Alternative Methods – RAPID´Chromogenic Media
Bio-Rad
Better Training for Safer Food is a training programme started in 2006 to ensure national authorities were up-to-date with all aspects of EU food safety law. The commission wanted to harmonize practices throughout the bloc as trade between member states increases.
As well as Member State control personnel, the initiative also aims to provide training in these areas for third, and particularly developing, country participants.
The bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) crisis, which began more than 20 years ago, and sporadic chemical contamination scares across Europe, highlight the need for a coordinated approach to food safety.
"The European Commission believes that training those who verify implementation of Community law, rather than simply introducing new legislation, is the best way to satisfy these needs," the report states.
The first year of the programme saw 1,400 participants from about 100 countries attend 34 different events on a variety of food and feed controls. Seven programmes involved workshops were based on hygiene analysis and critical control plan (HACCP) principles, EU standards for animal by-products, animal welfare at slaughter and in disease control situations, and veterinary checks at air- and seaport border inspection posts.
Two programmes were exclusively for third countries and dealt with EU food import standards for fish and produce, and the control of avian influenza.
About 87 per cent of the attendees were from countries already within the EU, candidate or associated countries, while the remainder were from third countries.
Most participants in these sessions were from EU control authorities nominated by their respective Member States and funded by the Commission.
Markos Kyprianou, Commissioner for Health, said the Better Training for Safer Food programme is an example of action taken by the Commission to ensure that Europeans are delivered the safest food possible.
"The annual report reveals a busy and productive first year for this programme, and I am confident that it will continue to grow and develop over the coming years to produce impressive results in terms of food safety," he said.
With the budget rising to €7.5 million from €3.5 million in 2006, the agenda for 2007 is more ambitious.
Better Training for Safer Food programme plans to expand to 62 different training events covering 12 topics.
Three of these are EU-based and cover zoonoses and microbiological criteria in foodstuffs, controls on food contact materials, and the evaluation and registration of plant protection products. Two new programmes will provide third countries with training on food testing for laboratory staff in Association of South-East Asian Nations member states, and training on the EU Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed.
The Commission estimates that a long term training programme will require an annual budget of around €15 million.
