The Faculty of Food Technology (FTA) at the Technical University of Moldova recently hosted a major event dedicated to World Food Safety Day. The event brought together representatives from the food industry, the National Agency for Food Safety (ANSA), food testing laboratories, faculty members, bachelor students, master’s students, and doctoral candidates.
The event kicked off with a presentation by Dr. Andrei CUMPANICI, Associate Professor in the Department of Food Product Technology at FTA-UTM. He discussed food safety legislation requirements and the application of these regulations to all stages of the food chain, from production and processing to distribution and retail. Mr. Cumpanici highlighted the importance of aligning food industry operators with both national and European legislation, citing ISO 22000:2018 and GLOBALG.A.P. standards as essential references for implementing food safety management systems.
Marina DINTIU, Head of the Non-Animal Origin Food Safety Division at the National Agency for Food Safety, outlined the main areas of competence of ANSA. As the central public authority overseeing food safety, ANSA’s general objective is to implement policies across the entire food chain, from primary production to import and export. She also emphasized the critical role of the Technical University of Moldova in training specialists in food quality and safety.
Tatiana ROTARU, Director of the Central Phytosanitary Laboratory, detailed her institution’s competencies, which include assessing and identifying phytosanitary status, plant protection and nutrition, soil fertility, and pesticide residue testing in plants and plant products. She noted that the laboratory complies with SM EN ISO/IEC 17025:2018 standards and employs internationally recognized analytical methods. The Central Phytosanitary Laboratory conducts tests on non-animal origin products collected by ANSA inspectors or upon request from beneficiaries.
Industry representatives underscored the imperative need of adhering to legislation and implementing food safety systems. Dumitrița COJOCARU, Executive Director of SRL Axedum, highlighted the benefits of adopting a food safety system within the company.
Zinaida PLĂMĂDEALA, Marketing and Sales Manager at SRL PDG Fruct, presented how her company has conducted and certified a food safety management system according to ISO 22000 and GLOBALG.A.P. standards, emphasizing the importance of these certifications for exporting Moldovan fruits to international markets.
Master’s students from the “Food Quality and Safety” program showcased projects developed in the “Food Safety Management” course under the guidance of Dr. Andrei CUMPANICI.
Inspired by this year’s World Food Safety Day slogan, “Food Safety is Everyone’s Business,” students from the “Food Product Technology” program organized a consumer information campaign in the Cathedral Square in Chișinău, addressing food safety topics.
The event provided an important platform for discussion and collaboration among various stakeholders in the field of food safety, highlighting the significance of implementing food safety standards and legislation to ensure quality food products for consumers. The Technical University of Moldova reaffirmed its crucial role in training specialists capable of contributing to food safety at all levels of the food chain.
