The EU Food Safety Platform: a journey from Bari to Brussels and beyond

Articles | 2024-08-02 | Nunzia Cito, Veronica Lattanzio

In 2023, the European Food Safety platform, coordinated by the CNR ISPA – Institute of Sciences of Food Production of the National Research Council, was officially launched, being co-designed and developed within the EU project FoodSafety4EU. The project, funded by the European Commission and also promoted by EFSA, established an international network of approximately 80 stakeholders, including institutions, universities, entities, businesses, industry associations, and consumers.

This network was formalized in Brussels in 2023 through the signature of the Terms of Reference by a first nucleus of 23 organizations, giving rise to the multi-stakeholder “EU FOOD SAFETY PLATFORM.” The platform aims to:

Foster European dialogue on food safety,
Provide input for European strategies and policies,
Contribute to the harmonization of interventions in this field by involving National Food Safety Authorities,
Generate new content for the Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda,
Share knowledge and apply participatory methodologies in the sector,
Promote education and training for young researchers and professionals,
Support Research & Innovation in food safety through international projects,
Consolidate the network of expertise by connecting experts and operators in the sector.

Starting from Bari, the platform was launched on 7 June 2023 – World Safety Day – with the participation of EFSA, the Metropolitan City of Bari, CNR, and other international institutional representatives (JRC-EC, SCAR Food System).

In 2023, the platform was showcased during the European Food Safety Forum in Brussels and at the FS4EU project stand during the FOOD2030 Conference, upon invitation by the European Commission. This event initiated preliminary contacts with some representatives of the European Parliament and other European networks.
After the end of the project, the platform continued its journey by establishing a legal entity, fostering new initiatives at EU, National and Regional levels, and continuing to present and exploit the main results in international workshops and conferences. During the Kick-Off Meeting (KOM) in 2024, the EU Food Safety Platform members took significant steps in structuring the platform’s governance. Key decisions included the establishment of the Management Board and the proposal of candidates for the Multi-actor Advisory Board and the EU Food Safety Platform Steering Committee.

Collaboration with EU Projects

The EU Food Safety Platform has become a pivotal force in enhancing food safety across Europe, collaborating with various innovative projects to tackle emerging risks and improve food safety systems.

The cooperation between the EU Food Safety Platform and these projects illustrates a comprehensive approach to tackling food safety challenges in Europe. By leveraging diverse methodologies and fostering stakeholder engagement, these initiatives aim to create a safer food environment for all citizens.

The EU Food Safety Platform complements the collective efforts of HOLiFOOD, UpRise, MycoTwin, FoodSafeR, and other projects not only enhancing the understanding of food safety risks but also promoting participatory processes and networking that are essential to connect the actors within the system, to make it more sustainable and resilient in a rapidly changing world.

The synergy between the EU Food Safety Platform and several key projects: HOLiFOOD, UpRise, MycoTwin, and FoodSafeR are highlighted below.

HOLiFOOD – The project aims to introduce a holistic approach to food systems risks. Launched in 2022, this four-year initiative brings together 17 organizations from 10 European countries. Its primary goal is to enhance the integrated food safety risk analysis framework, facilitating early detection of food risks within the supply chain. By leveraging big data and artificial intelligence, HOLiFOOD seeks to develop predictive systems for both known and emerging food safety hazards. The EU Food Safety Platform contribution emphasizes co-creation methodologies, involving stakeholders through living labs and citizen science initiatives to ensure that all voices are heard in the decision-making process.

UpRise – The UpRise project aims to provide groundbreaking knowledge to understand mycotoxin contamination and to deliver solutions in Africa. The EU Food Safety Platform contribution focuses on exploiting the Net-Map Analysis and a digital toolkit for risk assessment developed by the FS4EU project. This methodology will help to visualize and analyze the complex networks involved in food safety, allowing stakeholders to identify critical points of intervention. By integrating the digital toolkit into the activities, the project will enhance the capacity of food safety professionals to assess risks effectively and develop targeted strategies for mitigation. The collaboration with the EU Food Safety Platform will also foster the dissemination of insights gained from UpRise and a culture of proactive risk management across the EU.

MycoTwin – The MycoTwin project addresses the pressing issue of mycotoxins in the food chain. The EU Food Safety Platform is hosting a working group dedicated to exploring future-proof approaches for the management of toxigenic fungi and associated mycotoxins along the food chain. This initiative is crucial, as mycotoxins pose significant health risks and economic challenges in food production. By collaborating with the EU Food Safety Platform, MycoTwin aims also to share best practices and innovative strategies among stakeholders, ensuring that the management of mycotoxins is both effective and sustainable.

FoodSafeR – The FoodSafeR project, coordinated by FFoQSI, brings together 19 leading European academic, research, and industry organizations. It aims to revolutionize the way emerging food safety hazards are assessed and managed, by creating a comprehensive suite of future-oriented tools, methods, strategies, models, guidance, and training materials. The EU Food Safety Platform is exploring ways to integrate/link the FS4EU knowledge center, and to various food safety knowledge sources, enhancing the accessibility of critical information for stakeholders across the food supply chain. The EU Food Safety Platform can support FoodSafeR to streamline information sharing and foster a more informed community of food safety professionals.

The EU Food Safety Platform offers spaces for cooperation with other projects on food safety and sustainability, being committed to
fostering robust collaboration with various EU projects to enhance food safety across Europe.

National and Regional engagements

In Italy, we established a non-profit association to support the platform and activated several participatory processes at the national level within the National AGRITECH Center (PNRR project).

We formed working groups with Zooprophylactic Institutes (Veneto, Umbria and Marche, Lazio), the Higher Institute of Health, and initiated dialogues with the Ministry of Health, the Puglia Region, and the University of Parma.

At the regional level in Puglia, we organized a series of events on food sustainability in collaboration with the Metropolitan City of Bari (Polisostenibili – ASVIS 2024 Festival).

Our journey continues as we strive to enhance food safety, quality, and sustainability across Europe, connecting and empowering stakeholders through collaborative efforts and innovative research.