This Monday marked the third United Nations World Food Safety Day, an opportunity to recognise Australia’s contributions in providing safe, premium food for consumers domestically and overseas.
Food integrity and safety is everyone’s business, according to minister for Agriculture, Drought and Emergency Management David Littleproud.
“As a major food exporter, Australia has an outstanding reputation as a trusted and reliable supplier in international markets,” Littleproud said.
“Underpinned by strong food safety standards, our farmers and food processors continue to provide confidence to the domestic and international community with strong food safety controls to deliver food that remains safe and reliable.
“We’re always looking to improve our food regulatory system to ensure it remains robust and agile into the future. One way we are doing this is through chairing the Codex Committee on Food Import and Export Inspection and Certification Systems, which is currently meeting virtually,” he said.
“The committee provides guidance and a trusted framework for efficient and transparent inspection and certification systems, which are vital for open trade in reliable and safe foodstuffs.
Producing and consuming high quality, safe products has both immediate and long-term benefits for the individuals, the economy and the world, according to Senator Richard Colbeck, who has portfolio responsibility for food regulation.
“World Food Safety Day draws global attention to need to prevent, detect and manage foodborne risks and highlights importance of access to safe, healthy and nutritious food,” Colbeck said.
“Our food safety standards are among the highest in the world. Australia prides itself in implementing effective food safety standards throughout food production and distribution chains to ensure the safety and quality of Australian produce.
“The COVID-19 pandemic reinforced the importance of strong food safety systems. We will continue to be a key producer of high quality, safe, reliable and globally recognised food products,” he said.
The theme for World Food Safety Day 2021 was “Safe food today for a healthy tomorrow.”