AESAN Announces the Law of Regulation of Food Safety
It will provide legal support for the prevention of obesity and overweight, suffering 20 percent of children
The president of the Spanish Food Safety Agency (AESAN), Roberto Sabrido, today announced at the Congress of Deputies the implementation of the draft Law on Food Security and Nutrition to be regulated “with the force of law throughout the complexity of the safety of food products.”
On the occasion of his appearance before the Committee on Health and Consumer Affairs in the House, Sabrido stressed that this law “is necessary to modernize the food law”. Thus, the new legislation will incorporate the latest procedures to be undertaken in this direction within the European Union regulate the safeguards and the seizure of goods as well as the sanctions regime, or the coordination between governments, between other aspects. Also, give legal backing to the prevention of obesity and overweight, which affects about 20 percent of the children.
The president of the AESAN, the fundamental objective of food security is to get the food and manufacturing processes “to achieve a high level of health protection of citizens from the current scientific knowledge.” In this regard, said that security involves not only the failure to transmit disease, but also the nutritional quality of food. “You have to eat safe food and eat properly,” he added.
To carry out this objective, Sabrido insisted on the need for action across the food chain process at the same time called for “responsibility” to the food industry, and urged the government to verify compliance. At this point, he recalled that the regions were a total of 999,112 visits in the 594,740 existing facilities throughout the Spanish territory, 93,921 food samples were taken.
TOTAL DIET IN SPAIN
In his speech, the president of the AESAN presented the main lines of action of the Plan of Activities 2009 of this body, which includes a total of 33 performances, from those which have been executed by 30.3 percent, while 60, 6 percent are in development. “We can summarize that the 90.9 percent of the planned actions earlier this year are completed or underway,” he said Sabrido.
In addition to the Law on Food Security and Nutrition Sabrido study emphasized the “Total Diet in Spain,” an analysis “that was never carried out” and ending later this year. AESAN President specified that this document will “collect data and analyze the actual intake of nutrients, contaminants and additives in the Spanish population” and that will be analyzed nearly 2,500 food, which reflect what the Spanish eat.
Among other actions, also highlighted the development of a new Multi Control Plan Officer to plan and coordinate security in the food chain, updating the National Programme against salmonellosis, the development of a national risk assessment and alerts Food crisis in collaboration with the regions and sectors involved, the campaign to promote consumption of fruits and vegetables in schools, or the release of the information system ALCON, a tool that will incorporate the new technologies of communication, as updating the website of the AESAN (www.aesan.msps.es).
The Agency is assessing the impact of the Code of Self-Regulation of Food Advertising directed at children (PAOS code), just as it is finalizing the details of the plan to reduce salt. Finally, Sabrido announced the holding of “open days” for citizens to know the work carried out by this organization.