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Food safety specialists are joining forces in the fight against the outbreaks of food poisoning

2019 m. October 16 d.

Food safety and quality as well as the assurance of all necessary conditions are one of the top priorities for Lithuania and the European Union countries. As a result, scientists, public health, food safety and veterinary specialists are working together to prevent foodborne outbreaks and are looking for cutting-edge ways and solutions to manage food crises. Lithuanian and foreign experts had the opportunity to share their experience, discuss the measures taken and the latest research results during the international conference at the beginning of October, in Vilnius. The main message of the conference participants, addressed to specialists in various fields, experts from national and international organizations and business representatives, has become a call for a closer cooperation in the development of preventive action plans and sharing of emerging crises data; coordination of laboratory and inter-institutional research activities; greater use of early warning systems in the European Union for the reporting of communicable disease outbreaks or food crises. The importance of coordinating food safety and the activities of public health specialists involved in the same incident was highlighted, giving the access to medical information on the cases of human illnesses for food safety authorities. At the conference, the insights on risk assessment for food crises were shared by Dr. Valentina Rizzi, Senior Scientific Officer, Unit on Biological Hazards and Contaminants (BIOCONTAM), EFSA. Mr. Martial Plantady, the representative of the European Commission's Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety, presented the General Plan for Food and Feed Safety Crisis Management and its challenges. The information on the latest research in pathogen diagnostics was shared by Prof. Dr. Rene S. Hendriksen from the Technical University of Denmark (DTU). The Latvian experience in investigating the outbreaks of foodborne diseases was also analysed. The most common causative agents, the main causes of outbreaks and methods of laboratory testing for food safety used by the National Food and Veterinary Risk Assessment Institute in Lithuania, the possibilities to control food safety were discussed. Good practices applied in Lithuanian business to prevent communicable diseases and other important issues were presented. "The insights and discussions provided by the experts only confirm that effective prevention of foodborne diseases and efficient management of emerging food crises require the participation of all responsible parties – food industry representatives, farmers, competent food and veterinary control bodies, consumer institutions, public health policy makers – involvement at national and international levels, focused efforts to find new and innovative solutions”, – emphasised Darius Remeika, the Director of the State Food and Veterinary Service, at the conference. You can find the conference presentations here: EU mechanisms for crisis management and preparedness in the field of the safety of food and feed | Mr. Martial Plantady Surveillance of infectious foodborne diseases in the EU | Dr. Johanna Takkinen, Dr. Therese Westrell Assessment of multi-country foodborne outbreaks at EU level | Dr. Valentina Rizzi Whole genome sequencing: a new challenge in the diagnostics of pathogenic agents | Prof. Dr. Rene S. Hendriksen Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS): experience in foodborne outbreak investigations in Latvia | Prof. Dr. Aivars Bērziņš Laboratory analysis methods for food safety at the National Food and Veterinary Risk Assessment Institute (NFVRAI) | Ms. Snieguolė Ščeponavičienė Intersectorial cooperation during epidemiological investigation of foodborne diseases | Ms. Ginreta Valinčiūtė Good practice at UAB “Delano” as regards preventive measures for ensuring food safety | Ms. Akvilė Lekavičiūtė Good practice at Biovela Group as regards preventive measures for ensuring food safety | Ms. Žaneta Pisarskienė

The conference on “Food safety is the key priority. Management of outbreaks of foodborne diseases” was held in Vilnius

2019 m. October 03 d.

On 3 October 2019, the international conference on “Food safety is the key priority. Management of outbreaks of foodborne diseases” took place in Vilnius (“Holiday Inn Vilnius“, Šeimyniškių Str. 1). The conference, organised by the State Food and Veterinary Service (SFVS) together with the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), was attended by the representatives of the European Commission, European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), EFSA Biological Hazards and Contaminants Unit, Danish Technical University, Latvian Institute of Food Safety, Animal Health and Environment “BIOR”, Lithuanian National Food and Veterinary Risk Assessment Institute and National Public Health Center under the Ministry of Health, as well as representatives of food processing companies in our country. The experts attending the conference introduced the European Union (EU) crisis management and preparedness mechanisms for food and feed safety, reviewed the situation of foodborne communicable diseases in Europe, presented the evaluation of disease outbreaks in several EU Member States and new challenges in the diagnostics of pathogens. During the event, the specialists shared the Latvian experience in investigating the outbreaks of foodborne diseases, discussed the laboratory research methods for food safety applied at the Lithuanian National Food and Veterinary Risk Assessment Institute. The participants of the conference also listened to the presentations on the importance of inter-institutional and inter-sectoral cooperation and good practices of Lithuanian business in order to prevent communicable diseases. This international conference is one of the annual events organised by the SFVS and EFSA, dedicated to food quality and safety in the field of risk assessment. It is intended for the professionals, working in the field mentioned above, who are seeking further progress and good results, looking for possible and practical solutions to prevent foodborne diseases.

Japanese delegation was interested in the CSF and ASF situation in Lithuania

2019 m. September 26 d.

