Microbial food safety standards in organic farming

Microbial food safety standards in organic farming – A review

Avrelija Cencič and Andreja Borec
pp. 5-14

The main goal of organic farming is production of healthy food in healthy environment that implements in positive effects in humans and nature. The emphasis in organic food production is given to food production without any use of chemicals, from initial steps to the market, and should take into the account minimal risks for human and animal health and welfare. In spite of the fact that organic agriculture is as safe as conventional agriculture, the absence of preservatives, use of manure and presence of pathogens that might recycle and concentrate in organic food production, make organic agriculture theoretically more prone to microbial contamination risks. With new lifestyle of increasing consumption of organic food in Europe, it is expected that new and emerging pathogens may cause severe food borne diseases. In this paper, we outlined a current status of microbiological food safety management, traceability and standards in emerging food safety concern of organic foods. To date, the organic community and public bodies did not develop regulations and standards that would directly or indirectly address food safety problems, although guidelines already cover production, processing, labelling and marketing of organic foods.

Key words: organic farming, microbial risk, food safety

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