Karen LeGrand with the University of California, Davis presents about the global challenges in food safety and agriculture at the 2016 Symposium on Horticultural Science in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

Food safety focuses on preventing foodborne illness in the handling, preparation, and storage of food. Foodborne illnesses are caused by pathogens, chemical contamination, and adulteration which can lead to diseases, weakened immune systems, and several other health complications. Food safety is an international concern even for developed countries such as the United States where more than $100 billion was spent on agricultural imports in 2014. Government programs control regulations for food management systems, but these regulations can only be enforced if the implementers have the resources.