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Food Security Debate Needs to Include Stronger Focus on Food Safety

This article argues for the need to include food safety in food security discussions due to the high occurrence of aflatoxin contamination in staple crops such as maize, peanuts, and rice. The dangerous toxin develops due to inadequate storage, posing serious health risks for local consumers and inhibiting market development for smallholder farmers. http://www.guardian.co.uk/sustainable-business/fairtrade-partner-zone/food-security-safety-developing-countries?mkt_tok=3RkMMJWWfF9wsRovs67AZKXonjHpfsX86%2BwrXqO1lMI%2F0ER3fOvrPUfGjI4EScNkI%2FqLAzICFpZo2FFcH%2FaQZA%3D%3D

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Kenyan Farmers Turn to New Weapons Again ‘Osama’

Kenyan farmers are benefitting from metal silo technology that protect grains against pests. Kenyan experts seek to scale-up the project after two years of successful pilot implementation. Pests are thought to cause up to 30% loss of Kenyan maize, the equivalent of about 162 million tonnes per year.  http://allafrica.com/stories/201212180907.html

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Hungary Says Feed Maize Contains Toxin, Tightens Controls

Hungary food safety authorities have found the country’s feed maize supply to be contimated with aflatoxin. Some officials suggest this year’s severe drought might have caused the increased presence of aflatoxin. http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/12/10/hungary-maize-idUSL5E8NACY620121210

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Floods, Fungi Fan Food-Price Jitters Over Argentine Wheat

Heavy rains in Argentina have damaged wheat crops, reducing the harvest from 11.5 to possibly just 9.5 million tonnes this year. Quality was also affected as added moisture and delayed harvest time spurred the growth of fungi which is causing the crop to rot in the fields. The situation is a point of concern for […]

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2012 APEC Ministerial Meeting on Food Security

The 2012 APEC Ministerial Meeting on Food Security made a declaration on APEC Food Security, addressing PHLs through investment, adopting technologies, engaging farmers, creating better management practices, and improving infrastructure and logistical support. http://www.apec.org/~/link.aspx?_id=677DAF23C1FE4A11BE254069DAC8072A&_z=z

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Making Sure the Food We Grow Is Good Enough to Eat

A new Centre of Excellence for Post-harvest Biotechnology (CEPB) has opened in the School of Biosciences at The University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus (UNMC). The centre is developing new technologies to reduce food losses, improving overall quality and food safety. Tropical countries like Malaysia have a particular problem because of the number of micro-organisms that […]

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Farmers in Fukushima Count the Cost

Radiation from the Tokyo Electric Power Company has destroyed Fukushima farmers’ crops – an area that is the fourth largest producer of rice in Japan. Although the company has paid out around 90 billion yen to agricultural organizations, farmers are still angry with the government for leaving them to deal with the losses and after-effects […]

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GlobalG.A.P. Tour 2011 on Good Agricultural Practice

The GlobalG.A.P. Tour 2011 on Good Agricultural Practice will be held in Bangkok, Thailand, on November 22 and 23, 2011. Registration is open and conference topics will focus on food safety and sustainability issues. http://www.tour2011.org/cms/front_content.php?idart=104

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Meet Looks at Radiation Processing for Better Shelf Life of Food, Improved Hygiene

India – A seminar on Radiation Processing Technology for Food Safety & Security, organized at Federation House, Hyderabad, focused on the role of radiation processing in increasing shelf life of food and other related aspects in ensuring food safety. Rapid urbanization, arable land depletion, agro-climatic conditions, traditional harvest and storage practices, as well as issues of long transportation […]

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