Alejandra Aguilar
The proximity of borders between the United States and Mexico allows for easy
transportation and importation of food products between Mexico and the United States. The
United States Department of Agriculture reports that in 2016, U.S. fruit and vegetable imports
from Mexico reached about 10 million metric tons (“USDA ERS - Agricultural Trade,” n.d.).
Resulting in a total value of about $12.4 billion dollars (“USDA ERS - Agricultural Trade,” n.d.).
Having such an economic impact on the United States put Mexico as the second largest supplier
of imported goods in 2017 (“How NAFTA Changed American (And Mexican) Food Forever,”
n.d.). With the high importation of fruit and vegetables entering the United States, food sanitation
plays a critical role in the field of environmental and occupational health. Understanding the
food sanitation procedures implemented in the country of Mexico in comparison to the food
sanitation procedures implemented in the United States can help to understand the importance
sanitation procedures have on decreasing the spread of foodborne illnesses in the United States.
History:1
In 1950, the green revolution changed the way agricultural productivity was increased to
be able to meet the population demand. It revolutionized the approach to increase crop yields by
irrigation waters, and use of pesticides (“Globalization and Food Safety | Globalization101,”
n.d.). Importation and exportation between Mexico and the United States had a significant
impact on the economy on a large scale after the North American Free Trade Agreement was
passed in 1994. The North American Free Trade Agreement incorporated Mexico, United States,
and Canada and allowed for the liberalization of trade in agriculture, textiles, and automobile
and Mexico remain the United States largest suppliers of agricultural products (“USDA ERS -
Evolution:2
The American diet includes many imported products and is dependent of many products
from Mexico. There is a higher demand in the United States for year-round supplies of fresh
produce. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the number one
imported vegetable from Mexico in 2016 was, tomatoes. Importation of tomatoes accounted for
29% followed by cucumbers 12%, chili peppers 10%, squash and bell peppers 7%, onions and
shallots 6%, and all others at 29%. The number one reported fruit imported in 2016 by the
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) was, avocados at 22%. Other ranked
strawberries, and all others at 27% (Nutrition, n.d.-a). The increased demand of fresh produce
signifies hazards in relation to the expansion of globalization. Globalization has permitted gaps
in food safety and with the increase in cross-border trade of products, it has created increased
risk for outbreaks due to the varying quality of food safety regulations and enforcement in
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention every year 1 in 6 Americans
gets sick from eating contaminated food (Foodborne Illness Acquired in the United States—
Major Pathogens - Volume 17, Number 1—January 2011 - Emerging Infectious Disease journal
- CDC,” n.d.). The Centers for Disease and Control Prevention works with state and local health
departments to track foodborne illnesses. Foodborne illnesses are still a predominant global
health issue concern. According to the World Health Organization, it is estimated that 600
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million or 1 in 10 people in the world will fall ill from eating contaminated food (World Health
Organization & Foodborne Disease Burden Epidemiology Reference Group, 2015). The World
Health Organization states that, foodborne illnesses can be caused by bacteria, viruses, parasites,
or chemical substances that enter the body from water or food that has been contaminated
(World Health Organization & Foodborne Disease Burden Epidemiology Reference Group,
2015). The most common foodborne pathogens include; Salmonella, Campylobacter, and
Escherichia Coli (World Health Organization & Foodborne Disease Burden Epidemiology
Reference Group, 2015). Foodborne illnesses remain a high public health concern because food
can essentially become contaminated during any point prior to reaching destination.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 31 known
pathogens are responsible for 9.4 million annual number of illnesses associated with foodborne
agents in the United States (Al, n.d.). Some of the 31 known pathogens that are mentioned are;
Escherichia coli, enterotoxigenic, shiga toxin-producing O157, etc. (Al, n.d.). This does not
include the estimated annual number of illnesses related to unspecified foodborne agents which
accounts for 38.4 million cases in the United States. Fortunately, the data collected provides
insight or a brief overview of the number of cases of foodborne illnesses in the United states yet
a problem with the data collected is that it only accounts for the number of foodborne illnesses
that are reported. The number of foodborne illnesses cases could potentially be higher yet
According to the Centers for Disease and Control, the most common foodborne illnesses
prevalent in Mexico include; amebiasis, cysticercosis, brucellosis, listeriosis, and infections with
Mycobacterium bovis. A very common foodborne issue seen with tourists that travel to Mexico
is, Traveler’s Diarrhea. Many of the infectious diseases seen are related to contaminated food
and water due to water treatment, sanitation, and hygiene are inadequate (Al, n.d.). Tap water can
contain viruses, bacteria, parasites, or chemical contaminants. It is also strongly advised that ice
