The acting Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Luis Planas, stressed that the safety standards of Spanish and European Union food are among the highest in the world.
Thanks to this, he added, consumers around the world are guaranteed that Spanish food has been produced and processed in a safe manner throughout the entire food chain.
As noted, a high sanitary status not only protects public health, but also favors the improvement of the income of farmers and ranchers, and increases commercial opportunities, both in national and international markets.
With these words, Planas joins the celebration of the first World Day of Food Security, approved by the United Nations to raise awareness of the need to promote initiatives that improve food security in the world, improve access to food and promote agriculture and more sustainable rural development.
Luis Planas added that the protection of health through food safety starts from its production in the field and continues through all the links of the chain to reach the point of sale to the consumer.
To guarantee this, producers and marketers have an effective system of official controls, established by the community regulations, included in the National Plan of Controls of the Food Chain.
These controls, which in Spain are carried out by the autonomous communities, include, as the most outstanding aspects, border surveillance, prevention, control and eradication of the main animal diseases and hygiene of primary production (plant and animal). All this is supported by an adequate traceability, which is one of the pillars of food security in the European Union.
World Day of Food Security
For the first time this year, World Food Safety Day is celebrated on June 7, under the slogan "World Day for Food Safety". With this, the United Nations wants to emphasize that food safety and health is an issue for all citizens, since the way in which food is produced, stored, manipulated and consumed affects the safety of food.
To this end, this international organization encourages the different international actors to establish effective food control regulations, provide access to drinking water, apply good agricultural practices and educate the consumer in the choice of healthy foods.