The International Food Safety Authorities Network (INFOSAN)

News

The rapid globalization of food production and trade has increased the potential likelihood of international incidents involving contaminated food. Food safety authorities all over the world have acknowledged that ensuring food safety must not only be tackled at the national level but also through closer linkages among food safety authorities at the international level. This is important for exchanging routine information on food safety issues and to have rapid access to information in case of food safety emergencies.

Since 2000, the World Health Assembly has adopted several resolutions on the subject of food safety. Member States have called for WHO to be more proactive in communicating about food safety. WHO has also been asked to provide tools and support to Member States to increase their capacity to respond to health emergencies posed by natural, accidental and intentional contamination of food. Furthermore, WHO's recent report on the terrorist threats to food identified a food safety emergency network as one of the basic preparedness measures that needed to be taken.

In view of the need for all countries to promote the exchange of food safety information and to improve collaboration among food safety authorities at national and international level, WHO has launched a new International Food Safety Authorities Network (INFOSAN). A food safety emergency network (INFOSAN Emergency) will be an integral part of INFOSAN. The food safety emergency network is intended to complement and support the existing WHO Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN) which includes a Chemical Alert and Response component.

For further information please contact:

Department of Food Safety, Zoonoses and Foodborne Diseases (FOS)
World Health Organization
Avenue Appia 20
1211 Geneva 27
Facsimile: +41 22 791 4807
E-mail: infosan@who.int