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DISCUSSION FORUM
Mexico-United States Foundation
for Science and the Texas A&M University Center
in Mexico The objective of the second Round Table Discussion was to discuss the tendencies of food safety at the commercial and public health level, the linking of research centers with the food industry, the certification of food quality in Mexico and in the world, and also the educational mechanisms in food safety. The meeting began with a few brief words from Dr. Gabriel Carranza, the director of the Office for Latin American Programs of Texas A&M University (TAMU) and the Ing. Guillermo Fernández de la Garza, executive director of the Mexico-United States Foundation for Science (FUMEC). Both commented over the importance of the collaboration between both countries, such as the linking of education, research and its implementation, and over everything in the area of food safety since currently it is a priority subject, from the point of view of commercial United States, but over all from the point of view of the consumers’ health. M.V.Z. Rodrigo Santibáñez Rivera, Food Safety Program Coordinator of TAMU in Mexico was in charge of the program, and he presented Ing. Santiago Covarrubias, manager of Quality in Sonora’s Farming and Agriculture, with the goal of demonstrating one of the rewarding experiences that results from the implementation of food safety and food quality systems. Ing. Santiago Covarrubias presented a brief description of Sonora’s Agriculture and Farming (SASA) located in the State of Sonora, Mexico. SASA is a processing factory of 100% Mexican meat, dedicated to slaughtering, butchering and portioning, of the federal inspection type by SAGARPA (TIF 57), approved also by Japan, the United States, Canada and South Korea, founded in 1975 and exported until 1978, selling principally to Mexico and Japan, and also, sold to the United States. They sell to different sectors from restaurants, retailers, wholesalers, to processors. Ing. Covarrubias emphasized that the priorities of SASA are sanitization, quality, and service; also, he stressed that food safety is the responsibility of all of the enterprises. For this reason, they decided to obtain an international certification with the goal that SASA and its clients could have an external and independent validation to verify the compliance of the best international standards and regulations. They opted for the SQF 2000 system because in comparison to other systems, this system specializes in the food industry. It is an administration system of quality based on HACCP, Food Codex, and in the norms of ISO which helps it become more efficient, and the mark of SQF (Safe Quality Food) can be used once level three has been reached. The process for obtaining the certification was a gradual process, he explained, that began with the training and resulted in the certification of records. Also, he stressed on the importance of focusing the certification on the market that it is directed toward. In this case, his Japanese client thought that SQF 2000 represented a great administrative tool which is due to the increase in the level of trust in the areas of food sanitization and quality in the Mexican meat industry. To conclude, Ing. Covarrubias, emphasized that in SASA they understand that working to ensure the safety and quality of foods is an irreversible promise, and they are only now beginning. After this presentation, Ing. Cristina Aceveda, coordinator of the FUMEC food safety program, presented the central theme of the meeting and recapped the previous round table discussion that took place February 2005 entitled “The Situation of Food Safety in Mexico” in which the discussion began because of the following questions that were asked: What actions should we take as a country in order for food safety to be a daily and general practice?, How should we impel the value of safety from the economic perspective?, What is the role of food quality and food safety seals in Mexico?. From the conclusions of these questions, ideas were generated that lead into this round table discussion, said Ing. Acevedo. The conclusions were as follows: include the subject of food safety as a political state (based on the diagnosis of the situation), and there is a need to create a food safety network in order to have a real coordination between the principal agents and to generate an education, training, and certification system of food safety at all levels. After the recapping of the previous round table discussion, the central theme of the meeting was discussed and the presentations of the attendees proceeded (in alphabetical order by name): - Lic. Adrián Ávila Saucedo, expert in
distinctive H of the Secretary of Tourism (SECTUR) Panel 1: Tendencies of the food
safety at the local and global level (commercial and
public health needs
in México for the implementation of food safety
systems), chaired by Ing. Cristina Acevedo. Panel 2: How to efficiently link
the institutions in order to implement systems and
create a policy of food
safety and food quality?, chaired by Dr. Zeferino García
researcher of INIFAP. Panel No. 3: Certifications and
legislations, similarities and differences, moderated
by M.V.Z. Rodrigo Santibáñez
Food Safety Program Coordinator for the Texas A&M
University Center in México. Panel No. 4: Effective education directed to the Mexican
consumer for the consumption of safe food products moderated
by the M. en C. Ana Rosa Moreno of the Mexico-United
States Foundation for Science. The first panel was divided into three presentations with the following subjects: global level, commercial needs at the local level, and public needs at the local level. Presentation: “Commercial needs at the local level” directed by Lic. Felipe Lozano Padilla, director of the National Confederation of Retailers of Supply Centers (CONACCA). Lic. Lozano presented the subject and focused it on the point of view of the supply centers in the country and its problems. He explained that the majority of the supply centers before the phenomenon of economic liberation had initiated a movement of modernizing the supply centers in the country, considering this as a major permanent competitive reactivation of the businesses. He expressed that the problems of the supply sector are as follows: the limited or null enterprise culture for confronting the majority of the globalization in the agricultural business, restricted resources to finance the processes of production and commercialization of the harvests, the deficient infrastructure of sorting, storing, packaging, conservation, distribution, transportation, the sufficient and insufficient generalization of the use of norms of quality in the