be avoided as it might also be made from contaminated water. Prevention of foodborne illnesses
present in food produce that is being imported from Mexico or while traveling to Mexico can be
Regulations in Mexico can be as extensive as the processes that occur in the United States. The
National Program of control and monitoring of toxic waste in sampling procedures in Mexico is
a program that is run by the Federal Government through the Ministry of Agriculture Livestock
Rural Development, Fishing and Food (Secretaría de Agricultura Ganadería Desarrollo Rural,
Pesca y Alimentación /SAGARPA) (“Programa Nacional, n.d.). The program follows the
accorded international rules accepted by officials that ensures the procurement of safe products
for the population and for those that hold the TIF certification. TIF stands for Tipo Inspección
Federal or Federal Inspection Type. The problem though that arises is that according to a
publication of the agricultural and applied economics association, The Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) inspects about 1% of the imported foods it regulates at the border (“Food
safety,” n.d.). The small percentage of imported foods being regulated at the border can be
associated with foodborne illnesses that are brought into the United states. This occurs due to
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resource limitations and a high volume and border facility limitations (Al, n.d.). It is extremely
challenging to inspect all produce at the port of entry and with only a random inspection system
currently being enacted, the chances of foodborne illnesses entering can occur at any given time.
According to the Secretaria de Salud (Health Secretary) in Mexico there are certain
(“NAFTA’s Economic Impact,” n.d.) which is translated to The Federal Commission for the
Protection of goods and services that should be followed to prevent the spread of foodborne
illnesses. Yet, there are multiple ways to bypass indirectly the guidelines set in place. An
example of this is the region in which certain vegetables and fruits are grown may determine
whether they are approved for importation into the United States. There is a specific regulation
currently in place that only permits avocados to be imported only from the state of Michoacán,
Mexico into the United States. Owners can bypass some of the sanitation and guidelines by
planting in other regions of Mexico and then transporting to the state of Michoacán where the
approval has already been given for owners to import into the United States. An appointed
member of the Department of National agrifood health and quality service (Servicio Nacional de
sanidad y calidad agroalimentaria) will be appointed to take a sample of the avocados prior to
harvesting occurring. The sample collected will determine whether the approval is granted for
the importation of the avocados into the United States. Once the approval has been granted the
harvesting continues and this is when the transportation of other avocados in different regions
takes place. Since no follow up is need by the appointed member it is almost uncertain what
complications can occur or what foodborne illnesses can be carried and imported into the United
States. This often occurs to meet the high demand of produce required in the United States.
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Regulations and codes established by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are
extensively explicit to help minimize the number of foodborne incidences that occur. Guidance
procedures for industries are available to help minimize microbial food safety hazards of fresh-
cut fruits and vegetables. Several guideline categories are established such as; personnel
guidelines, building and equipment, sanitation operations, production and process controls, and
documentation and records guidelines (Nutrition, n.d.-b). All procedures are important
Sanitation: 7
Sanitation operations are a key component and must be carried through with detailed
precaution. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, it is recommended that
industries practice a form of sanitation standard operating procedures that includes cleaning and
sanitation of all equipment, storage area, fresh and fresh-cut produce production areas, air
systems, and water storage areas (Nutrition, n.d.-b). Proper documentation must also be kept of
the set sanitation schedule with a designated employee to sign for and enforce that sanitation is
promptly being completed. In accordance to the guidelines provided by the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration, cleaning and sanitizing chemicals must be accounted for not only the prevention
of foodborne diseases but also for safety of the employees handling such chemicals. Employees
must be well trained for chemical usage as for overall industrial or company procedures. Another
important aspect of sanitation includes pest control. Pests are associated with the bacteria E. coli
or O157:H7. Pest control procedures are vital to ensure that there are no rodents, birds, reptiles,
and insects that can harbor or be a vector to pathogens. Pest control can be a difficult aspect to
control as it includes physical and chemical controls. According to the U.S. Food and Drug
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Administration; keeping all exterior doors closed when areas are not in use, removing waste
products, using pesticides, traps, bait, as well as keeping a map that identifies numbered
locations that have rodent traps or bait boxes inside and outside of the facility (Nutrition, n.d.-b).
