Платформа знаний о семейных фермерских хозяйствах

Modernizing food safety while preserving traditions in Serbia

FAO and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development help update food safety measures for smallholders’ traditional culinary products

Miloš Pajić follows a recipe over 250 years old to make the local spicy smoked sausages for which the village of Backi Petrovac in northern Serbia’s Vojvodina region is renowned. He also follows the new food safety regulations, drawn up by the government with the support of FAO and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), aimed at bringing time-hallowed gastronomy up to date with modern food safety knowhow and bolstering the competitiveness of the country’s small-scale producers.

It’s not worth cutting corners, Miloš explains. “Maybe it would be easier to do things differently, but this way, I can sleep peacefully.”

In this village and many others like it, the ancient culinary traditions of the land are a source of pride and income for the residents, with Serbia’s rich food heritage being passed down from one generation to the next. “I’m working with my children to keep them up to date on safety and hygiene measures at all stages, from the raw material to the finished product,” says Miloš.

It’s not just meat products that are subject to the new rules. They’re also being applied to thousands of small family-run businesses across the country whether they make jam, juices, dried fruits, pickled cabbage or ajvar (a traditional red pepper paste).

Back to traditions

Some three years ago, Stevan Petrović left his career as a lawyer and decided to come back to the family business of ajvar production. Ajvar, a gastronomic favourite in the Balkan region, is particularly popular in southern Serbia, and the region of Leskovac is home to an ajvar that has the status of a Protected Designation of Origin product.

He says it wasn’t easy to convince his parents that he had chosen the right path, but now that his production is increasing and his marketing efforts have reached many parts of Serbia, his mother and father are fully on board with helping him to expand further.

“It is hard to be a food producer, but it is something much more rewarding for the times we live in to provide our customers with a healthy, safe and regulation-compliant product,” states Stevan.

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Автор: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
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Организация: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations FAO
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Год: 2023
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Страна/страны: Serbia
Географический охват: Европы и Центральной Азии
Категория: Статья в блоге
Язык контента: English
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