"Our shared mission is to ensure food security”, said Przemysław Rzodkiewicz, PhD, the Chief Inspector of Agricultural and Food Quality (GIJHARS), at the conference titled "Collaboration in the Area of Food Safety in the Context of the Activities of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)". The event was organized by the Polish EFSA Focal Point located within the Chief Sanitary Inspectorate.
WARSAW, Poland, Jan. 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The conference provided an opportunity for key control authorities in Poland responsible for risk management, as well as scientific entities involved in risk assessment, to convene. Along with the representatives from the Chief Sanitary Inspectorate, the Ministry of Health, and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, participants included officials from major control authorities and scientific institutions: the Chief Veterinary Officer, the Chief Inspector of Plant Health and Seed, the Chief Inspector of Agricultural and Food Quality, as well as directors and representatives of the National Institute of Public Health - NIH, the National Veterinary Research Institute, and the Research Institute of Horticulture.
The conference served as a platform to discuss multi institutional cooperation and communication in relation to EFSA's scope of activities. Speakers highlighted the significant role of EFSA and the steadily expanding areas of collaboration between Polish institutions and EFSA.
EFSA is a reference body for risk assessment related to food and feed safety in the European Union, established under the legal framework of a 2002 regulation of the European Parliament and the Council. Its mandate also encompasses plant and animal health. EFSA's primary objective, shared by the institutions present at the conference, is to ensure a high level of consumer protection.
In particular, the conference addressed the need to strengthen collaboration and expand communication regarding EFSA's activities. This would support the Authority in conveying risks regarding food and feed safety threats to consumers in effective manner. Coordinated communication at both the EU and Member State levels is critical for maintaining and enhancing public trust in the European food safety system and preventing misinformation about the safety of food produced and distributed within the EU.
"The cooperation of all institutions involved in official food control throughout the agri-food chain (from farm to fork) protects consumers, supports fair competition, and strengthens the global leadership of European food,” concluded the conference Przemysław Rzodkiewicz.
Source: GIJHARS
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