Catalan Food Safety Agency
Encyclopedia
The Catalan Food Safety Agency (Agència Catalana de Seguretat Alimentària - ACSA) is an autonomous agency within the Health Department of the Generalitat de Catalunya
, which aims to achieve the highest level of food safety
in Catalonia
through planning and coordination of control actions, collaborating and cooperating with different administrations, and sectors whose activity affects, directly or indirectly, on food safety.
The Agency is participated by the departments of Health, Agriculture, Food and Rural Action, Environment and Housing and the Consumers Agency , all of which have competence in the various aspects related to food safety, thereby enabled with a transversal character.
The creation of the ACSA is part of the evolving global food safety organization in the European Union
which covers the entire food chain, from agricultural production to the final food products available to consumers, and involves all operators responsible for food safety as well as competent authorities responsible to ensure a high level of health and safety of the population.
Generalitat de Catalunya
The Generalitat of Catalonia is the institution under which the autonomous community of Catalonia is politically organised. It consists of the Parliament, the President of the Generalitat of Catalonia and the Government of Catalonia....
, which aims to achieve the highest level of food safety
Food safety
Food safety is a scientific discipline describing handling, preparation, and storage of food in ways that prevent foodborne illness. This includes a number of routines that should be followed to avoid potentially severe health hazards....
in Catalonia
Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
through planning and coordination of control actions, collaborating and cooperating with different administrations, and sectors whose activity affects, directly or indirectly, on food safety.
The Agency is participated by the departments of Health, Agriculture, Food and Rural Action, Environment and Housing and the Consumers Agency , all of which have competence in the various aspects related to food safety, thereby enabled with a transversal character.
The creation of the ACSA is part of the evolving global food safety organization in the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
which covers the entire food chain, from agricultural production to the final food products available to consumers, and involves all operators responsible for food safety as well as competent authorities responsible to ensure a high level of health and safety of the population.
Activities
The Catalan Agency for Food Safety executes the following functions:- Evaluation and reporting of health risks associated with food, in collaboration with the Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition (AESAN) and the European Food Safety AuthorityEuropean Food Safety AuthorityThe European Food Safety Authority is an agency of the European Union that provides independent scientific advice and communication on existing and emerging risks associated with the food chain, created by European Regulation 178/2002....
(EFSA). - Coordination of the actions of the Catalan government in matters of food safety.
- Promote collaboration between public administrations, universities and research centres, industry and consumer organizations and users.