Safefood

Safefood, stylised safefood (also known as The Food Safety Promotion Board; FSPB) (Irish language: An Bord um Chun Cinn Sabháilteachta Bia; Ulster Scots language: Tha Mait Safetie Forderin Buird) is the public body responsible for raising consumer awareness of issues relating to food safety and healthy eating across the island of Ireland. Founded in 1999, Safefood is one of six North-South implementation bodies established jointly by the British and Irish governments under the terms of the British-Irish Agreement Act.^[1]

Safefood headquarters are based in Little Island, Cork with a second office in Dublin City centre.

Structure

Safefood is a multi-directorate organisation. The chief executive is guided by a twelve-member Advisory Board and a thirteen-member Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC), taking policy direction from the North-South Ministerial Council (NSMC).

Activities

Safefood is a multidisciplinary organisation employing expertise in both food science and nutrition. The body's research, educational and promotional activities center on the subjects of food safety^[2][3][4][5] and healthy eating^[6][7][8][9] and are delivered via media campaigns (e.g. television and radio advertisements and social media) and the publication of information resources for consumers and other stakeholders.

Examples of Safefood consumer campaigns on tackling overweightness and obesity amongst adults include Stop the Spread^[10] and Weigh-2-Live^[11] whilst safefood's If you Could see the Germs Spread^[12] campaign aims to raise awareness amongst consumers of the health risks associated with poor food hygiene practices in the home.

In addition to media campaigns, Safefood core-funds the development and dissemination of educational resources on the topics of healthy eating and food hygiene practice for the pre-school, primary school and post-primary school curriculum in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland (e.g. Safefood for Life and Tastebuds).

Safefood's scientific research activities include the support of professional collaboration via its Knowledge Networks programme and the publication of independent scientific reports aimed at consumers, public health and industry professionals and researchers.

Further reading

• Citizen's Information^[13]
• The North-South Ministerial Council^[14]

References