Workshop on Traceability of Food Belgrade, Republic of Serbia Jaana Elo Finnish Food Safety Authority Evira

Finland Evira employs some 745 experts, 530 of them in Helsinki and 215 in other locations.

Food Safety Organisation

AVI – Regional State Administrative Agencies Municipal authorities: - 83 control units towns and municipalities

Traceability - Why so important?

Food scares BSE DIOXINS FMD

Review and Answer Food scares BSE Dioxins Loss of consumers confidence in supply Necessary to improve transparency Avoid misleading consumers By sufficient and clear labelling Need for coherent policy on food safety White Paper published in 2000 – Need to guarantee a high level of food safety

The new approach - Regulation (EC) 178 / 2002 EU FOOD SAFETY POLICY FBO have the primary responsibility for safety Feed manufactures, Farmers and Food business operator is best placed to devise a safe system for supplying food and ensuring that the food it supplies is safe Whole chain – from farm to fork – approach In order to ensure the safety of food, It’s necessary to consider all aspects of the food production chain as a continuum from and including primary production Risk-based, Scientific Evidence Measures adopted by MS Should generally be based on risk analysis CA monitor and enforce this responsibility through the operation of national surveillance and control systems

Legal framework / 2002 Art. 18 Traceability Art. 19 Responsibilities for food: food business operators

Covered products – Art. 18 The traceability of food and feed, food-producing animals, and any other substances intended to be, or expected to be, incorporated into a food or feed shall be established at all stages of production, processing and distribution. ”Food and Feed”

Covered operators Producers, fishermen… Transporting Storing Processing / manufacturing Catering Retailers Do not concern operators on Third countries and consumers

Not covered Pesticides, fertilizers… Medicines for animals / veterinary medicines Packing materials Plant substances, sowing seeds…

Demands of Traceability and Labelling Do not give more information to consumers Do not demand more from labelling Do not prevent mistakes but can effect on recalls – less and easier to do – Internal traceability? 1760 / 2000 Labelling Beef and Beef Products BUT demands more from operators / companies to find the mistake!

What are those Traceability systems and Methods? EDI - Electronic Data Interchange RFID Radio Frequency Identification and EPC Electronic Product Code

No answers from the regulation Can be different; “paper and pen” – data system Business operators must include traceability in their HACCP-system, to secure the identity from whom, and to whom products has been delivered The information have to be given to authority when demanded Demands of systematic bookkeeping of the information Necessary information of traceability … Traceability Systems / Methods?

Necessary information of Traceability Minimum level of information – the first category: -Suppliers name, address and the description of products delivered -Buyers name, address and the description of products sold -Date of delivery Additional information – the second category: -Quantity and volume (weight and/or numbers of cartons/cans/bags) -Lot number (if used) -More detailed description of the product (pre-packed / bulk) Customer Business operator Supplier

Time of records keeping 5 years -General rule for products without self life -sugar, salt, vinegar -The other products -flours, spices, drinks Shelf-life + 6 month Fresh products with a use-by date destined directly to final consumer -packed meat of chicken 6 months Products without specified use-by date and destined directly to final consumer -fruits, vegetables and non-packed products

Overall responsibilities and actions – Authorities Monitor production, processing and distribution of food and feed products to ensure that operators have traceability system in place Fix and enforce appropriate penalties for operators that do not meet EU requirements on traceability Trace the risk backwards and forwards along the food chain Notify the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed

Overall responsibilities and actions – Food business operators – Art.19 Precautionary principle; If reason to suspect unsafe food: FBO needs to withdraw products from market / recall from consumers Identify and document information on products ”one step forward and one step back” in the food chain Destroy any batch, lot consignment of feed that does not satisfy food safety requirements Immediately inform the competent authorities of risk and of the action it has taken Collaborate with CA

Operation from field to the table ↔ ↔ ↔ ↔ ↔ ↔

23 The EU market is NOT built on trust Trust is a result of Harmonised legislation Permanent controls and audits Transparency and peer pressure Robust dispute settlement mechanisms Efficient crisis management

Transparent traceability of Food and Feed can be argument for selling better! Thank You!