Dr. Caroline PlantéSub-Regional Representation in Brussels

OIE Regional Seminar on Food Safety Sofia, Bulgaria, 22-24 April 2009

Role and responsibilities of VS in Role and responsibilities of VS in food safetyfood safety

Personsauthorisedregisteredor licensed

by the VSB

Veterinary Authority

Veterinary Services: Means the governmental and non governmental organisations that implement animal health and welfare measures and other standards and guidelines in the Terrestrial Code in the country. The VS are under the overall control and direction of the Veterinary Authority. Private sector organisations, veterinarians and veterinary para-professionals are normally accredited or approved to deliver functions by the Veterinary Authority.

INTRODUCTIONINTRODUCTIONDEFINITION : VETERINARY SERVICESDEFINITION : VETERINARY SERVICES

Work at farm level:

Prevention/Control of major epizootic/zoonoticdiseases in production animals

E.g : Rinderpest, FMD, Anthrax, Glanders, Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia, sheep pox, Rabies, Tuberculosis, CSF…

more efficient productionand better quality animal products

HISTORICAL ROLE OF VSHISTORICAL ROLE OF VSANIMAL DISEASESANIMAL DISEASES

Work at slaughterhouse level:

Dual responsibility of VS:

Epidemiological surveillance of animaldiseases

Safety and suitability of meat

Since the end of 19th century (proof of tuberculosis as zoonosis): => veterinarians start playing a central role in meat inspection+ cysticercosis, trichinellosis, anthrax...

EXTENSION OF THE ROLE OF VSEXTENSION OF THE ROLE OF VSMEAT SAFETY MEAT SAFETY (1/2)(1/2)

EXTENSION OF THE ROLE OF VSEXTENSION OF THE ROLE OF VSMEAT SAFETY MEAT SAFETY (2/2)(2/2)

Ref : Medecine/science Histoire et sciences sociales

Veterinarians’ education on:

Animal Health, including zoonosesFood hygiene

Production, processing levelsHACCP..

Veterinarians best placed to play a central role in food safety of products of animal origin

VS responsible in many countries of food safety of animal products, ensuring the farm to fork continuum

EDUCATION OF VETERINARIANSEDUCATION OF VETERINARIANSWIDE SCOPEWIDE SCOPE

EDUCATION OF VETERINARIANSEDUCATION OF VETERINARIANSOIE CONFERENCE ON VET. EDUCATIONOIE CONFERENCE ON VET. EDUCATION

« In a rapidly changing world, veterinary education must face new challenges and continually evolve to meet societal demands in the field of food security, food safety, public health and animal welfare. »

APPROACHES TO FOOD SAFETY APPROACHES TO FOOD SAFETY FOOD PRODUCTION CONTINUUM CONCEPT FOOD PRODUCTION CONTINUUM CONCEPT (1/2)(1/2)

Production & primary processing level (abattoir, dairy)Measures relating to animal health + food safety= for any events that can have an impact

on the subsequent safety of food products

OIE

CA

C

Production conditions & quality of products during and more especially after the primary processing stage.

© ENSV

VeterinaryServices

FS best assured by an integrated, multidisciplinary approach

APPROACHES TO FOOD SAFETY APPROACHES TO FOOD SAFETY FOOD PRODUCTION CONTINUUM CONCEPT FOOD PRODUCTION CONTINUUM CONCEPT (2/2)(2/2)

© ENSV

Controling food hazardat source =

preventive approach

© ENSV

Reduce/Eliminatehealth risk associated

with products

e.g: tuberculosis, brucellosis, BSE..

e.g: Salmonella

APPROACHES TO FOOD SAFETY APPROACHES TO FOOD SAFETY RISK BASED MANAGEMENT SYSTEMSRISK BASED MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

© ENSV

SPS AgreementArticle 5.1 : Risk AssessmentSPS AgreementArticle 5.1 : Risk Assessment

Members shall ensure that their SPS measures are based on

– an assessment, as appropriate, of the risks to human, animal or plant life or health,

– taking into account risk assessment techniques developed by the relevant international organizations.

