Advancing food safety and security on World Food Safety Day

On June 7, GLOBALG.A.P. celebrated the 5th World Food Safety Day, a global call to action by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO).

This event raises awareness about important aspects of food safety, such as risks of foodborne illnesses, food security, health, economic prosperity, sustainable development, and agriculture.

This year's campaign, "Food standards save lives," highlights the significance of having standards in place to ensure that our food is safe and of good quality. The FAO and WHO emphasize that food safety benefits not only consumers but also producers and the global economy by building trust in the products we find in the market. GLOBALG.A.P., as a key player in food safety, has been working for 25 years to provide effective and affordable solutions that improve the safety and quality of food. They collaborate with everyone involved in the food supply chain to achieve this goal.

One of GLOBALG.A.P.'s main standards is Integrated Farm Assurance (IFA), which takes a comprehensive approach to responsible farming of crops and aquaculture. It puts a strong focus on food safety. In fact, the most recent version of the IFA standard, called IFA v6 for fruit and vegetables, dedicates 22% of its requirements solely to food safety.

With the increasing concern about global warming, the FAO warns that rising temperatures can lead to more food- and waterborne diseases, infections in plants, and the spread of pests and harmful algae. This can affect the safety of seafood and lead to the overuse of pesticides. IFA helps tackle these issues by protecting food and water sources and monitoring products to prevent pests and diseases. The new requirement for a continuous improvement plan under IFA v6 also encourages farmers to set measurable targets that promote environmental sustainability.

Another important standard by GLOBALG.A.P. is the Chain of Custody standard. It helps ensure food safety by reducing the risk of food fraud and providing transparency in the supply chain. It does this by setting strict rules for how food products should be separated, handled, and traced from farms to retailers.

GLOBALG.A.P. understands that not everyone faces the same risks when it comes to food safety and security. Women, children, marginalized communities, and people living in war-torn areas are particularly vulnerable. To address these challenges, GLOBALG.A.P. focuses on initiatives in the Global South and Eastern Europe. They work on capacity-building projects and develop smart solutions for farms that improve food safety and security.

 

 

 

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