South Africa is currently confronting a significant crisis in food safety, with more than 890 reported cases of foodborne illnesses and 22 tragic child fatalities this year alone, prompting the government to declare a national disaster. In response, authorities are implementing urgent measures to enhance food safety across the nation, including mandatory registration of food-handling facilities, intensified inspections, rapid food testing, and public education initiatives.
The current crisis highlights long-standing challenges around food safety that have previously resulted in severe public health issues. A notable reference point is the 2017 listeriosis outbreak, which claimed over 200 lives and exposed critical gaps in regulatory enforcement and public awareness surrounding safe food practices.
These issues not only threaten public health and erode consumer trust, but they are also symptomatic of deeper underlying challenges relating to unemployment, poverty, and household food insecurity, particularly affecting lower-income communities that often have no choice but to rely on local informal (and often unscrupulous) vendors or unregulated food sources.
Food safety is not merely a regulatory issue; it is the foundation of food security. Without robust food safety measures, we risk jeopardising the health of our communities and deepening food insecurity.
Amidst this crisis, FoodForward SA remains committed to upholding the highest standards of food safety. By implementing stringent standard operating procedures (SOPs) for all donated surplus food, we ensure that only safe and suitable products reach our beneficiary organisations (BOs), aligning with international best practices.
FoodForward SA exclusively sources from trusted farmers, manufacturers, and retailers that have rigorous supplier quality assurance measures in place along with frequent food safety audits. Our thorough vetting process mandates that donated food must be within date, intact, properly labelled, and received at required temperatures. Items that display spoilage or contamination are rejected outright, ensuring that only high-quality food is distributed across our national BO network.
Our warehouses function under strict adherence to international food safety standards. We conduct frequent audits to oversee hygiene, temperature control, and pest management. The commitment to safety extends beyond our facilities; BOs are required to pass meticulous food safety audits to validate their capacity to handle, prepare and serve food safely. We not only maintain detailed records of all accepted and rejected donations but also continuously monitor and evaluate our processes to improve accountability and effectiveness.
To further support safe food handling, our warehouse and logistics staff receive extensive training on our SOPs, and internal and external audits are done to ensure compliance. Additionally, we provide our partner BOS with educational materials on proper food storage and preparation practices, fortifying compliance with safety standards from donation to distribution. By incorporating these stringent protocols, FoodForward SA safeguards the health of the communities we serve while reinforcing our mission of alleviating hunger responsibly and sustainably. In the 15 years that FoodForward SA has been involved in surplus food recovery and redistribution, there have been no food safety incidents at all.
In light of the current crisis, we urge all stakeholders, including government entities, food producers, and community organisations to work collaboratively to address food safety challenges and promote safe food distribution for all South Africans.