APPROACHES TO FOOD SAFETY APPROACHES TO FOOD SAFETY RISK BASED MANAGEMENT SYSTEMSRISK BASED MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

© ENSV

SPS AgreementSPS AgreementAnnex A : Risk Assessment - Definition Annex A : Risk Assessment - Definition

Food borne risk- evaluation of the potential for adverse effects on human or

animal health

Disease or pest risk- evaluation of likelihood of entry, spread, and establishment - according to the SPS measures which might be applied - associated biological and economic consequences

APPROACHES TO FOOD SAFETY APPROACHES TO FOOD SAFETY RISK BASED MANAGEMENT SYSTEMSRISK BASED MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

Risk analysis in the OIE Terr. Code (section 2):

© ENSV

APPROACHES TO FOOD SAFETY APPROACHES TO FOOD SAFETY RISK BASED MANAGEMENT SYSTEMSRISK BASED MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

Trend : redefinition of responsibilities

Food operators Authorities

Food Quality Food Safety

Food Quality and Safety Development of food safetystandards + monitoring of foodoperators

FUNCTIONS OF VETERINARY SERVICES FUNCTIONS OF VETERINARY SERVICES AT FARM LEVELAT FARM LEVEL

Hygienic farming conditions OIE Standards, FAO/OIE Guide of Good Farming Practices

Surveillance/treatment/control of animal diseases, including zoonoses (e.g : BSE, rabies, avian influenza tuberculosis, brucellosis,..)

Vet. drugs and other potential contaminants

Animal feed

⇒ VS : technical support and controls

FUNCTIONS OF VETERINARY SERVICES FUNCTIONS OF VETERINARY SERVICES AT SLAUGHTERHOUSE LEVELAT SLAUGHTERHOUSE LEVEL

Control of hazards of animal and public health importance

Ante-mortem inspectionDisease surveillance, fit for slaughter

Post-mortem inspection

Suitability of meat and by-products

⇒Core responsibility of VS

⇒Inspection procedures should be risk-based and addressboth human and animal health ; use of international standards (OIE Terr. Code + Codex)

FUNCTIONS OF VETERINARY SERVICES FUNCTIONS OF VETERINARY SERVICES ZOONOTIC AND FOODBORNE DISEASESZOONOTIC AND FOODBORNE DISEASES

Most reported foodborne outbreaks are due to contamination with zoonotic agents (e.g : Salmonella, Campylobacter, Staphylococcus,..)

Zoonotic diseases reported in humans

⇒ Key role of VS in investigation of outbreaks up to the farm

⇒ Good cooperation with other authorities necessary (humanhealth sector)

⇒ Possible action at source reducing the risk of new contaminations (in farms / slaugtherhouses // at processingstages)

FUNCTIONS OF VETERINARY SERVICES FUNCTIONS OF VETERINARY SERVICES INSPECTIONS INSPECTIONS

Veterinary Authority

Can delegate certain inspection activitiese.g to bodies such as agencies, private vets etc.

⇒ Different possible systems

⇒ But under supervision and control of Vet Authority

⇒ Vet Authority ultimately responsible for the performance of delegated activities

FUNCTIONS OF VETERINARY SERVICES FUNCTIONS OF VETERINARY SERVICES CERTIFICATIONCERTIFICATION

Veterinary Authority

Provide health certification to international tradingpartners

Should be responsible for certification related to animal diseases, and meat hygiene.

⇒ But other competent authorities may provide certification in connection with food processing and hygiene

Education and training of veterinarians “from farm to fork”

Comprehensive approach : pathology, epidemiology, microbiology, pharmacology, risk analysis, food technologies..

VS can highly contribute to food safety

CONCLUSIONCONCLUSION

CONCLUSIONCONCLUSION

⇒ Standards of quality of VS

⇒ Clear national chain of command and assignements

⇒ Coordination and cooperation between authoritiesinvolved

World organisation for animal World organisation for animal healthhealth

12 rue de prony75017 Paris, France

Tel: 33 (0)1 44 15 18 88 – Fax: 33 (0)1 42 67 09 87Email: oie@oie.inthttp://www.oie.int