What’s the difference between a ‘use by’ and ‘best before’ date on my food labels? Are there food hygiene rules I should stick to at home to keep my family safe? Should I be concerned about food additives?
These are some of the questions asked by European consumers that the #EUChooseSafeFood campaign has been answering by translating the science behind EU food safety. Building on a successful first phase, a second year of the campaign has been launched to cover a range of new topics.
Helping consumers to make informed decisions about everyday food choices is what the #EUChooseSafeFood campaign is all about. The EU-wide campaign offers practical and accessible information to consumers to use when they buy and consume food – from helping to read labels and understand additives, to providing advice on food preparation and storage. Launched on 16th May, the second year of the campaign builds on the first by expanding the range of topics consumers can learn about, with plant health, novel foods, and food supplements newly added to the mix.
EFSA’s Executive Director, Bernhard Url, welcomed the launch of the campaign: “Consumers in the EU can be fully confident that the food they put on their tables is safe. They can trust the EU food safety system and the scientific knowledge at its foundation, which has been helping to ensure our food is safe for 20 years now. #EUChooseSafeFood is an important example of our partnership with national food safety authorities, and our cooperation with consumer organisations, food producers and civil society.”
Primarily targeting 25 to 45-year-old European citizens, the campaign will also explain EFSA’s role in contributing to European legislation that protects consumers and the entire food chain.
An #EUChooseSafeFood toolkit including visuals, short films and social media posts in different languages is available on the campaign website, making it easy for national authorities and associations to get involved in the campaign.
Source – ECDC: More information in the campaign website