| Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Food Quality and Standards Service (ESNS) |
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FAO's mandate calls for "raising levels of nutrition and standards of living... and contributing towards an expanding world economy and ensuring humanity's freedom from hunger" (FAO Constitution). In furtherance of this aim, the Food Quality and Standards Service engages in a variety of capacity building activities to help national governments increase safe food supplies and become more competitive in international trading markets. What is Capacity Building for Food Quality and Safety? Capacity building for Food Quality and Safety includes all activities undertaken by FAO's Food Quality and Standards Service in support of Member Countries' efforts to strengthen their food control programmes and activities. It covers, (i) policy advice on specific issues (ii) institutional development and/or strengthening (iii) review and updating of food legislation (iv) harmonisation of food regulations and standards with Codex and other international regulatory instruments (v) training of technical and managerial staff in different food safety related disciplines and (vi) studies and applied research on specific food related subjects. Capacity building also includes the organisation of national and regional workshops and seminars on food safety related matters and the development and dissemination of manuals, guidelines, training materials and other tools needed to support food control programmes. Capacity building is a dynamic process catalysed by individual countries' efforts to strengthen their food control systems. FAO assists in this process via diverse channels, according to national needs and priorities. Capacity Building activities undertaken by FAO include: 1. Field Projects The Food Quality and Standards Service provides technical support and expert guidance to several national and regional projects executed by FAO. Themes of some current projects include:
The Food Quality and Standards Service has implemented capacity building projects in all developing regions of the world. These projects provide technical assistance on a wide range of thematic subjects. FAO Field Projects for Capacity Building in Food Quality and Safety are funded through various mechanisms including: a. Focus on Fresh Produce Fresh fruits and vegetables are important export commodities for many developing countries and a major source of foreign exchange earnings. Loss of product value as quality declines during post harvest handling, storage and distribution can lead to significant economic losses for exporting countries. FAO is implementing a project to establish a Global Inventory, Reference Materials and Food Safety Training Programme for Improving the Quality and Safety of Fresh Fruits and Vegetables. This project seeks to improve access to information and availability of resource materials and training guides to countries seeking opportunities for improving the quality and safety of fresh produce. The project will assist in providing linkages to world resources and international organisations to improve the quality and safety of fresh produce and overcome international barriers to world markets. Courses are scheduled to be held in the Caribbean, Andean, and Southern Cone regions of Latin America to train personnel on the application of quality control measures to preserve the value of fresh produce. Personnel trained in these workshops will then conduct workshops at the national level. b. Quality Improvement and Increased Production of Gum Arabic Gum Arabic is a food ingredient consumed by millions worldwide in softdrinks, candies and bakery products. The Acacia trees which yield the gum grow naturally in the sub-sahalein region of Africa and help protect the environment from desertification. International trade in gum arabic is a considerable source of income for the major producing countries; however, variable quality and irregular supply can destabilise demand for the product and adversely effect trade. A recent FAO project assisted producer countries in efforts to improve quality and comply with international product specifications. Specific recommendations to foster best practices in production, quality control and marketing were tailored to the needs of individual producing countries. The project also recommended increased regional collaboration among countries which produce the gum and recently, the Network of Natural Gums and Resins in Africa (NGARA) has been established. The project also had a catalytic role in stimulating ideas for new projects. Plans and funding for reforestation and gum production projects are underway. c. Strengthening National Codex Committees The Codex Alimentarius Commission is recognised as the leading international body for setting food standards. Countries which actively participate in Codex Committees have the possibility to engage in the debate over critical food standards issues and influence international food standards policy. Active and full participation by developing countries and countries in transition in Codex meetings and standard setting committees is crucial to enable them to fully voice their opinions and shape future policy. Raising national awareness and establishing strong National Codex Committees was the objective of a recent FAO project in Central America and the Caribbean. A more profound understanding of Codex issues and the critical importance of participation in Codex was transmitted to members of government, food industry, consumers and food research bodies through a series of workshops and seminars. As a result of the project, each participating country has established a National Codex Committee and plans are underway to create a regional information network to exchange and disseminate information on the latest Codex guidelines and regulations. d. Protecting Consumers through Enhanced Quality and Safety of Street Foods In many countries, street foods make an important contribution to food security and are a source of income, particularly for the urban poor. Because street foods are often prepared and sold where hygienic conditions are inadequate, these foods can be the source of exposure to pathogens and other food contaminants. The Food Quality and Standards Service has extensive experience in assisting national and municipal authorities with projects designed to define strategies for improving the street food sector, including the drafting of codes of hygiene and pilot testing new techniques for enhancing street food safety. Training for vendors and inspectors and consumer outreach are important strategies in many projects. A project in Dakar, Senegal provides a good example of a concrete activity. Food carts and beverage containers were designed for use by street food vendors by the Institute of Food Technology and then manufactured by local craftsmen. The carts and beverage containers enhanced the safety and quality of food; with the new equipment foods could be kept at the appropriate temperature and external contamination reduced. e) Upgrading National Food Control Systems to Enhance Food Security in West Africa Food Security is of vital concern for many West African nations. As part of the FAO Special Programme on Food Security a regional food security project was launched in Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Guinée Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal