Govt Launches Food Safety Information Campaign

Ahead of the inaugural World Food Safety Day on Friday 07 June, the government has launched a food safety information campaign.

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Michael Creed, T.D. and the Minister for Health Simon Harris, T.D. have come together with agencies, industry, retailers and farmers to roll out the campaign, which is aimed at highlighting the collaboration that is required from farm to fork to protect food safety.

Launching the initiative, Minister Creed stated: "World Food Safety Day is a great opportunity to reflect on the world class food safety systems that are in place in Ireland. These help to ensure that the food we produce is safe, authentic and traceable. The high standards to which we hold ourselves in Ireland are recognised both by consumers here in Ireland and in the many countries worldwide in which Irish food and drinks products are consumed and enjoyed."

The theme of World Food Safety Day 2019 is 'Food Safety, everyone's business'. All actors in the food chain, from farm to table, whether they produce, process, sell or prepare food, have a role in keeping it safe. Farmers, processors and business operators must adopt good practices to ensure that the potential risks to food safety are properly addressed.

Minister Creed added: "My Department, the Department of Health, the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI), HSE and Local Authorities work tirelessly to control food safety risks along the food chain, through direct and indirect oversight, and also by fostering collaboration among stakeholders. Promoting and safeguarding public health is a strategic priority for my Department, with over 600 staff members directly involved in food safety and food authenticity controls. The Food Safety, and Food Authenticity Strategy, which I launched last year, sets out the vision and objectives that my Department, in consultation with regulatory partners, will pursue as the food industry continues to implement Food Wise 2025."

The Minister noted that this year's campaign is directed at consumers, stating: "Consumers play a significant role, both by taking appropriate precautions when preparing food and by ensuring that they keep themselves informed about the food they eat."

Minister Harris commented: "Food safety is of paramount importance to the health and well-being of people in Ireland and further afield. A food supply that is adequate in quantity, quality, accessibility and safety is undoubtedly a prerequisite for achieving and maintaining the health of Ireland's population.  When food safety is not taken seriously, it not only significantly affects health and well-being, but also has economic consequences for individuals, families, communities, businesses and countries and can impose a substantial burden on healthcare systems and markedly reduce economic productivity."