Ireland needs to establish urgently a system for rapidly detecting sources of food poisoning, the new chief executive of the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) said. It would also be necessary to detect which farm animals were harbouring the poisons, said Dr Patrick Wall.
Speaking last night at the annual meeting of the Consumer Association of Ireland, Dr Wall said all medical laboratories would need to be connected electronically to target interventions appropriately.
"This will involve collating data on animal and human infections together. We need to be able to identify problems rapidly so that we take action to prevent spread of infection."
It would require the skill of doctors, vets and food scientists, together with computer experts, to develop a surveillance and early-warning system.
"With the amount of computer gurus currently feeding the Celtic Tiger, there is no excuse for Ireland not having a state-of-the-art system."
The need for a reference laboratory to identify bugs was important. Some salmonella strains of bacteria from humans, animals and food had to be sent to Britain for identification of their specific type.
"This is not acceptable in a country that claims to be a major food exporter and where food safety is an important issue."
The FSAI would be for consumers, he said. It did not have a function in protecting the interests of producers/processors, but there would be a major spin-off for Irish exporters.
"They will be able to demonstrate that in Ireland food safety is not negotiable and that structures are in place to prevent, identify and rapidly deal with problems."
Inspection of food and food premises, however, needed to be improved.
"Ensuring food is safe involves a chain of responsibility. The link between veterinary epidemiology and public health must be strengthened. Farmers must remember that they, too, are food producers and are responsible for sending clean, healthy stock to market."
Ensuring hygienic slaughtering, processing and distribution could require streamlining and reorganising of the inspection process, from the farm to the point of purchase. "We need to continue to bring modern technology and sound science into the nation's food-processing plants."
Education and advice would play an important role. Consumers needed to be aware that "farms were not operating theatres, and where you find animals and poultry, you find bacteria" which are killed with proper cooking.
Consumers also needed to "take responsibility for the practices in their own kitchen," said Dr Wall.