illnesses. The Mexican importer is responsible for making sure that products fully comply with
(Nganje et al., 2009). Label requirements include; product name, product description, brand
name, exporter’s name, and address, country of origin, importer’s name, address, and RFC
number. The products must also include a list of ingredients, net content/drained mass,
manufacturer and importer’s information, batch number, expiration date, and nutritional
information. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the recent outbreak of
E. coli O157:H7 in romaine lettuce has a case count of 149 and was traced back to 29 states
(“Multistate Outbreak of E. coli O157,” 2018). Although this specific case did not occur from
produce imported from Mexico, it was easily traceable thanks to the mandatory labeling
requirements. Food sanitation should not be taken for granted as foodborne illnesses if left
untreated can lead to severe health conditions. The recent outbreak of E. Coli is a perfect
example of the severity that an outbreak can have. The recent outbreak of E. coli caused the
hospitalization of 64 people and included 17 people that developed a type of kidney failure
Regulations established by the Food and Drug Administration work with many regulatory
The dependence or belief that the fresh fruits and vegetables have already been inspected
and pre-washed should not be the only source of disinfecting procedure taken at home.
According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, during the growing phase, fruits and
veggies may be contaminated by animals, harmful substances in the soil or water, and poor
hygiene among workers. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration also state that even after
produce is harvested, it passes through many hands, increasing the contamination risk since
contamination can happen after the produce has been purchased, during food preparation, or
through inadequate storage (Nutrition, n.d.-b). The U.S. Food and Drug Administration
recommends picking produce that is not bruised or damaged. It is also recommended that once
fresh fruits and vegetables are at home to wash your hands for 20 seconds with warm water and
soap before and after preparing fresh produce, cut away any of the bruised areas off the produce,
and gently rubbing produce while holding under running water. There is also produce wash that
can be purchased to clean fresh fruits and vegetables prior to eating. The U.S. Food and Drug
Administration strongly recommends washing produce before peeling it so that dirt and bacteria
are not transferred to the knifes and then onto the fruit and vegetable. Other techniques that can
be used include using a clean vegetable brush to firmly scrub produce like cucumbers and
melons. Drying produce with clean paper towels can also reduce the bacteria that may be
present and throwing away the outermost leaves of a head of lettuce or cabbage are also helpful
Conclusion: 10
Food Sanitation can be a serious life threat if procedures and regulations are not
thoroughly complied. There are multiple components that are involved with the prevention of
FOOD SANITATION 10
foodborne illnesses. Many factors can be incorporated or seen play a role with the transportation,
sanitation, guideline and procedures that tie in with food sanitation. The outbreak of foodborne
diseases plays a huge role in health implications as well as in other areas. The proximity of
Mexico has had advantages for the consumers in the United States such as a wider availability
year-round of fresh fruits and vegetables to continue meeting demand. Unfortunately, the
probability of foodborne illnesses also being commuted increases. On a global and national scale
the cases of foodborne illnesses will also rise. The importance of organizations to emphasize
procedures and regulations will decrease the number of incidences as well as proper techniques
to disinfect food produce and vegetables at home to minimize the risk of acquiring foodborne
illnesses.
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References
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1996–2014 - Volume 23, Number 3—March 2017 - Emerging Infectious Disease journal
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