of the compound indole-3-carbinol that promotes elimination of carcinogens from human body.

A study of hundreds of Polish women in the US who ate four or more servings per week of raw, lightly cooked or fermented cabbages during adolescence were 72% less likely to develop breast cancer than those who had eaten only 1.5- serving per week. High consumption of cabbage during adulthood also had significant protection against breast cancer even when little cabbage was eaten at a young age. One recent study found that men who consumed at least three servings per week of broccoli or other cruciferous vegetables were 41% less likely to develop prostate cancer than those who ate less than one serving per week.

Recommended: Three or more of 0.5- cup servings per week of cooked or raw cabbage.

Alternatives: Any vegetable of Crucifereae family such as broccoli, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and kale.

2. Flaxseeds-:

Flaxseeds contain ligans, compounds that behave like weak form of estrogen. One study showed that women with high levels of enterolactone which is linked to a high intake of ligans had a 58% lower risk for breast cancer. Flaxseeds also are good source of omega-3-fatty acids that appear to inhibit colon cancer in both men and women.

Recommended: One to two tablespoons of ground flaxseeds per day. Sprinkle on cereals, yogurt, or soups.

Alternatives: Two to three servings per week of cold-water fish such as mackerel or salmon that will provide cancer fighting amounts of omega-3-fatty acids. For more ligans eat walnuts and use canola oil for cooking.

3. Mushrooms-:

The white-button mushrooms found in supermarkets contain anticancer compounds. Researchers compared vegetable extracts in the laboratory found that an extract from white-button mushrooms was the most effective in blocking aromatase, an enzyme that promotes breast cancer. White-button mushrooms also seem to inhibit the growth of prostate cancer cells.

Recommended: Three to four servings of 0.5-cup of mushrooms per week.

Alternatives: Wild mushrooms with a nuttier taste such as porcinis or chanterelles.

4. Olives-:

A laboratory study in Spain found two compounds: maslinic and oleanolic acids in olives that suppress the growth of cancer cells and promote the death of these cells(apoptosis). Other studies indicate that people who eat olives as part of the Mediterranean diet have lower rates of a variety of cancers including colon cancer.

Recommended: Eight green or black olives per day.

Alternatives: One to two tablespoons per day of extra virgin olive oil. Spray on salads or vegetables to enhance absorption of the healthy nutrients.

5. Onions-:

Scientists compared the ten vegetables most often consumed in the US and onions ranked with the third-highest level of phenolic compounds which are considered among the most potent anticancer substances found in foods.

A study in Finland found that men who frequently ate onions, apples and other foods with high content of quercetin (a phenolic compound) were 60% less likely to develop lung cancer than men who ate smaller quantities of such healthy foods. Quercetin also appears to lower the risk for colon and liver cancers.

Recommended: Three servings of .50-cup onions per week cooked or raw. Red and yellow onions contain the most cancer preventing compounds.

Alternatives: Apples, capers, and green and black tea all of which are high in quercetin content. Garlic and onions belong to the same family Liliaceae that provide many of the same cancer fighting substances.

6. Pumpkin-:

Pumpkin and all winter squash are very high in carotenoids including beta-carotene. A long term study in Japan of more than 57000 participants found that people who ate the most pumpkin had lower rates of breast, colorectal, gastric and lung cancers. There is also some evidence that pumpkin seeds can reduce the risk of prostate cancer.

Recommended: Three or more of 0.50 -cup servings per week of baked pumpkin like any winter squash.

Alternatives: Carrots, broccoli, and all winter squashes including acorn, butternut, and spaghetti squash.

7. Raspberry-:

  All the foods with their names ending in – erry such as blueberry, cherry, cranberry, and strawberry contain anti-inflammatory substances that reduce cell damage.  Such cell damage could lead to cancer.  Raspberries are higher in fiber than most berries and are excellent source of both ellagic acid and selenium Se that protect humans against a variety of cancers.  Recent studies found that raspberry and its extract inhibits both liver and oral cancer cells.  The responses in these studies were dose-dependent.  The more raspberry extract consumed by the participants the greater was the effect.

Recommended: Two or three 1.5-cup servings per week of raspberries.

Alternatives: Cherries and cherry juice contain just about as much ellagic acid as raspberries. Frozen berries and cherries, which contain less water, provide higher concentrations of protective compounds than fresh berries.

Date: 22/07/2011-Kurdistan

UP DATE ON E.COLI UCUMBER SCARE

A deadly E. coli outbreak in Europe is expected to worsen in coming days, a senior German scientist has said. Fourteen people have died in Germany and one woman has now died in Sweden after a trip to Germany. "We hope the number of cases will go down but we fear it will worsen," said Oliver Grieve, of the University Medical Centre Schleswig-Holstein, where many victims are being treated. More than 1,500 people have been infected by enterohaemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC), which can cause the deadly haemolytic-uraemic syndrome (HUS). Seventeen people have died - 16 of them in Germany and one in Sweden with cases reported in Switzerland, Denmark, Austria, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden and the UK. 

