Food safety in Peru: A review of fresh produce production and challenges in the public health system.

Peru has a commodities-based economy where agriculture plays an essential role in the nation's development. Among agricultural products, fruits and vegetables are foundational to Peruvian culture and a healthy and nutritious diet. Produce is also the primary income source for thousands of small-scale farmers and producers throughout the country. Peru has significant potential to export agricultural and value-added products. Nevertheless, the Peruvian food chain has weak food safety and quality standards, limiting access to international markets. The inherent lack of food safety surveillance and management systems negatively affects public health. In the past decade, fresh and raw produce has been associated with several foodborne outbreaks worldwide, resulting in significant health and economic losses. This alarming situation for public health officials and regulators has called for the strengthening of produce safety standards and food safety risk management for safer food and to reduce the incidence of foodborne illnesses. This review summarizes the current status of produce safety in Peru and explores opportunities (e.g., policy, university capacity development) toward a safer food system.

Occurrence of Chemical Contaminants in Peruvian Produce: A Food-Safety Perspective.

The presence of chemical contaminants in agricultural products is a continued food-safety challenge in Peru. This country has robust agriculture potential, but its output of fruits and vegetables is severely impacted by massive mining activities, as well as poor farming practices, including the use of polluted irrigation water, misuse of pesticides, and inadequate postharvest conditions. This review examines the current scientific knowledge on the levels of pesticide residues, heavy metals, and mycotoxins on crops produced in Peru. The available data shows that several crop varieties are contaminated with these classes of chemical contaminants, and at levels that exceed the national and international permissible limits. The abundance of chemical contaminants in produce indicates a relevant food-safety issue, which increases the risks of chronic human diseases, like cancer-a leading cause of death in Peru. Finally, this review presents recommendations to address these contamination problems in produce grown in the Andean country.