Food Safety

With the development of society, people have received a huge choice of activities, food, and interests. Every year, new possibilities appear to improve people’s lives appear. Nevertheless, even with interesting life and a great variety of choices, a person might have many health problems. However, scientists have been able to solve them during the last two centuries. Thus, some components of public health infrastructure have had a good influence on human health, allowing scientists to switch attention from disease prevention to the control of chronic ones. This paper aims to explain the most important components of the public health infrastructure that have improved people’s lives.

Different kinds of food have nutrients, which is a scientifically established fact. It has been found that food contains the vitamins that are very important for the avoidance of a great amount of diseases. Thus, such a fact became a huge step in further scientific researches, leading to various investigations and programs were conducted. As a result, the number of illnesses of lack of nutrients sharply decreased during the first half of the 20th century due to the development of public health infrastructure.

An important component of public health infrastructure was pasteurization. First, it was created to preserve wine but later milk was also pasteurized. Even now, pasteurization is the base of milk safety law. Further, during the 20th century, the first pesticide legislation was created, and it gave a chance to protect consumers from bad quality products. Special organizations tested every product whether it was safe before it appeared on the market. A pathogen elimination program included better feeding programs for animals, using clean water in the food industry, and the improvement of sanitation. Such measures reduced the percentage of incidence of Sallmonella and Escherichia colli that could cause various diseases and even death. The development of technology is the cause of new diagnostic methods. It gives an opportunity to identify pathogens quickly and control the outbreaks of diseases.

State found necessary nutrients that prevent such diseases as goiter, rickets, and pellagra. Goiter iodine appeared in salt and it prevented goiter. The lack of niacin, which was caused by poor diet and poverty, led to the development of pellagra. Thus, as a part of public health infrastructure, the nutrition programs and the use of vitamins were presented, consequently reducing the percentage of illnesses among people.

In addition to the above-mentioned problems, solving the problems with teeth was very important, especially for the military service. Therefore, scientists created the program of filling food with vitamin, including even iron. Thus, according to Turnock (2011), “in 1998, the most recent food-fortification program was initiated; folic acid, a water-soluble vitamin, was added to cereal and grain products to prevent neural tube defects” (p. 357). Furthermore, the National Cancer Institute created a new program to protect people from different kinds of cancer. It turned out that it was not difficult to protect people’s health from this terrible disease as healthy diets that included many fruits and vegetables helped decrease the risk of developing cancer.

In the 21st century, there appeared a new health problem appeared – obesity, the issue affecting both adults and children. Thus, Koplan, Liverman, Kraak, and Wisham (2007) write about “… the numerous changes being implemented throughout the nation to improve the dietary quality and extent physical activity for children and youth…” Therefore, as an important component of public health infrastructure, various consultations on how to decrease weight became available to people. Furthermore, eating healthy food and active lifestyle have had a good impact on solving this problem, helping to avoid problems with breathing and blood pressure. As a result, programs and plans of overcoming obesity were created.

To conclude, health is the most important thing in human’s life. A significant work has been done during the last two centuries to improve people’s health and avoid many illnesses, which included the improvement of public health infrastructure. Its most important components were pasteurization and the creation of various legislations and programs, including food-fortification programs and those that helped combat obesity. Thus, the quality of food became a major component of public health infrastructure.