More investment needed in food safety research

The national food safety authorities of the 30 countries, which are all members of an official Advisory Forum that feeds into the EU’s European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), have pledged to support European research through partnership building and training.

In a joint statement, EFSA and the Forum also stressed the benefits of increased interaction between funders, EU agencies and national partners on food safety research.

Scientific advice ​

EFSA provides independent scientific advice and communicates on existing and emerging risks associated with the food chain. Its Advisory Forum is tasked with providing EFSA with strategic advice on scientific issues.

Both have called for more public investment in food safety research, including the formation of strategic partnerships in the area of food safety, such as European Joint Programmes.

It claimed that there were mutual benefits of more partnership working, including more efficient and sustainable use of expertise and more synergies between research programmes.

Compelling case​

“There is a compelling case to be built for public funding in food safety research. We must not forget that research and innovation among and within Member States ultimately feeds into the risk assessments that we carry out at an EU level, which are the basis for public health policies in Europe,” ​said EFSA executive director Bernhard Url.

The call was made as EFSA ran its first risk assessment research assembly (RARA) in Utrecht yesterday (February 7 2018).

Url added: “The first RARA is a great opportunity for researchers to share their proposals, discover others working on similar projects, and meet with funding bodies that can help turn their ideas into reality​.”