Water as an Essential Element in Food Safety

Most public health officials understand that contaminated food and water can be important contributors to both infectious and chronic diseases. What is less understood and appreciated, however, is the degree to which water can impact the safety of foods. Adequately addressing this issue has been, and continues to be, hampered by a variety of factors, including a failure to recognize the importance of water as a food component; a disjointed and poorly coordinated regulatory system; a lack of fundamental scientific understanding of exactly how water can adversely affect food safety; and lack of political will.