Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
The role of veterinary services in animal health and food safety surveillance, and coordination with other services.
- Journal:
- Revue scientifique et technique (International Office of Epizootics)
- Year:
- 2013
- Authors:
- Bellemain, V
- Affiliation:
- Conseil National de l'Alimentation · France
Plain-English summary
Veterinary services play an important role in keeping animals healthy and ensuring the safety of the food we eat. In recent years, the focus has shifted from just checking the final food products to monitoring the entire process of how food is produced, from farms to our tables. This means that veterinarians are now involved in many aspects of food production, not just animal care. They work alongside farmers and food manufacturers to manage health risks and ensure safe practices. Overall, the goal is to improve public health by coordinating efforts across different sectors involved in food production.
Abstract
The control of animal health and food safety has undergone profound changes and is now seen in terms of a global approach, 'from the stable to the table'. The risks themselves have also evolved, principally due to changing practices, and this, coupled with increased knowledge and changes in consumer demands, has led to a more global conception of production chains. In terms of official controls, targeted control of the final food product has gradually been replaced by control of the production processes and an integrated approach to hazards throughout the production chain. This, in turn, has resulted in a new division of responsibilities among the producers (farmers), the manufacturers and the administration; namely, Veterinary Services. The areas in which veterinarians are involved have gradually been extended from animal production to all levels of the food production chain. Animal health interventions on farms are comparable to interventions in agri-food companies. Both are, or should be, included in veterinary training and education. To meet new challenges, the current trend is for Veterinary Services to be responsible for, or coordinate, sanitary interventions from the stable to the table. Coordination between Veterinary Services and other relevant authorities is a key component of good public governance, especially for effective action and optimal management of the resources available.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24547643/