The official food control system in Polish slaughterhousesusage and importance of food chain information system in the opinion of official veterinarians

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Michal Tracz, Agnieszka Jackowska-Tracz and Krzysztof Anusz

Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Poland

: J Food Nutr Disor

Abstract

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Official food control at the slaughterhouse stage is one of the key elements in ensuring food safety and consumer protection. Veterinarians are responsible for carrying out these checks. One of the activities carried out by veterinarians is the evaluation of information contained in the Food Chain Information document (FCI). Official veterinarians are obliged to take into account the FCI when making a decision regarding the meat. FCI also may be used to determine inspection procedures for animals and groups of animals. These decisions grounded on collection and analysis of data. FCI is provided by livestock suppliers and consist of information on animal’s health and animal’s welfare status. The action following meat inspection is Collection and Communication of Inspection Results (CCIR). Quality data provided by official veterinarians through CCIR supports animal health, animal welfare and food safety as well as environmental protection and sustainability. Authors performed survey on official veterinarians, who were taking part in post-graduate specialization studies in food hygiene, to determine official veterinarians’ feedback rating on the usefulness and functioning of the FCI and CCIR. During the study interview techniques were used to investigate the experience and attitude in the group of 100 official veterinarians. The survey has shown mediocre or poor functioning of the FCI and CCIR in Poland. None of veterinarians rated the current arrangements positively. Majority of respondents indicated unreliability of information provided by livestock suppliers. According to the respondents FCI have no influence on decisions about meat and inspection procedures. Although there is a formal system compliant with the requirements of the law, current situation do not facilitate the ability to share and use food chain information up and down the food chain. Taking the above into consideration, today’s functioning of the FCI/CCIR system in Poland seems unsatisfactory. Official veterinarians should perform their responsibilities in accordance with the ethics principles relating to the veterinary profession. Ethical principles oblige them to act with competence and professionalism and in best interest of society.

Recent Publications

1. Pawel Zielinski, Robert J Sokolowski, Stanislaw Fedorowicz, Barbara Woronko, Beata Holub, Michal Jankowski, Michal Kuc and Michal Tracz (2018) Depositional conditions on an alluvial fan at the turn of the Weichselian to the Holocene-a case study in the Zmigrod Basin, southwest Poland. Geologos 22(2):105-120.

2. Anna Maria Duszewska, Pawel Greda, M Baraniewicz, Wojciech Bielecki, W Nizanski, A Partyka, Michal Tracz, Z Nowak, A Chelmonska Soyta and Wanda Olech (2018) Obtaining Wisent early blastocyst in vitro is a basic for protection and creation of biodiversity for this threatened species. Reproduction in Domestic Animals 53(3):818-821.

3. Jackowska-Tracz A, Tracz M, Anusz K (2018) Integrated approach across prerequisite programmes and procedures based on HACCP principles. Medycyna weterynaryjna 74(4): 223- 227.

Biography

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Michal Tracz has completed his PhD and he is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Food Hygiene and Public Health Protection, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Warsaw University of Life Sciences-SGGW (WULS-SGGW), Warsaw, Poland. He conducts research and specializes in veterinary law, food safety, public health and ethics of veterinary profession. Since 2017, he is a Member of Board of Warsaw Veterinary Chamber, where holds chairman position of Board commission for ethics, continuing professional development and integration. He is in charge of post-graduate specialization studies in food hygiene for veterinarians.

E-mail: michal_tracz@sggw.pl