Inspectors of the Directorate for Food Safety, Veterinary and Phytosanitary Affairs for five months this year prohibited the placing on the market of 300 tons of food and smaller amounts of seed and planting material, mostly due to excessive levels of pesticides, non-compliance with quality, the presence of harmful plant organisms...
On the occasion of June 7, the World Food Safety Day, the director of the Administration Vladimir Djakovic he tells "Vijesti" that the only real reward for that institution is knowing that citizens consume safe food and tells them to always read the information on the label, properly handle and prepare food at home, as well as to inform them in case of any irregularities.
Although data from the United Nations (UN) show that more than 50.000 tons of food are thrown away annually in Montenegro, precise data on this do not currently exist, although they are expected through the projects of the Administration.
What measures and activities does the Administration undertake in the matter of food safety?
World Food Safety Day, June 7, is a good time to recall the efforts and commitment of the Administration to ensure that food on the Montenegrin market is safe.
This demanding goal, which, we can say, rests on the old saying, "health enters through the mouth", has no working hours, our working day does not last eight hours, but as long as necessary, because constant dedication and teamwork are required of us. At the end of the day, our true and only reward is knowing that our citizens are consuming safe food and knowing that they can always count on our support in providing a healthier population.
The work of the Administration relies significantly on the work of inspections in the field (food inspection, veterinary, phytosanitary inspection) and through their daily field work we can always monitor market movements, traffic of goods, and thus react in a timely manner if a problem arises.
In addition to this, it is very important to note that our inspectors in their work use the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) and other available tools established to ensure the exchange of information between EU member states and support the rapid response of competent authorities. for food safety in case of risk to public health arising from the food chain.
What is very important to add is that the Administration has knowledge and experience that is constantly improved and exchanged with neighboring countries and EU member states, as well as that with the help of European and international organizations and agencies (European Food Safety Agency (EFSA), World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH), Better Training for Safer Food (BTSF), EU FmD, GFTADs, TAIEX and others) we are working on improving the knowledge of our employees and gaining new experiences, because the food safety system is changing at a rapid speed and we will often meet with new challenges where we need to react in a timely manner.
How many tons of food are thrown away annually in Montenegro?
In order to reduce the amount of wasted food, the Directorate for Food Safety, Veterinary and Phytosanitary Affairs and our partners are involved in several international projects, the goal of which is to reduce the amount of wasted food. We do not yet have precise data, and the first data will be the result of implemented projects.
What quantity of foodstuffs was returned in the previous period (from January to June) from the border and for what reason?
In the previous period (from January to June) it was forbidden to put on the market about 300.000 kg of food and a smaller amount of seed and planting material. This quantity of goods was either returned to the country of origin or destroyed. The reasons are either pesticide residues above the prescribed levels, non-fulfillment of quality, non-fulfillment of the requirements prescribed by the regulation on consumer information, the presence of harmful plant organisms and other reasons.
What is the quality of the food that is imported and produced in Montenegro and where do we stand in comparison to the countries of the European Union in terms of quality?
Our priority is for the food on the Montenegrin market to be above all safe, but also to meet the quality parameters defined by law.
Everyone who is involved in the production and distribution of food bears a huge responsibility, starting with primary producers, through processors, importers, and also our inspectors.
Domestic products are controlled through the system "from field to table" and that there are rules for every stage of production - from the very beginning to bringing it to the market, so all entities dealing with food must know how to apply them. Entities in the food business, from processing to retail, must ensure compliance with the principles of the HACCP system and other systems of good manufacturing practice that identify and manage hazards that are significant for food safety from primary production to the final product. Proper processing, storage and preservation are steps that contribute to preserving nutrients and reducing economic losses.
Constant and successful cooperation between the primary, processing and administrative-expert sectors, compliance with recommended measures and laws, which are largely harmonized with EU legislation, result in an increase in citizens' trust, as shown by the results of the Eurobarometer. It is also important to emphasize that an increasing number of subjects in the food business export not only to countries in the region, but also to EU member states, which is the result of joint efforts. In addition to this, Chapter 12 (Food Safety, Veterinary and Phytosanitary Affairs) has always received good marks from the European Commission (EC).
What kind of campaigns is the Administration planning or currently implementing with the aim of improving food safety in Montenegro?
We are aware that campaigns are a very important source of information for citizens, and therefore the promotion of our efforts to ensure that they have safer food.
In addition, the second year of EFSA's #PlantHealth4Life campaign, which had excellent results last year, is being realized in Montenegro. In addition to Montenegro, 21 EU member states also participate. Also, EFSA's Stop African Swine Fever campaigns were implemented, four years in a row, followed by the RiskVsHazard mini-campaign, and we plan to join EFSA's Safe2Eat campaign on food safety.
In 2023, we successfully implemented the campaign against African swine fever, which was financed by the European Commission (EC), as well as other campaigns that had as their theme the prevention of the spread of animal diseases.
As you can see, cooperation with the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) is very important, providing unbiased scientific advice to help inform decisions about food risks.
This is the most important part of the institutional framework in the European Union (EU), which ensures the safety of consumers, as well as animals and the environment from any risks associated with the food chain. EFSA's core activity is scientific risk assessment, a specialized field of applied science that involves the consideration of scientific data and studies in order to assess the risks associated with certain hazards. In addition, EFSA monitors direct and indirect threats to food safety and provides assistance in risk management and traceability of food from farm to fork. Among the very important activities according to EFSA is the collection of data on food consumption, animal diseases and pesticides.
What are the most common misconceptions of citizens, and what are the Administration's recommendations regarding food storage and expiration dates?
Here are just a few practical tips from our Consumer Corner:
Always take care where you buy, read the declaration, take care of hygiene, separate raw food from thermally processed food (boiled, baked, fried), separate raw meat, poultry and seafood from other food, special utensils and kitchen utensils, such as knives and cutting boards, use for preparing raw food, and special utensils for thermally processed food (boiled, baked, fried). Store food in special containers with lids to avoid contact with raw and already prepared (thermally processed) food, which leads us to good thermal processing (especially meat, poultry, eggs and seafood.
Remember to cook food such as soup or stew at a temperature of at least 70°C. Keep in mind that well-cooked meat and poultry that are ready for safe consumption must not have a reddish-pink color (they must not be "alive"). Store food at the appropriate temperature, you must reheat it thoroughly, which means that the food "boils." Do not leave cooked food at room temperature for more than two hours.
Use hygienically correct goods and raw foods.
Ultimately, all persons in the food production and consumption chain must understand their roles, such as the implementation of basic hygiene practices when buying, selling and preparing food in order to protect personal health and the health of the wider community.
Advice for citizens through the "Consumer Corner"
What are the key tips for citizens regarding food safety in the household, especially during the summer months?
On our website, we have also opened a special add-on "Consumer's corner" (https://www.gov.me/ubh/kutak-za-potrosace) where citizens can find advice on how to properly handle food, because clear, timely and reliable access to information is one of the necessary tools in providing a good food safety system.
However, we should always keep in mind that we all bear responsibility, and therefore consumers are also recommended to read the information on the label, properly handle and prepare food at home, and we should not forget that citizens should know that they can always contact the Administration by email or telephone in case of observed irregularities.
Bonus video:
