Annual report of the State Office for Health and Food Safety (LGL)

Snap-up: Bavarian food is extremely safe - LGL is expanding its key role in risk prevention

Bavarian food is extremely safe. Health and consumer protection minister Werner Schnappauf took stock of this when presenting the 2003 annual report from the State Office for Health and Food Safety to the environmental committee of the Bavarian state parliament. "Only 0,46 percent of the 79.000 foods and consumer goods examined could be classified as harmful. This includes cases of bacterial spoilage. The low rate is meaningful proof of a well-functioning food control system. The manufacturers predominantly fulfill their responsibility and take food safety as a quality criterion seriously," emphasized Schnappauf. On the other hand, there are clear deficiencies in the labeling. Labeling violations are the main reason for the overall complaint rate of 13,6 percent.

Schnappauf recommends that consumers pay attention to local products and regional producers. "Domestic fruit and vegetables are significantly less contaminated with residues of pesticides than products from other German countries or especially imports from abroad. Buying regional products is not only healthier, but also benefits the environment because of the short transport routes," added the minister. 64 percent of the Bavarian fruit samples and 73 percent of the Bavarian vegetable samples were residue-free. In comparison, only 29 percent of the fruit and 43 percent of the vegetables of foreign goods were residue-free. Table grapes and strawberries, as well as peppers, are particularly frequently contaminated.

According to Schnappauf, the State Office is well on the way to further expanding its key role in risk prevention in health and consumer protection. "With access to an enormous pool of data from the laboratory tests and a consistent networking of the various scientific departments that is now being practiced, the LGL can identify risks at an early stage and comprehensively assess them even better than before. Prevention or defense strategies can be developed on this basis in good time," emphasized the Minister, "in consumer and health protection, we continue to rely on early risk assessment, transparency and education." As examples in 2003, Schnappauf named the protective measures against SARS with a rapid development of diagnostics, with precise risk assessment and an information telephone for the population, as well as the detection of salmonella in herbal teas, the determination of the risk of infection in cattle herds for BVD/MD (bovine viral diarrhea/mucosal Disease), the health monitoring based on the school entry examinations of 120.000 school children.

The 220-page annual report of the LGL presents its tasks and work results in health and consumer protection. The report is available from today at:

www.lgl.bayern.de/de/left/publikationen/ Jahresberichte_neu.htm

The successful accreditation of the laboratories in Erlangen, Oberschleißheim and Würzburg in 2003 shows the high level of analytical quality at the LGL. These analysis options are being further expanded for more consumer protection, such as the "geographical fingerprint" using stable isotope diagnostics. After the merger of various specialist authorities and laboratory facilities at three locations, the LGL now employs around 840 people, in particular food chemists, doctors, veterinarians, pharmacists, nutritionists, lawyers, technical assistants and administrative specialists.

Source: Munich [stmugv]