Food Safety Inspections Hampered by COVID-19

New EU report shows food safety inspections hampered by COVID 19 --  from 16.9 million EU sites in 2021, 5 million were checked and there were around 1 million non-compliances.  Of those nearly half received administrative sanctions and nearly 8,000 received judicial actions. 

 

Spring 2023 Edition of FOCUS -- AI and Food Safety

FOCUS, GFSF’s e-newsletter,  is pleased to feature an article on AI and Food Safety: http://globalfoodsafetyforum.org/2023/05/focus-spring-2023/ .  Mr. Lu, GIC Group Senior Analyst, concludes, “…AI is transforming food safety by improving food quality and efficiency across the value chain.”    AI apps for food safety are at an early stage but the benefits are striking.

 

FAO: Collaboration is the Key for Ag

 Check out FAO report on food safety:  https://www.fao.org/documents/card/en/c/cc4040en .  Keyword is “collaboration”  for agrifood systems, food security, nutrition, & ag development strategies!  A big and important ask.

Possible Risks with Cultured Meat Products

Nutritional and food safety concerns raised in FSA report over multiple possible risks with cultured meat products.  There may be risks such as the transfer of new diseases and viruses and allergic reactions to new proteins. https://www.food.gov.uk/sites/default/files/media/document/Cultured%20meat%20hazard%20identification%20final_0.pdf

National Nutrition Month

Officially, we’re celebrating national nutrition month this March.  At the same time, FDA has reported that “the total number of 'units' recalled by FDA increased by 700 percent in 2022 compared to 2021.”  At GFSF, our March is focusing on compliance, standards, and tech tools to secure food safety.

 

Codex Alimentarius Compliance and Enforcement

 

To kick-off the new year, let’s start with a positive note. Despite global supply chain challenges, Codex Alimentarius with 189 members remains the gold standard for science based food safety standards.  Even Russia & Ukraine/ China & US would agree but…  Compliance? Enforcement? Quite another matter.