• Germany: 470 cases, 16 deaths
• Sweden: 15 cases, one death
• Denmark: Seven cases
• The Netherlands: Three cases
• UK: Three cases
• Spain: One case

It was thought cucumbers from Spain were the source believed to be of the 0104 strain of E. coli. In many instances, the gastrointestinal infection has led to HUS, which causes kidney problems and is potentially fatal. Spanish officials refused to accept the blame, saying it was unclear exactly when and where the vegetables were contaminated and German health officials now admit they do not know where this particularly virulent strain of E.coli has come from.

The president of Spain's fruit and vegetable export federation has urged the government to deal with the outbreak, saying it was costing Spanish exporters $200m (£120m) a week. Asked which countries had stopped buying Spanish produce, Jorge Brotons reportedly told a news conference: "Almost all Europe. There is a domino effect on all vegetables and fruits."

Reaction to the cucumber crisis

Country	Action

Germany         Consumers told not to eat cucumbers, lettuces and raw tomatoes. 329 cases of  E.coli confirmed; 14 deaths
Spain               Top European cucumber producer - threatens to seek compensation from the European Union for lost vegetables sales
Russia              Ban on all imports of cucumbers, tomatoes and fresh salad from Spain and Germany pending further notice
Czech Republic  Some Spanish-grown cucumbers removed from sale
France             Some Spanish-grown cucumbers removed from sale
Austria            Ban on sale of cucumbers, tomatoes and aubergines imported via Germany
Belgium          Reported to have banned cucumber imports from Spain
Netherlands  Halted all cucumber shipments to Germany
Denmark       Testing cucumbers for contamination

On Monday, Spanish Agriculture Minister Rosa Aguilar denied Spanish vegetables were to blame, and said Spain would look into claiming damages for losses incurred."Our understanding is that the problem does not come from the [country of] origin," Ms Aguilar was quoted as saying by AFP news agency. "The image of Spain is being damaged, Spanish producers are being damaged and the Spanish government is not prepared to accept this situation," she said. The European Commission lifted its warning over the Spanish cucumbers on Wednesday, saying tests "did not confirm the presence of the specific serotype (O104), which is responsible for the outbreak affecting humans." Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero said Spain would "seek reparations before the relevant authorities in Europe".

The World Health Organization (WHO) has described the outbreak as "very large and very severe" and has urged countries to work together to find the source of contamination.
Russia has now banned the import of all fresh vegetables from the European Union because of the E. coli outbreak. The country's chief medical officer said EU-produced vegetables would be seized across Russia. The EU regarded the Russian ban as "disproportionate" and would be lodging a protest, European Commission spokesman Frederic Vincent said. He added that the total value of EU exports of fresh vegetables to Russia was 600m euros a year, a quarter of the total exported. Spain, France, Germany and Poland are the biggest exporters.
Russia’s consumer protection agency head Gennady Onishchenko announced the ban to cover fresh vegetables from anywhere in the European Union and said orders to stop all incoming European vegetable shipments had been issued to Russian customs authorities, adding: "I call on people to forgo imported vegetables in favour of domestic produce. He criticised food safety standards in the EU."This shows that Europe's lauded health legislation - one which Russia is being urged to adopt - does not work," he said.

E.coli-infected cucumber scare spreads beyond Germany

Authorities in the Czech Republic and Austria have taken some Spanish-grown cucumbers off store shelves over fears they are contaminated with E.coli. The move came after illness in Germany caused by infected cucumbers led to at least 10 deaths.

The cucumbers, believed to have been imported from Spain and contaminated with E.coli, left people ill with hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS). Hundreds of people are said to have fallen sick.
Officials in the Czech Republic said affected cucumbers may also have been exported to Hungary and Luxembourg. Austria's Agency for Health and Food Safety said some tomatoes and aubergines had also been included in the ban. Meanwhile a European Union spokesman said two greenhouses in Spain identified as sources had ceased their activities. They were now being investigated to see whether the contamination occurred there or elsewhere. Scientists have speculated in the last few days that manure from infected animals used on an organic farm might have spread the bacteria to vegetables.
The aggressive form of E.coli is known to cause kidney failure and affect the central nervous system. Most of the cases have been in the area around Hamburg.

The Sweden-based European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control said this outbreak was "one of the largest described of HUS worldwide and the largest ever reported in Germany". It said: "While HUS cases are usually observed in children under five years of age, in this outbreak 87% are adults, with a clear predominance of women (68%)." HUS cases have also been reported in Sweden, Denmark, the Netherlands and the UK, and linked to German travel.
A scientist from Munster University warned that the spread of infection was not over, and secondary infections could be passed from person to person.
Czech authorities said the European Union's rapid warning system had told them of an importation of the cucumbers into the Czech Republic. Austria's food safety agency ordered a recall of organically grown cucumbers, tomatoes and aubergines supplied by a Spanish producer which is thought to be the source of the outbreak.

This ongoing crisis illustrates the risk of food contamination with human pathogens and the spread of disease risk that results from the cross border movement of food. If such a situation can arise within the highly regulated and food safety minded nations of Europe one wonders at the risks that threaten the food safety in Iraq which is dependent on food imports and lacks effective food safety systems.