Portuguese food Microbiological Information Network: The mutual benefits of information share

Viegas, Silvia; Oliveira, Luísa

http://hdl.handle.net/10400.18/892

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Authors

Viegas, Silvia

Oliveira, Luísa

Abstract(s)

TITLE: PORTUGUESE FOOD MICROBIOLOGICAL INFORMATION NETWORK: THE MUTUAL BENEFITS OF INFORMATION SHARE CURRENT CATEGORY: Risk Assessment Introduction: The National Institute of Health launched the Portuguese Food Microbiological Information Network (RPIMA) to collect, standardize, gather and analyse food microbiological and epidemiological data from scientific literature, stakeholders and data producers. All steps of food chain were considered in order to obtain global information, for the first time at national level and in useful time, to be available for data users. Purpose: Identification and characterization of benefits of food share information for all food chain stakeholders, from farm to fork (Food production, Universities, Politic, Public health, Education, Consumption, Laboratories and Risk management). Methods: Meetings of working groups of RPIMA (94 participants) Results: All information compiled will be standardised, validated, qualified, traceable to its source and compatible with other national e international data bases. The information produced can contribute to: - Optimize national resource usage - The control, monitoring and surveillance of microorganisms in food chain (detection proactive system) - The detection of emerging organisms (prevention of foodborne diseases (FBD)) - The Integrated Surveillance between Public health, Veterinary and Food Safety - The risk management and Food Safety measurement (risk indicators/ strategies) - The identification of risk assessment information gaps that can be investigated by research - The calculation of the burden of foodborne diseases Significance: The implemented system contributes to optimize national resources, identifying weaknesses that require a higher investment. With this work we can gather food microbiological and epidemiological data, presently dispersed in different databases and contexts, about identification, level, frequency, distribution and characterization of pathogens occurrence throughout the food chain, to monitor potential vehicles of human infections and to contribute to the metric optimization of food safety. The global information can serve as scientific evidence, for the first time in useful time, to improve food safety at national and international level, namely for risk assessors/managers.