Abstract

VERA, Angélica María; VENEGAS, Adriana Milena; PERTUZ-CRUZ, Sonia Liliana  and  ANGULO, Raúl. An analysis of environmental determinants regarding the safety of vegetables farmed and consumed in rural areas around Tenjo, Colombia. rev.fac.med. [online]. 2015, vol.63, n.1, pp.57-68. ISSN 0120-0011.  https://doi.org/10.15446/revfacmed.v63n1.41098.

Background. Food safety is one of the main dimensions of Food and Nutrition Security (SAN) and its absence may be the cause of foodborne illness. Therefore from the international and national levels today an increasing emphasis over "from farm to table" strategy and the environmental characteristics that directly influence the production, supply and consumption of healthy, safe and nutritious food is made. Objective. Identify and present some environmental factors which affect the safety of vegetables grown near and consumed in the town of Tenjo on the savannah around Colombia's capital Bogotá. Materials and methods. This descriptive study was divided into three parts. The first step was to make a systematic document search of databases and documentary sources and review and analyse them. Fieldwork then followed which included two types of activity: visits to conventional and organic vegetable crops near the town to characterise the environments and differentiate them and consumer surveys about consumers' handling and preparation practice in Tenjo and Bogotá. The third stage consisted of data analysis for determining hazards and identifying critical control points to propose the necessary corrective and preventative action regarding potential risks for consumers. Results. The main environmental factors determining the safety of vegetables in the food chain for the analyzed situation were; the quality of the water used for irrigation, the substances used to fertilise the soil and control pests, agrochemicals and fertilisers, harvest and post-harvest processes, packaging for the distribution and sale of the products and consumers' handling and preparation practice. Conclusions. Cultivation, harvesting and preparation for consumption are the dangerous stages for contamination of vegetables. Self-control mechanisms implemented by producers, together with the strengthening of State agencies and private control should always seek to provide high quality products to mitigate any risk for the final consumer due to environmental factors.

Keywords : Food Safety; Environment; Plants; Edible; Organic Agriculture; Food Chain.

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