A Japanese delegation from the Gifu prefecture is visiting the State Food and Veterinary Service (SFVS). The objective of the visit of the experts and scientists headed by Prof. Tetsu Asai, Dean of the Applied Veterinary Science Department of Gifu University, United Graduate School of Veterinary Sciences is to get better understanding of the situation of classical swine fever (CSF) and African swine fever (ASF) in Lithuania, examination, control and prevention methods applied for those diseases. Director Darius Remeika, who has welcomed the visitors, expressed his satisfaction about the close cooperation between Japan and Lithuania, he thanked for the successful opening of the export market in Japan. He also presented the food safety and veterinary control system in Lithuania whereas Dr. Alvydas Malakauskas, Head of the ASF Competence Centre presented the Centre headed by him. Dr. Vidmantas Paulauskas, Deputy Director of the SFVS and Martins Serzants, Senior Expert of the Animal Infectious Disease Supervision Unit of the Food and Veterinary Service of the Republic of Latvia were the main speakers at the meeting who presented the topic of interest for the visitors from Japan – the CSF situation in Lithuania and Latvia. However, no CSF outbreaks have been recorded in our country in the past years, therefore, the speakers focussed on ASF problems, which are currently of the utmost relevance. Specialists of the SFVS talked about the care for domestic pigs, ASF prevention and control measures, they provided practical examples about the course of eradication of an ASF outbreak, compensation measures for farmers, which suffered loss from ASF, etc. for each animal species and commodity for each animal species and commodity The visitors have also visited the National Food and Veterinary Risk Assessment Institute where they were introduced to the diagnostic equipment, diagnostic laboratory methods, which are used for the detection of CSF and ASF, risk assessment for the spread of the disease. “The ASF situation in Asia is very tense, new outbreaks of the disease are recorded closer and closer to Japan, therefore, the delegation of scientists and experts has come to get working knowledge of the expertise available in Lithuania, measures of surveillance, prevention and tackling ASF. It is not by chance that our country was chosen. Already since 2013, strengthened ASF surveillance has been carried out in the wild boar and domestic pig populations in Lithuania. The expertise and knowledge of our specialists are widely appreciated both in Europe and countries of Asia. We have been cooperating with colleagues from Japan for several years. The experts from Japan seek acquiring more practical knowledge of CSF and ASF. We hope that they will find our experience useful. Maybe our joint efforts will help us find the best solution and protection measures against this disease“, – said Director of the SFVS D. Remeika after the meeting.

Lithuania and Latvia work in cooperation with Belarus on the eradication of rabies in wild animals

2019 m. September 20 d.

On 18 September 2019, a cooperation agreement on oral vaccination of wild animals in the territory of Belarus was signed between the State Food and Veterinary Services of Lithuania and Latvia and the Ministry of Agriculture and Food of Belarus. The cooperation agreement was signed by Deputy Director of the State Food and Veterinary Service of Lithuania Vidmantas Paulauskas, Director of the State Food and Veterinary Service of Latvia Maris Balodis and Vice Minister of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food of Belarus, Director of the Veterinary and Food Supervision Department Ivan Smilhin. This agreement will serve as a basis for allocating EU financial resources for the eradication of rabies in wild animals in border areas of Belarus, Latvia and Lithuania. Baits with vaccine will be distributed in Belarus at a distance of 50 km from the state borders of Lithuania and Latvia. The plan is that the vaccine will be distributed in the area of 33,000 km2. Under the cooperation agreement, the State Food and Veterinary Service of Lithuania undertook to extend non-refundable financial support granted by the EU to the Ministry of Agriculture and Food of the Republic of Belarus for carrying out the Programme for the Eradication of Rabies in Wild Animals for 2019. The Ministry of Agriculture and Food of the Republic of Belarus undertook to execute the rabies eradication programme. The financial support will be extended to the Ministry of Agriculture and Food of the Republic of Belarus for the acquisition of baits with vaccine against rabies and their distribution (by planes), carrying out laboratory analyses to make assessment of the effectiveness of the vaccine. In Lithuania, the rabies eradication programme has been carried out since 2006. In the past time, cases of rabies have been normally recorded in areas bordering Belarus. The carrying out of the programme for the eradication of rabies in the neighbouring country is a substantial factor seeking the eradication of rabies in Lithuania. The European Union has been granting non-refundable financial support for carrying out the programme for the eradication of rabies in wild animals in the territory of Belarus for several years.

Auditors of the European Commission assess the effectiveness of food safety control

2019 m. September 04 d.

In order to evaluate the functioning of the state control system in our country, regarding the microbiological safety of primary foodstuffs of non-animal origin, on 3 September 2019 an expert audit of the European Commission Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety began at the State Food and Veterinary Service (SFVS). During the introductory meeting, SFVS specialists presented to the auditors the principles, responsibilities of the state control and reviewed the legal regulation issues. The auditors also were introduced to the principles of risk categorization of controlled entities, statistical control data, procedures for sampling, testing and reporting. Within 10 audit days the experts are expected to assess both the official activities of the authorities and the implementation of the legislation in primary production establishments. The European Commission auditors will visit SFVS territorial units, the National Food and Veterinary Risk Assessment Institute, the companies and farms specialising in the growing of fruit and vegetables, their processing and production. The audit delegation will seek to gather as much information as possible on the best practices applied independently by the Member States in their microbiological contamination programs, with a particular focus on assuring the microbiological safety of ready-to-use primary products, such as seed sprouts. “In recent years, the European Commission has been paying particular attention to the primary production and food safety issues. Microbiological safety audits are intended to evaluate the implementation of the legislation and to ensure that only safe primary products, such as sprouted seeds, salads, herbs, vegetables, berries or fruit, are accessible to consumers. Lithuania is already the fourth EU country where the audit is performed on this topic. A total of 4 European Commission expert audits are scheduled for this year in our country, two of which have already taken place. In addition to the recent audit, we are expecting an evaluation of the state control on feed additives this autumn”, – commented Darius Remeika, the Director of the SFVS.

Events

2015 y. March 06 d.

Events

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State food and veterinary service
State budgetary institution The Register of Legal Entities
code: 188601279

Address: Siesikų str. 19,
07170 Vilnius Lithuania
Tel. +370 5 240 4361
E-mail: info@vmvt.lt

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