Regional food safety conference for Asia and the Pacific

Four main topics were discussed in light of current opportunities and challenges: national food control systems; science and technology; multi-sectoral collaboration and international trading; and communication and education.

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Unsafe food is a burden that costs to the region of Asia and the Pacific 225 000 deaths every year. In 2020, the spread of COVID-19 has emphasized the critical need for pre-requisite food safety programmes such as those offering good hygiene practices for food handling, which are at the core of the response to COVID-19. From 17 to 26 November 2020, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has organized the Regional Food Safety Conference for Asia and the Pacific. The conference was hosted in collaboration with the Government of Thailand, to discuss the current food safety situations and opportunities with a particular focus on the needs and opportunities for the region. It consisted of four sessions with one discussed for each day, that held specific focus on different aspect of food safety: national food control systems, science and technology, multi-sectoral collaboration and the international trades, communication and education. The dialogues covered traditional topics such as food safety standards as well as new and emerging subjects such as innovative technologies and the spread of misinformation on food safety. Integrated food safety systems and strong regional collaborations among stakeholders were highlighted as highly important elements of a One Health approach, and it was shown how food safety is a shared responsibility and everyone in the food chain has a role to play