commercial practices, and the obsolete commercial practices. Before this, the supply centers had paid attention to transforming the supply centers into regional logistic centers through the competitiveness of the supply model involving the formation of competitive supply groups (clusters), and adequate commercialization, distribution, transportation and storing with the help of the governmental sector as facilitator of the competition. At the moment, they are working to obtain the SQF certification, which is projected to be managed by the Secretary of Economics (SE) in order to train 100 companies in the SQF system and HACCP by the means of bottom PYME. Presentation: “The Public Health Needs at the local level” directed by M.V.Z. Francisco Ramón Gay from the Metropolitan University of the State of Xochimilco. MVZ. Francisco Ramón Gay began by mentioning that foods sustain the quality of life and that the practices of the public health translate into the increase of life expectancies and the postponing of inevitable death. The public health is a science and an art of maintaining, protecting, and managing the health of the population by the means and the organized efforts of the community (according to the definition of the American Medical Association). He continued by expressing that the coordination of governmental and civil is needed to ensure our own health. Also, he commented that there are three health levels that exist, the primary attention, like the promotion of the health and the individual protection and the community, the secondary attention, as in the opportune diagnosis, treatment and limitation of pain and finally, the third level like the hospitalization and rehabilitation of the patient, the biomedical research and the biological science and health. On the other hand, he mentioned the subject of veterinary public health in which he said that in the same way that the public health treats all of the problems related to the improvement and the prevention of health problems of the population, the veterinary public health takes care of the public health using the knowledge, the capacities and the resources of veterinary medicine in order to restore and conserve the health and the well being of the human and animal population which is obtained through a multidisciplinary work that binds to food safety and zoonosis. Presentation: “The Tendencies of Food Safety at the Global Level” directed by Dr. Rebeca López Garcia. Dr. Rebeca López stated that to speak over food safety we have to refer to microbiology and its impact, but there exists other elements that not only implicate the health of the consumer, but also the chain of actors as in the small producer, regulatory agencies, and industries that have a great impact on the economy. The security of the consumer is important but also incorporating competitiveness, access to the supermarkets and permanencies is also important. She commented that currently the tendencies are directed towards the sanitary and phytosantary (SPS) barriers, great pressure by the consumer, even though now the consumer is more informed, business tools, and the search for niches. She continued by explaining the cycle of management and the analysis of hazards. The commercial blocks constitute an important element which is different depending on the focus. Now that for example, in the United States the FDA acting as the regulatory agency has created a high level of trust between its consumers. Meanwhile, in the European Union, its consumers do not have this level of confidence, and in Japan due to the fact that the tendencies are natural, this results in the regulation of the products that are industrialized and produced in the commercial block. She commented that the regulatory mark takes into account the factors to make a decision, of risk management, the impact of cultural practices, and the consumer’s level of risk perception, but that the decisions that are made have not always been adequate. She gave as an example the warning labels against Tartrazine which in Chile and Columbia this already is considered an allergy, and it has been verified that it does not produce anaphylactic reactions thus is the reason why it is not yet considered an allergy. Many of the decisions are based on the protection of the consumer, but without considering the industry, much like what happened with the retirement of toluene in Chile, resulting from zero tolerance. Also, she commented that the commercial blocks are not always based on food safety. The cooperation between producers and consumers is necessary, and the development of an adequate regulatory mark is also necessary since now no country can demand from its importations what is not a rule in its own country. Regulations have been developed impulsively in order to quickly meet international requisites, as in the use of private standards that serve to guarantee certain clients, and she stressed that it is very important that the certification and the culture comes from oneself and not only for commercial aims. The actual tendencies are very diverse, products with special certifications belong in the market, bioterrorism, labels, differences in different markets, traceability, market requirement, etc. The important thing is to realize that food safety through different approaches protects the consumer. The discussion session began with the participation of M.S. Ana Rosa Moreno from the Mexico-United Status Foundation for Science (FUMEC), who expressed in part that the process of risk communication implicates information that comes and goes. From what was said, it is the risk information, the need to introduce companies to risk communication, to identify who will give the information, what information, point blank and with base in this, that decides the messages that we want to give. MVZ Francisco Ramón Gay commented that it is necessary to fortify the research bodies and to develop the scientific bodies in order for the decisions to be based on scientific knowledge. Lic. Felipe Lozano Padilla of CONACCA expressed that they are working on finishing the productive articulation of the competitive supply of food through the foundation of PUME of the SE. The principal problem is the attitude and the culture; people with the knowledge do not want to share their knowledge. Dr. Miguel Ángel Garcia of SENASICA-SAGARPA expressed that the link between oneself and culture is necessary, and also it is necessary to have a link between organizations that participate in order to obtain objectives and goals in the area of food safety. The culture between producers and consumers, now that food safety is important to not only the competitiveness but also when regarding the public health, develop