and Togo. The increase of regional and international trade is seen as one way to increase food security, one component of this project is therefore dedicated to harmonising food standards and regulations with international requirements. The project also aims to strengthen national enforcing institutions. The Food Quality and Standards Service is leading the work on food quality and safety, assisting countries to define their needs and priorities and formulate a regional plan of action. This activity should act as a catalyst for securing future funding for specific training activities and procurement of equipment. Collaborative regional networks of laboratories will be established, capitalising on each nation's areas of expertise. This regional approach to trade should increase trade opportunities for all countries concerned. Fostering National Capacity through training FAO in collaboration with regional and international partners engages in numerous training activities throughout the world. The global objective of this programme of work is to improve national capacity in a variety of food safety and quality fields and strengthen regional and international partnerships. Recent training themes include:
Highlights from some diverse training themes are presented below. The course objectives and structure are often similar from region to region, while the examples and case studies used in any course are selected to be of particular relevance to the food industry of the particular country or area. a) Improving Quality Assurance Systems throughout the Food Chain FAO in collaboration with national, regional and international partners has engaged in several training activities on quality assurance systems, including Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs), Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) and the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) system. The training assists governments and food industry in improving the quality and safety of food, focussing on commodities (seafood, coffee) or contaminants (mycotoxins) of importance to the region. Workshops on this theme have been conducted in several regions worldwide. A regional Training of Trainers course on GMP and HACCP for six countries in Africa provides an example of an activity related to this subject. The course included a series of training sessions to set the foundation for HACCP principles. Participants then devised HACCP plans for specific foods and presented these plans to the group for discussion. Field visits to food processing plants where participants applied HACCP principles, further reinforced practical applications of quality assurance systems. Through this type of activity a core group of trainers on these topics, has been established in countries, such as Thailand, Vietnam, Brazil, Slovenia, Latvia, Estonia, India, Argentina, Chile, Paraguay Lebanon, Ethiopia and Tanzania among others. b) Harmonising and Modernising Food Standards and Regulations Harmonisation of national food standards and regulations with those standards set-out by Codex Alimentarius is undertaken to protect consumers' health and stimulate food trade. Workshops on this theme provide a valuable forum for government, industry and academia to exchange ideas and gain a better understanding of each others food standards and regulations. Discussions are focussed on updating food control legislation and achieving equivalence with international standards. Several workshops on this general theme have been conducted, with activities and objectives tailored to each specific region. The seminars serve to keep leaders appraised of the latest developments in food science, including international norms for food safety, and the need for science-based decision making. Attending delegates exchange information on national activities and recent initiatives related to management of food control systems and modernisation of food control legislation. c) Building Laboratory Capacity in Food Quality and Safety In collaboration with International Atomic Energy Agency( IAEA), a series of regional workshops on development of quality assurance programmes for mycotoxin analysis of feed and food have taken place in Africa and the Near East, Asia, Eastern Europe and Latin America. The courses were structured around dynamic, interactive teaching methods, using practical case studies and a mock audit to simulate steps in the accreditation process. A recent evaluation of the workshops revealed a high level of implementation of quality assurance measures in participating laboratories. In particular, participants stated that they had instituted better record keeping, documented standard operating procedures and conducted internal and external quality control measures. The majority of the laboratories reported beginning preparations for accreditation and several reported having already received accreditation. d) Using Interactive Techniques to Understand Risk Analysis FAO has organised numerous workshops on the theme of Risk Analysis. The main objectives of this type of workshop are to familiarise participants with the principles of risk analysis and the methodologies for qualitative and quantitative risk assessment for food contaminants and additives. The use of data generated through the risk analysis process to assist managerial decisions is a primary focus of workshop activities. The workshop on Risk Analysis organised for Latin America by FAO, ILSI and Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Industrial (INTI) provides a good example of the techniques used in conducting workshops on this topic. After brief presentations on the principles of risk analysis, group exercises were conducted on real situations where the risk assessment approach was used to reach a decision on a food safety issue. Groups of participants were asked to apply the risk assessment approach in diverse scenarios including chemical contaminants, microbial pathogens, food additives, veterinary drug residues and pesticides. Participants then derived management options to address these different issues. 3. Tools A range of materials have been produced by the Food Quality and Standards Service to help food control authorities and other stakeholders in developing and implementing capacity building activities. Materials on the following subjects are available from FAO:
Some examples of materials available at FAO are provided below: a) The Latest Guidance from Expert Consultations Expert Consultations are organised by FAO to provide independent and competent scientific advice on pertinent issues surrounding food safety and consumer protection. The reports of these consultations are useful tools for food safety regulators and specialists. Recent Expert Consultations on the following subjects have been held:
Full reports, calls for data and requests for experts can be accessed by visiting the FAO Web Site. b) Manuals of Food Quality Control (Series of 17) A series of 17 manuals on various aspects of Food Quality Control have been developed. Some of the topics covered include the following:
c) Food Safety Management Systems Several guidelines and manuals on food safety management systems have been developed. A selection of these include:
d) Other Subjects
For further information on the work of the Food Quality and Standards service visit our web site www.fao.org/es/ESN or contact: food-quality@fao.org. |