Nordic network for food control research
Coordinator: Janne Lundén, University of Helsinki, janne.lunden(a)helsinki.fi
Consumers have limited possibilities to ensure that food handled by food businesses is safe. Therefore, consumers rely on control agencies to ensure that food businesses comply with food safety regulations. Food control is defined as a regulatory activity by authorities to ensure that food products handled by food businesses are safe for human consumption and honestly and accurately labelled. Food control, which is regulated by EU and national legislation, must be effective, efficient, and consistent and adhere to good governance such as objectivity and proportionality.
Although food control is a crucial element of the food supply chain there is only limited research on the performance of food control. This forces food control authorities to undertake and develop food control based on experience and conjecture. In addition, food systems are in constant change towards more sustainable solutions which may lead to trade-offs between food safety, food businesses’ operational prerequisites and sustainability. Furthermore, the resources of food control have decreased in many countries challenging food control.
The Nordic network for food control research will facilitate food control research across disciplines, initiate research collaboration resulting in international research funding applications and increase transdisciplinary collaboration between academia, food control authorities and food businesses. Experts from the University of Helsinki, University of Copenhagen, Swedish University of Agriculture Sciences, University of South-Eastern Norway and Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research as well as universities from Baltic countries, food control authorities and food businesses will together strengthen the scientific collaboration benefitting the development of food control.