“Integrating Food Safety Education, Information,
Communication and Outreach in the Americas”
8 December 2005
The Food Safety Institute of the Americas workshop on the Institute and its plans for food safety education and information in the Hemisphere began with a luncheon address by the Honorable Mark Langdale, U.S. Ambassador to Costa Rica, who appropriately reminded the group of the critical role of food safety not only in Costa Rica but across the world. The peoples of the world are unable to feed themselves, provide for their families' health or trade in food products for their economies without the careful attention to the safety of the food supply.
The workshop on 8 December 2005 was attended by participants from 25 countries in addition to representatives of many regional organizations such as FAO, PAHO, IICA and others. After opening remarks by Linda Swacina, Executive Director, of the Food Safety Institute of the Americas, the workshop began in earnest with reports on the strategic plan changes made from input throughout the countries of the Americas.
The Food Safety Institute of the Americas (FSIA) was formed in October 2004 under leadership of the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Services. FSIA has three partner institutions: University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences; Miami Dade College, and Michigan State University. The vision of FSIA is to harmonize and improve food safety education and information throughout the Americas and to harmonize the adoption of food safety materials and not to do the actual training. There are already many materials available from FAO, IICA, PAHO and others. FSIA will use those and seek out all valuable materials. Another area of concern is food defense. FSIA will assist in dissemination of educational materials and linkage of programs throughout the hemisphere. This workshop provided the 1st regional planned activity outside of US. Two previous public meetings had been held in Miami with many countries attending and providing valuable changes and input. FSIA continues to invite input and active affiliation from the hemisphere's food safety regulatory community. The FSIA partner schools completed an assessment of the various needs of the countries in the hemisphere. The partner schools were challenged to use input from needs assessment to craft a strategic plan. Attendees at the workshop were asked to provide additional input and all attendees will be contacted for their specific suggestions as to how to proceed.
Attendees were provided documents on the actual survey, the amended draft FSIA strategic plan including comments, a brochure outlining the vision and objectives, as well as a Q & A document. Evaluation of the workshop will be considered in any future hemispheric sessions.
Dr Douglas Archer, former U.S. Assistant Surgeon General, now principal investigator for the FSIA project with the University of Florida, presented the amended draft strategic plan which had been written based on a needs assessment sent to the Ministries of Health and Agriculture throughout the Americas. A proposed strategic plan was developed from results of the needs assessment and presented to the group. The strategic plan stresses three key areas: health (people and economies are hurt when food safety is not paramount) commerce, and lastly a centralization of available education and information materials. The goal is to facilitate and expand the dissemination of science based food safety knowledge and education throughout the Western Hemisphere. The major themes relayed by country responses on which FSIA will focus are regulatory foundation studies and Codex Alimentarius Commission. FSIA emphasized the need to liaise with all stakeholders, collecting numerous materials already prepared from around the world. In addition to the need to develop a benchmark program for evaluation of effectiveness, FSIA wants to increase the awareness of food safety across the hemisphere through affiliated institutions. For the next year we will begin addressing a clear collective vision crafted from our hemispheric input. FSIA is all about facilitating the people in the region who are the experts to enable them to provide the training needed. The workshop discussed the curricula/colleges for which permanent courses are needed. All participants in the assessment had identified two concise themes: 1) the need for basic food legislation and 2) promote adoption and participation in Codex. FSIA will work to establish an electronic clearing house for materials,
Dr Cathy Weir, with Michigan State University, which is a new partner school discussed the wealth of experience in providing international participation in the university's international training programs in food safety and agriculture, and led a discussion of the attendees concerning their needs. The identified needs of the region included specific needed input on food regulations, accessibility of needed information on education and training, and ability of individual countries to synergize and thus improve food safety across the hemisphere. Training at all levels is deemed necessary. Countries identified that they needed partnerships in implementing programs such as the necessary food safety training for the upcoming 2007 Cricket World Cup. Barbados has already begun training of over 4000 food handlers. Training is needed by other nations in the area. FSIA can make an important contribution to harmonization to CODEX norms. Many countries expressed needs related to export of food product. FSIA was requested to help by working with the processors in the industry in recognizing the training and certification of industries. Many identified needs for training materials for sectors such as food safety technicians for which no materials exist.
Dr Martha Roberts, UF/IFAS, presented examples of FSIA collaboration and affiliation projects and outlined how countries and universities can begin active participation and affiliation. FSIA discussions emphasized that they do not wish to compete or duplicate but to complement the actions of others such as to increasing participation in Codex across the hemisphere with close coordination with the Codex Contact Points. The involvement of academic institutions is critical to development of good training materials. FSIA will place Codex at the core of FSIA activities with food legislation development focusing on implementation of codes. FSIA has learned that across the Americas that are vast differences of opinion as to what type of curricula or information would be beneficial. The FSIA guiding principle is to complement, not duplicate hemispheric efforts in food safety education and information. FSIA will develop through cooperative partnerships simple, flexible training modules for use by the partner academic institutions throughout hemisphere focusing on implementation of codes not, just adoption, and by being a strong advocate throughout the hemisphere. Dr Rosie Newsome, Director of Science and Communication for the 22,000 member Institute of Food Technologists ( IFT) provided information regarding their international educational activities and their work as an official NGO with Codex. Countries discussed what additional steps they would conduct after the workshop to advance food education. Countries expressed the need for training in future terms in codes and in training in the implementation. The 25 countries in attendance reported their efforts in food safety and their desire for future activities on food safety and zoonoses. FSIA is very pleased with the intense training of over 4000 individuals in the ServSafe based food safety training.
Dr Audrey Talley, Foreign Ag Service of the US Department of Agriculture presented a foundation for future competitiveness focusing on the need to collaborate for the future to meet our own food safety needs and our priorities. Globalization has made the world smaller and more interdependent. In addition Dr Robin Woo outlined FDA's international activities in food safety training.
