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Seminar on Food Safety

Rationale of the Seminar

In the recent decades, consumers have expressed an increased concern with regard to food safety issues. In this field, VS have an important role to play i) by improving animal health which includes zoonotic diseases control, notably those transmitted through food ii) by controlling risks arising from animal farming practices and animal products processing modes, thereby reducing food-borne risks to human health. The OIE Terrestrial Animal Health Code and the Codex Alimentarius provide complementary standards related to food safety covering the whole food chain. The « farm to fork » approach is fostered by the OIE, however, the food safety issue may be under the responsibility of different authorities in a country. This situation strives for a strong and formal collaboration between services so as to ensure consistency and efficacy of the measures implemented at all stages of the food chain. VS have a key role to play at farm level through their activities regarding animal identification and traceability, surveillance and control of zoonoses such as tuberculosis, brucellosis, anthrax, salmonellosis, etc., control of good farming practices, of animal feeding, as well as reduction of chemical hazards (linked notably to the use of veterinary medicinal products or at risk products such as hormones). In addition, in slaughterhouses, pre- and post- mortem inspections ensure the withdrawal from the food chain of animals and their products which may be at risk for the consumers. Residue monitoring is also an important element contributing to food safety. Many OIE Delegates raised globally their interest on this subject, which resulted in an OIE document on the roles and functionalities of Veterinary Services in food safety with the aim to help them play a more active role in their respective countries.

Specific objectives

• to provide information on the role and responsibilities of Veterinary Services in ensuring food safety of animal origin products
• to present the existing relevant OIE and Codex international standards
• to allow for experience-sharing on legislation and implementation of food safety controls at national and regional level

 

Agenda
List of participants

Presentations (powerpoint)

OIE’s mandate on food safety- role of focal points (Dr Wim Pelgrim, OIE)
EC - Food safety legislation and implementation, responsibilities of Veterinary Services and other authorities in the European Union (Dr Maaria Hackzell , DG SANCO )
Role and responsibilities of Veterinary Services in food safety (Dr Caroline Planté, OIE)
Presentation, overview of Codex Alimentarius standards (Dr Suart Slorach, President of the OIE Working Group on Animal Production Food Safety)
Quality of Veterinary Services: PVS evaluation, food safety aspects (Dr Caroline Planté, OIE)
European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) - Role and activities of EFSA in food safety (Dr J.Serratosa Vilageliu, EFSA)
OIE standards and guidelines on meat inspection (Dr Wim Pelgrim, OIE)
Codex Code of Hygienic Practice for Meat (CHPM) (Dr Suart Slorach, President of the OIE Working Group on Animal Production Food Safety)
Identification and traceability: OIE standards – Results of the OIE international conference on animal identification and traceability held in Buenos Aires, Argentina, 23-25 March 2009 (Dr Wim Pelgrim, OIE)
Presentation on food safety (Dr.H.Meyer-Gerbaulet – Counsellor of the Minister of Agriculture and Food)
OIE standards on the use of antimicrobials and antimicrobial resistance monitoring (Dr Caroline Planté, OIE)
Codex standards on residues (Dr Suart Slorach, President of the OIE Working Group on Animal Production Food Safety)
Update on OIE’s work on Salmonella and hygiene in poultry farms chapters – Good farming practices (Dr Wim Pelgrim, OIE)
OIE standards – procedures, models of certificates (Dr Caroline Planté, OIE)
Bulgaria - Food Safety Initiatives (Dr. J. Kunev )
Russia (Dr Tretyakov)
Turkey (Dr Kayacik)
Serbia (Drs Micovic and Šibalić)
Ukraine (Dr Verbytskiy)
Armenia (Dr Stepanyan)
Croatia (Dr Vrdoljak Muheljić)

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