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Young boy picking strawberries.

New guide introduces Finnish food safety and quality management in English and in Russian

A training programme organised by the University of Eastern Finland for actors in the Kyrgyz food safety and quality sector has now led to the publication of a new guide on Finnish food safety and quality management. Authored by Professor Emeritus of Food Biotechnology Atte von Wright and Global Development Manager Roseanna Avento, the guide and accompanying video are available in both English and in Russian.

Last year, the University of Eastern Finland organised a training programme for actors in the Kyrgyz food safety and quality sector, focusing on EU food legislation and food safety as well as on quality assurance in the food sector.  The training was implemented as part of the United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) Aid for Trade programme in the Kyrgyz Republic and Tajikistan, funded by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in Finland.

To support the training, the university has produced a guide on Finnish food safety and quality management, covering the journey of food from farm to fork. The guide introduces the Finnish approach to managing food safety and quality, focusing on blocks of EU legislation, and understanding the microbial and chemical risks to food safety and hygiene management. Furthermore, the guide introduces managing food safety using the hazard analysis and critical control points (HACCP) principle of the Codex Alimentarius and different food safety management systems.

Furthermore, an important part of food safety communication is presented through an introduction to the food safety labelling system in the EU. The guide also discusses how food safety and quality are managed along food value chains by demonstrating the shared responsibility of producers, processors, food handlers, food businesses and the authorities. In addition, the role of educating the different actors along the food value chain is also addressed.

While the concepts presented are universal, the Finnish experiences shared in the guide are presented as tools that can be adapted to suit different geographical, legal, cultural and enterprise contexts.
The guide, entitled From Farm to Fork: A guide to Finnish food safety and quality management, is available in both print and online formats, in both English and Russian. The guide is also accompanied by a video. The video was produced in collaboration with the UEF’s and Savonia University of Applied Sciences’ Food Valley project and the Regional Counci of Pohjois-Savo’s VERKA project. The guide is available at https://epublications.uef.fi/pub/urn_isbn_978-952-61-3453-6/ (English) and https://epublications.uef.fi/pub/urn_isbn_978-952-61-3495-6/ (Russian) and the video at https://youtu.be/88tvUKpMDSA  

Food safety and quality play an important role in efforts to achieve the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. Furthermore, the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) emphasise the significance of safe food at all phases of the production and value chains.

For further information, please contact:

Global Development Manager Roseanna Avento, tel. +358 40 355 3828, roseanna.avento@uef.fi