Estonian ministry: More cooperation needed for ensuring food safety

TALLINN – The food safety council met for the first time in the Estonian Ministry of Rural Affairs on Wednesday to devise further steps to promote broad-based cooperation in the field of food safety.

"In today's world, where food products move in global networks, ensuring food safety is of paramount importance. That is why we convened a food safety council, which included representatives from a variety of other administrative areas, universities, business federations and other associations," Minister of Rural Affairs Mart Jarvik said in a press release.

The sitting of the council was attended by representatives of the Estonian Nutritionists' Association, the Agricultural Board, the Traders' Association, the Food Industry Association, the Tallinn University of Technology (TalTech), the Health Board, the Ministry of the Environment, the Chamber of Agriculture and Commerce, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications, the University of Life Sciences, the Ministry of Social Affairs, the National Institute for Health Development, the Veterinary and Food Board and the Ministry of Rural Affairs.

"We strive to combine the expertise of all links in the food supply chain to form a strong opinion panel. In doing so, we are protecting our consumers from potential old and new risks concerning food," Jarvik said. "Ensuring food safety is a task that requires maximum effort and constructive cooperation from all parties involved," he added.

Topics discussed at the meeting included the role and tasks of the food safety council, new risks concerning food safety and the fight against food fraud. The importance of increasing the role of research in ensuring food safety was also emphasized.