Regional Conference on Food Safety

FAO and the World Health Organization (WHO) in collaboration with the Russian Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Well-being (Rospotrebnadzor) held a regional workshop on 17-18 September in St. Petersburg. The main goal of the workshop was to increase of effective participation in Commission’s work "Codex Alimentarius" under food safety standards and procedures. Assurance of microbiological food safety was one of the key topics of the meeting.

The workshop has been held with the support of the Russian Government to ensure Russia's participation in CCA activities.

The significance of this meeting was confirmed by the greeting words of the First Deputy of Prime Minister I.I. Shuvalov: “Public health is a priority when dealing with food supply issues. Accumulated knowledge in Russia, human resources, as well as the system of organization of supervision over food safety can successfully resist foodborne diseases, and we are ready to share our experience with our partners from the European region and outside Europe.”

The workshop opening ceremony was started from the reports of the head of Rospotrebnadzor Anna Popova, Chairperson of the Codex Alimentarius Commission A. Ochieng Pernet, Vice-Governor of St. Petersburg O.A. Kazanskaya, director of FSBSE “Food Research Institute” V.A. Tutelian, and the representatives of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the World Health Organization.

The participants of the workshop were the representatives of the sanitary and epidemiological service of the CIS, ministries of health, ministries of agriculture of European countries, international organizations and the scientific and business communities. Totally the event was attended by over 120 delegates taking part in the development of food safety standards and supervision of their implementation.

The participants got acquainted with the experience on the organization of supervision of the food quality and safety in the European states, laboratorysupport in surveillance activities, as well as with risk analysis system used in Russia to ensure microbiological safety.

Professor, fellow of RAS, N.V. Zaitseva, the Director of Federal Scientific Center for Medical and Preventive Health Risk Management Technologies presented the report "Harmonization of risk analysis system in EEU and EU - the basis for regional cooperation to ensure the microbiological safety of food products for health."

The event has become the next stage in work carried out by Rospotrebnadzor to strengthen Russia's role in the development of international safety standards of food production and consolidation of these purposes in Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

Based on materials www.rospotrebnadzor.ru