News

04/02/2025
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has launched a comprehensive and practical toolbox designed to help those assessing the risks of veterinary drug residues in food.
The JECFA Toolbox for Veterinary Drug Residues Risk Assessment describes the process used by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) when assessing the risks of veterinary drug residues in animal-derived food products consumed by humans.
Join us for the launch of the JECFA Toolbox on Thursday, 27 February 2025, 15:00-16:00 CET. We will explain the background behind the development of the toolbox, do a live demonstration and answer your...

31/01/2025
FAO hosted a technical seminar on “Artificial Intelligence (AI) for food safety” on 6 November 2024, with over 1000 attendees both online and in-person. The video recording of the event, held in FAO HQ, is now available on FAO YouTube channels.
The aim of the event was to explore the current state of AI technology and its potential to play a critical role in the area of food safety, along with its benefits and drawbacks.
Organized and chaired by Masami Takeuchi, FAO Food Safety Officer, the seminar took its cue from the literature synthesis that FAO is compiling in collaboration with the...

27/01/2025
Building on its continued support for Tunisia’s efforts to strengthen food safety and food control, FAO led a Training Session on Food Safety Governance last week. The training aimed at building capacity among future decision-makers, equipping them with the tools and knowledge to effectively address food safety challenges, both locally and internationally.
The training was part of the program of the 9th session of the International Academy of Good Governance designed and implemented under the tripartite collaborative effort between the Tunis National School of Administration (École Nationale d’Administration de Tunis), the Ministry of Health of Tunisia, and...

17/12/2024
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania – December 4, 2024: Tanzania has taken a significant step towards strengthening its food safety systems and bolstering trade opportunities with the official launch of the "Empowering Low- and Middle-Income Countries to Leverage One Health to Improve Food Safety and Fair Trade" (1H4FS) project. The project, funded by the Republic of Korea and implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), aims to empower Tanzania and other beneficiary countries to utilize the One Health approach for a more holistic and effective food safety strategy. The inception workshop, held in Dar...

17/12/2024
FAO hosted a side event on Food safety in a circular economy at the 47th Session of Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC47) on 29 November 2024 in Geneva, Switzerland. The summary reportof the event has been published.
The aim of the event was to stimulate discussion on the food safety aspects that need to be considered and addressed when implementing circular practices in agrifood production.
Markus Lipp, FAO Senior Food Safety Officer at the Agrifood Systems and Food Safety Division, opened the event, highlighting that with the increasing relevance of circular economy approaches, Codex and Members...

05/12/2024
Last week, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) concluded an eight-month evaluation of Djibouti’s food control system with a final workshop in the capital. Djibouti is the last of ten countries completing a national food control system assessment under the food safety component of the "Strengthening Capacities and Governance in Food and Phytosanitary Control," project, funded by the European Union with €6.4 million. The project also includes a complementary plant health component, which remains ongoing.
The Minister of Commerce, SEM Mohamed Warsama Dirieh, attended the workshop and emphasized the importance of collaboration...

28/11/2024
A review on the safety of alternative food packaging co-authored by experts from FAO and Danone has been published in the journal Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety.
The article examines the potential risks and opportunities associated with recycled and bio-based materials used in food packaging, reusable and hybrid packaging, and innovations such as nanotechnologies and active and intelligent packaging. Reviewing regulations governing recent and emerging food packaging materials, the authors find a lack of harmonization among regulatory requirements globally.
Growing demand for sustainable food packaging
Population and income growth are driving the demand for food, which in turn is...

13/11/2024
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) participated in an event hosted by the World Trade Organization (WTO) Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS Committee) on 11 November 2024 in Geneva and online.
The thematic session explored WTO Members' experiences, best practices, successes and challenges associated with emerging risks and the new agricultural technologies that could help address them.
During the session on emerging risks, Vittorio Fattori, FAO, presented insights from FAO’s food safety foresight programme, including on new food sources and production systems, circular economy, climate change, environmental inhibitors, and upcoming work on...

11/11/2024
Last week, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) successfully concluded a crucial training program in Comoros aimed at enhancing the country’s food safety measures. The initiative, supported by a financial contribution from the government of Ireland, is part of a broader FAO effort to improve national food control systems globally. The program focuses on strengthening food safety in light of the country’s reliance on imported food – a challenge highlighted in a recent European Union-funded assessment supported by FAO.
“This type of training helps target the most significant risks in import chains,” said Fatma Marouf from the Department of Food...

01/11/2024
The importance of aquatic foods in global nutrition and food security cannot be overstated. Valued for their nutritional benefits and their contribution to livelihoods, the production and per capita consumption of aquatic foods have seen significant growth over the past decades. This trend is expected to continue, highlighting the crucial role these foods play in global food and nutrition. However, with increased production and consumption come associated risks. Understanding the food safety hazards linked to aquatic foods is essential for managing these risks effectively. Despite the adoption of hygiene measures at various levels, further guidance is necessary, particularly in implementing...

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