Parasites

Ill health related to food-borne infection transcends all geographical, pol itical and cultural boundaries. The incidence of food-borne diseases contin ues to adversely affect the health and productivity of populations in most countries, especially non-industrialised ones. However, since the 1950s, th e emphasis in the industrialised world had shifted away from addressing pub lic health problems, to problems of chemical contaminants etc., but recentl y food-borne infections have again become of increasing concern to governme nts and the food industry. Improvements in international transportation mea ns food can be distributed throughout the world, but so can the parasitic p athogens which contaminate foods. Alternatively, tourists are being affecte d abroad and possibly transmitting the pathogen to others at home. Thus, an increasing number of food-related illnesses are international in scope. in this review parasitic contamination of foods of animal origin, particularl y meat and fish, will be discussed together with potential problems associa ted with water and unwashed fruits and vegetables.