Networking and risk analysis for sustainable food safety in Africa: the experience of a no-profit organization

CaHReF 2016, Yaoundé Conges hall, 23 – 26 August 2016 , PL179

The Network “Nutrition & food safety and wholesomeness - Prevention, education and research network”, or NOODLES for short (http://www.noodlesonlus.org) is a no-profit organization of social utility registered under the Italian law since 2008. NOODLES is a network crosscutting public institutions, universities, NGOs and social, professional and scientific organizations, in order to implement north-south and south-south cooperation towards the translation of scientific knowledge into local proactive policy. 

NOODLES targets nutrition, and food safety and wholesomeness by protecting and supporting local food chains, food security and food sovereignty. The pivotal approach is Sustainable Food Safety, defined as the complex of actions intended to minimize adverse health impact on future generation associated to today's safety of foods and nutritional quality of diet; accordingly, the main public health objective of NOODLES is the mitigation of infant morbidity and mortality, and the increase of healthy life expectancy in children and adults. 
Risk Analysis is the scientific tool to identify needs and values that primarily require the support of new knowledge: it integrates the components of risk identification, risk assessment, risk management and risk communication: Africa is overall a data-poor continent and Risk Analysis can be difficult due to so many uncertainties as well as so many risk factors poorly known and/or controlled (e.g., environmental contaminants).

Some pilot experience has been done in south-Sahara Africa: the e-waste case-study based on diagnostic risk assessment has highlighted the health long-term risk for breastfed infants, the investigation at the community level on alternative feeding has highlighted the risk of dumping of Bisphenol A-baby bottles, whereas reflections on traditional central-west Africa street food has allowed to discuss some toxicological hazards related to food processing and preparation. 

In its effort to understand real-life risk scenarios, the Network needs the contribution of local communities, multidisciplinary interaction, and creative participation in shaping information: thanks to powerful and popular social media (e.g. photos and videos shared via the web) significant results (environmental situations, agricultural practices, dietary habits, etc.) can be achieved with limited economic resources. The proposed web-based Network for Risk Analysis towards Sustainable Food Safety is challenging and complex; But feasible. 
 

Research - Prevention - Risk analysis - Networking