Year of publication 2002

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Author Nutrition Division

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Product type Meeting

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Edition 1

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Synopsis (short abstract) Temperature is a key parameter ensuring food safety and wholesomeness: when the temperature and the environmental conditions are optimal, one bacterium in the morning can produce millions of bacteria in the same afternoon. Fortunately, refrigeration technology makes it possible to slow or totally inhibit microbial growth and the production of toxins. Development and modernization of a country cannot take place without refrigeration, and refrigeration plays an important role in food safety and health: it has very substantially decreased the occurrence of foodborne diseases in developed countries. Refrigeration is present all along the food chain: more than 50% of foodstuffs in developed countries (1.2 billion inhabitants) are retailed under refrigerated conditions; one can speak of a cold chain from raw materials (post-harvest) to food on the table of the consumer. And food safety starts with the raw materials. However, it took about 30 years in most developed countries (1945-1975 in Europe for example) to set up reliable cold chains.

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Meeting symbol GF CRD IIR-1

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Language English

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Also available in:

• French

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