AGNS: Working together for safer, better quality food

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

Potential Origin-Linked Quality Food Products and Their Demand in Potential Origin-Linked Quality Food Products and Their Demand in UkraineUkraine National National Workshop Workshop

Kiev, UkraineKiev, Ukraine 25-26 August 201125-26 August 2011

Food safety and nutritional considerations in Food safety and nutritional considerations in

producing GI and traditional foodsproducing GI and traditional foods Eleonora Dupouy

Food Safety and Consumer Protection Officer for Europe and Central Asia

Presentation outline

• FAO – mandate and role in improving nutrition and food safety

• Introduction of the FAO programme on Quality Linked to Geographical Origin

• Modern approaches in ensuring food safety

- raising levels of food and nutrition security- agricultural productivity- rural development- economic growth

Areas of activity:- information- neutral venue - advice to governments- development assistance

FAO’s mandate

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Food security

• Food security is achieved “when all people at all times have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food for a healthy and active life” (1996, WFS)

• Ensuring access to a safe and secure food supply as a basic human right

FAO headquarters, Rome

FAO inter-sectoral and food-based approaches to improving diets and nutrition

Main pillars:

• Sustainable diets

• Biodiversity

• Food safety

FAO support for improving nutrition and its links with agriculture (continuation)

- Narrowing the nutrition gap – available foods and what are needed for a healthy diet

• quantity - availability, stability• quality – variety, diversity, nutritional adequacy

and safety• increasing nutritional value along value chains

(production, preservation, storage, processing, marketing)

– Consumer education and raising awareness of healthy food choices at all levels considering culture and environment aspects;

FAO support for improving nutrition and its links with agriculture (continuation)

– Policies for better coordination of healthy food production/supply and demand favouring healthy food choices

– Agriculture research and extension services– Risk-benefit analysis taking into consideration

the level of food safety hazards in food– Rural development and poverty reduction

strategies, including promoting the production of GI/GO and traditional food

Ever-increasing demand from consumers for quality food

• Food authenticity• Food origin/provenance• Methods of production• Exploring local food culture and culinary heritage• Food diversity• Nutritious and quality food• Safe foodTraditional agricultural and food products, local

specialities and origin-linked food – perfect match to consumers’ expectation

FAO Programme on Quality Linked to Geographical Origin• Launched in 2007• Objectives:

– Contribution to rural development– Provide guidance and assist countries and stakeholders in the

implementation of origin-linked quality schemes• Projects• Workshops, technical consultations• Studies, reports• HQ website – global experiencehttp://www.foodquality-origin.org• REU website – regional focushttp://www.foodquality-origin.org/europe

– Target: institutional and producers level– Adapted to individual economic, social and cultural contexts

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Food safety threats

• Increasing• Often have a global element• Far reaching consequences both in

terms of human health and economic impact (product destruction, market loss etc.)

• More than public health issue – scientific and technical issue as well

FAO’s priorities and ongoing commitments to improving nutrition and food safety – SO-D

• Strategic Objective D: Improved quality and safety of foods at all stages of the food chain– strengthening food safety systems at institutional and

legislative leves;– raising capacities of technical services (inspection,

laboratories);– improving food safety management systems in food

enterprises;– Promoting good agricultural, good manufacturing and

good hygiene practices along the entire food chain;– promoting the production of special quality food linked to

geographical origin.

Key principles for achieving food safety objectives

• Integrated “farm-to-table” approach and enhanced coordination and management in food control

• Introduction of preventive measures throughout the food chain (GAPs, GHPs, GMPs, HACCP

• Transparency of standards and procedures• Scientific basis for standards and controls• Traceability• Application of risk analysis and risk-based systems• Shift of responsibility for food safety to food

producers

FAO’s Programme on Food Quality and Safety

WorkshopsTraining

Technical consultations

Technical cooperation

projects

•Technical publications•Development of international food standards, codes of practices, guidelines and other relevant texts (Codex)

Capacity development

System levelInstitutional

IndividualLegislative framework

Conclusions

• GI/GO food products – potential strong contributors to diversifying diets and ensuring their sustainability, improving nutrition and food security and finally the life quality

• Food quality – broad term, including nutritional value, sensory characteristics and food safety. If food quality indices are voluntary – ensuring food safety is mandatory

• Food producers bear major responsibility for the safety of produced food, governments – guarantors of efficient food safety systems

Conclusions (cont)

• There is need in promoting GI/GO food production and raising awareness for:

• Consumers (benefits for the health, nutritional value)• Producers (economic advantage of the GI/GO

potential)• High-level authorities (providing means for adequate

protection of the unique products specific for different regions/localities)

• FAO - potential partner in raising awareness on the benefits of GI/GO products and in capacity development for their implementation at institutional, legislative, individual levels.

Thank you for your kind attention!

FAO Regional Office for Europe and Central AsiaBenczúr utca 34., 1068 Budapest, Hungary

Tel: 06 1 4612000 Fax: 06 1 3517029

E-mail: Eleonora.Dupouy@fao.org http://www.fao.org/world/regional/REU

http://www.foodquality-origin.org/europe