Food safety

Abstract

Food safety, in general terms, concerns every step of food production from farm to fork. Owing to several factors, such as changes in demographical and social conditions, access to information, and better understanding of what are healthy foods, people from all around the world are demanding high-quality and safe food products. Apart from the sensorial characteristics, the final products must be free of external contaminants. These contaminants could be potentially harmful to the final consumer, being classified as biological, chemical, and physical hazards. Therefore, this chapter presents an overview of the main food-borne hazards, the current context of food safety, food safety concepts throughout the food production chain, and the role of regulatory agencies in food safety.