World Food Safety Day

Advancing Food Safety: WOAH and Codex Collaborate in a Round Table Discussion

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The WOAH Sub-Regional Representation for Central Asia recently participated in a significant round table event organized by Codex Alimentarius Kazakhstan, focused on commemorating World Food Safety Day. The gathering brought together prominent figures including Sadvakasov N.O., Chairman of the Sanitary and Epidemiological Control Committee of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Dr. Skender Syla from the WHO Country Office, Janyl Bozaeva representing the FAO Regional Office for Europe, and Mereke Taitubayev, WOAH Sub-Regional Representative for Central Asia. The event aimed to address the urgent need for safer food practices worldwide, considering the alarming statistics of foodborne illnesses and fatalities caused by contamination and toxic substances.

During the round table, participants delved into various crucial aspects of food safety, proposing new approaches to inspections, ensuring food safety during emergencies, highlighting the role of veterinary services in the food safety system, and enhancing the efficiency of laboratories. Additionally, the WOAH standards and initiatives pertaining to food safety were presented and deliberated upon. The engaging discussions yielded significant outcomes, resulting in a set of resolutions that outlined key areas of focus.

RESOLUTIONS:

  • Strengthening Intersectoral Cooperation: Enhancing intersectoral collaboration in monitoring, controlling, and supervising food safety was deemed vital. This involves improving the legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan to foster more effective regulatory frameworks.
  • Enhancing Communication Mechanisms: Recognizing the importance of communication, particularly with the international community, it was recommended to establish robust channels for sharing information, best practices, and lessons learned to ensure a globally coordinated approach to food safety.
  • Capacity Building: Upgrading the competence of personnel involved in food safety was highlighted as a crucial step. It was suggested to update the lists of responsible individuals across departments and organisations, including scientists, and to conduct regular and systematic training of national experts.
  • Export-Oriented Products: Emphasizing the significance of product quality and safety for international trade, authorized bodies were encouraged to promote export-oriented products while ensuring strict adherence to safety and quality standards.
  • HACCP Principles Implementation: Recognizing the value of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) principles, the round table urged for the implementation of food safety measures based on HACCP guidelines, which provide a systematic approach to identifying and mitigating food safety risks.

The round table served as a platform for the WOAH Sub-Regional Representation for Central Asia, alongside Codex Alimentarius Kazakhstan, to address the critical issue of food safety. It is anticipated that the collaborative efforts of these organisations will pave the way for a world with safer food, protecting public health and well-being.