World Food Safety Day: EU Agri-food chain’s commitment to safer food for better health

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 minimise disruptions in the food supply chains, as consumers must have reliable access to safe food. The provision of 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.

The Food Safety Platform members (CELCAA, Copa-Cogeca, EuroCommerce, FEFAC and FoodDrinkEurope) have also developed an infographic brochure showcasing their joint responsibility in delivering safe food from farm to fork, which can be downloaded here.