World Food Safety Day is an important way to raise awareness of the need to prevent, detect and manage foodborne risks. To mark the fourth World Safety Day today, CELCAA, Copa-Cogeca, EuroCommerce, FEFAC, and FoodDrinkEurope want to reiterate their strong commitment to delivering safe food to consumers in Europe and all around the globe. Food safety is essential to human health and well-being, a crucial component of food security, a prerequisite for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, and a truly cross-cutting area.
COVID-19 and the Ukraine crisis have shown us how important the EU Agri-food chain is and how essential it is to minimize disruptions in the food supply chains, as consumers must have reliable access to safe food. Providing safe food is a responsibility carried by all partners in the food supply chain, from farm to fork. Equally, safe feed is a prerequisite for safe food of animal origin and an integral component of global food safety systems.
Agri-food chain partners remain fully committed to consistent, day-in-day-out efforts to keep food safe. Everyone involved in food production, processing, distribution, and retail must identify, evaluate, and control food safety hazards. A risk-based approach to food safety, continuous learning, promotion of a food safety culture, and a wide range of regulatory and self-regulatory measures ensure consumers have access to safe products on the market.
Today’s food in the EU is safer, of higher quality, and has a longer shelf-life than ever before. The safety of food is affected by the health of animals, plants, and the environment within which it is produced. Adopting a holistic approach to food safety will deliver a better food safety system.