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INFOSAN Activity Report, 2011-2012

Year of publication 2013

Pages 46 p.

Author Nutrition Division

Product type Meeting

Category Meeting document

ISBN (WHO) 978 92 4 150550 5

Edition 1

Synopsis (short abstract) The global nature and growing complexity of the food chain means that risks posed by unsafe foods have the potential to quickly evolve from a local problem to an international incident at an increasingly rapid pace. Ensuring food safety is therefore an important component to consider in the broader context of achieving public health security around the world. While international trade of foods brings many benefits to consumers and contributes significantly to economic development, new challenges are constantly presented to food safety authorities around the world. Experience in the recent past demonstrates that with the increased volume of foods traded globally, comes an increased risk of the spread of foodborne pathogens and contaminants across national borders. This necessitates more efficient sharing of food safety information among national food safety authorities from different countries. The need to build closer links among food safety authorities internationally is well recogniz ed by FAO and WHO. Since 2004, the International Food Safety Authorities Network (INFOSAN) has provided an important platform for the rapid exchange of information in the case of food safety crises and for sharing data on both recurrent and emerging food safety issues. It is therefore imperative that we continue to work towards strengthening INFOSAN through active participation and exchange of information during international food safety emergencies.

Language English

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