Over 600 people inLatin America and the Caribbean learned more about food safety at the webinar “Food standards save lives” on 5 and 6 June 2023. In addition, there was a drawing competition to showcase the significance of this topic.

“The implementation of food standards is essential to reduce foodborne illnesses, protect people's health and contribute to food and nutrition security. Standards help different sectors to improve their performance in terms of food safety, process traceability, and the transparent exchange of information in trade,“ said Rommel Betancourt, Chairman of the FAO/WHO Coordinating Committee for Latin America and the Caribbean. He also emphasized the importance of World Food Safety Day, particularly in the face of emerging challenges posed by demographic and dietary changes, climate change, and evolution of food production, marketing, and consumption patterns.

The FAO Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean (RLC) and partners organized this regional webinar to raise awareness on food standards. The webinar was divided into two sessions. The first session delved into food traceability experiences from Chile, the Caribbean region, and the International Regional Organization for Animal and Plant Health (OIRSA) representative shared their insights. The second session focused on the role of food standards and 60 years of expertise in this area by Codex Alimentarius.

Sarah Cahill, Senior Food Standards Officer in the Codex Secretariat, noted that the Codex Alimentarius consists of more than 11 000 standards, codes of practice, and guidelines that when applied ensure food safety and quality. “Development and implementation of international standards contribute to saving lives and livelihoods. This process requires data and information from all parts of the food chain, and a strong scientific basis. Broad country and stakeholder engagement is key in achieving this,“ she said.

The webinar was held in collaboration with the Regional Coordinator for Latin America and the Caribbean, the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), OIRSA, and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)/Pan American Center for Foot-and-Mouth Disease and Veterinary Public Health (PANAFTOSA).

The FAO RLC also hosted a drawing competition that invited participants from the region to showcase the significance of food safety through their digital artwork created using any design platform or program. Two winners were selected: Santo Tomás Agricultural and Livestock Services Cooperative from Nicaragua and Rolan Santiago Bastidas, an independent consultant from Ecuador.

Learn more
The recorded webinar is available here: https://www.fao.org/americas/eventos/ver/es/c/1639919/
More information in Spanish: https://www.fao.org/americas/noticias/ver/en/c/1642573/

Photo @ FAO/RLC
Caption: June 2023 - Winners of the competition. Drawings by Santo Tomás Agricultural and Livestock Services Cooperative (left) and Rolan Santiago Bastidas (right).