MILK IS A VALUABLE BASIC FOOD...

... but it is also an ideal culture medium for pathogens and so it is also one of the main vectors for the transmission of food-borne diseases. Milk is rich in nutrients, it is one of the most important staple foods and the principal food for infants and young children. However, in many cases milk intended for drinking in Africa is highly loaded with germs, and it may include antibiotics and antibiotic-resistant pathogens.

It is true, as always, that the poorest of the poor, children, pregnant women, the elderly, sick, the immuno-compromised or HIV / AIDS-positive people are particularly at risk of developing serious food-borne infections.

The shift from traditional knowledge, little understanding of hygiene and inadequate controls are the main reasons for the poor quality of drinking milk in Africa.

Safe food is a fundamental right for us all. For us consumers in the so-called first world, this fundamental right is taken as self-evident. However, the people of Africa are also entitled to safe food! Food safety monitoring, according to European standards, is not affordable for Tanzania and other African countries. We do not even possess data regarding prevalences of food-borne pathogens.

"Secure milk for Tanzania" enables a new, cost-effective form of foodstuffs for poor countries in the world!

Our tasks:

• development of a sensitive, cost-effective screening test for pathogens in milk
• organizing training courses and workshops for African scientists.

"Secure milk for Tanzania" is helping production of healthy, nutritious milk in the poorest regions of Africa!