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Unit Food Hygiene and Safety Concepts

This Unit is responsible for the methodological recording of health risks as well as hygiene and quality shortcomings in foods in the “farm to fork” concept. The focus of its work is on the development of safety concepts along the entire food chain. In the field of microbial risks, it also assesses all relevant steps during food treatment starting with agricultural production down to kitchen-ready preparation from the food hygiene angle.

The components of integrated safety concepts are a high level of hygiene at all stages of the production chain, microbiological controls and the application of the HACCP concept. Methodological and conceptual work is needed In order to implement safety concepts. The existing food control systems are to be supplemented by sound control programmes as the main zoonotic agents like Salmonella, Campylobacter spp. or Yersinia can only be identified by means of targeted control programmes because of their occurrence in seemingly clinically normal animals or during slaughter. This helps to reduce the risk of consumers being exposed to zoonotic agents.

The basis for the assessment of production systems is risk assessment. This looks at the technological, logistic, hygiene, information and normative situation which is the basis for the production systems to be assessed. It takes into account the foodborne diseases in humans caused by zoonotic agents.

The experimental work on the pathogens Campylobacter spp., Listeria monocytogenes, Yersinia spp., Salmonella and food-associated viruses are carried out in correspondingly equipped laboratories and in establishments for food production and processing (abattoirs and pilot plants).

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