a country, with the access to foods that do not cause sicknesses. Dr. Zeferino García of INIFAP expressed that the lack of what needs to be done in the case of food safety. The INIFAP for its part is working in a matter of pigs and honey. It is a dynamic process that needs the collaboration of all the actors that know the complete chain of how to take part. Dr. José Luis Flores Luna (COFEPRIS) commented that they are working on the protection of consumer promotion against the agreement with purified water, asbestos in process, and lead contents in candy. The will of the industrialist groups and associations is necessary to do this and so is improving the conditions of the municipal tracks and the link with the universities and research centers. Learning how to link is also necessary in order to provide the necessary scientific foundation. Lic. Adrián Ávila of SECTUR expressed that the strategies like the Program H in food services based on the good practices, the NMXF. 605 and the NMX F 610, is necessary. Continuing with the questions, Ing. Luis Alberto Cruz of AVQ Integral Consultancy put on the table the question: Is there a national tendency towards food safety or should we continue with the idea that what will not kill will make us stronger and that water purifies everything? Dr. Alberto Morales of INIFAP commented that there is the tendency to monitor the contaminants that are most effective in the reduction of the permissible limits. Dr. Reginaldo Báez of CIAD expressed that the tendency will take into account what the countries are asking for, referring to the international market. Conclusions of Panel 1
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Panel 2: How to efficiently link the institutions
in order to implement systems and create a policy
of
food safety and food quality?, chaired by Dr. Zeferino
García researcher of INIFAP. Panel 2 was divided into two presentations with the following subjects: experiences of the research centers and the experiences of companies linked to research centers. Presentation: “Experiences of the research centers”, directed by Dr. Reginaldo Báez Zañudo researcher of the Center for Research and Development of Foods (CIAD) Dr. Báez began by mentioning that there exists a food safety program at the national SSENASICA-SAGARPA level, focused on accessory training and divulging in good agricultural practices (GAP), good production practices (GPP) and good manufacturing practices (GMP), and the training is provided by the personnel formed in the same institutions. Dr. Báez expressed that the financing for research projects in food safety comes from mixed (compounds, sectorial, institutional) funds, the Produce Foundations (COFUPRO), Systems product and other international organizations. What they are doing, he explained, is the product and process evaluation and the diagnostics through the evaluation of risk factors. Dr. Reginaldo Báez commented that the research centers also have convenient projects for consultancy and service training. With this objective in the year 2002, the CIAD in conjunction with COSAFI developed a project that consisted of the installation of food safety and agricultural quality for the support of fruit producing companies with vanguard equipment. Now and as of 2002 in Sonora great importance has been given to provide studies of risk benefits to the producer-exporter in order to implement systems of quality assurance. Dr. Báez stated that the problem is that there are different interests in the industry and among the researchers; the researcher on one side wants to publish scientific articles to form part of SNI (National System of Researchers) and on the other side, the industry requires researches that are applicable to their productive process. The producer looks for greater utility in the last two years in the SAGARPA examination session, and in the basic research examination session, there were only 16 articles related to food safety. Presentation: “Experiences in the linking of companies: strategies of the Research Center and Assistance in Technology and the Development of Jalisco (CIATEJ) to link the research industry”, directed by Dr. Rene Jasso researcher of CIATEJ. Dr. Rene Jasso began by explaining that CIATEJ is divided into three areas: research, consultancy and plant design, and services. The area of company consultancy consists of making pre-diagnostics which can be carried through in one visit. The type of problem is identified or the nature of the project is identified, and then it is directed to the corresponding area within the company. Also, advanced HACCP training courses are given. The link is made with the company once the diagnosis of the same one is made. A design is made according to the measure of the company, taking into account its strengths, opportunities, weaknesses, and threats. He expressed that the implementation program consists of a program of training in two stages, theory and practice with the scheme of certification and continued improvement. He continued by presenting CIATEJ’s experiences in the implementation of the HACCP training program in three companies, and he showed a video of one of the companies that benefited. The video showed how this cocktail snack company trained its personnel and how it gave consultancy service in order to design and implement a HACCP system. Finally, he expressed that the small and micro companies have an existential problem. First, they should substitute and then they should think about how they will implement a food safety and quality system. They do not know clearly what they will obtain from them. After the presentations were finalized, the discussion began. Ing. Cristina Acevedo of FUMEC, asked: how did the process of linking the company with the research center occur?, what was the result of this joint process? Dr. Rene Jasso of CIATEJ expressed that the mechanism that is utilized is to make a direct analysis with the company that solicits a service. For example, SAGARPA sends the service information to the CIATEJ companies or the companies find out about the services that are offered in the Congresses or Forums and they participate in convocations. Dr. Ramón Gay of the UAM-Xochimilco expressed that in one education module of UAM-X (modular system), a problem should be chosen and it should be tied to the production industry. Some working groups receive financial economic support from the University and external institutions, and the model is centered on research, teaching, and service. Dr. Reginaldo Báez, expressed that the principle laboratory was a project of researchers, and now the producers are searching for a solution of a problem that has yet to be determined. M.C. Talina Oliva Martínez of COLPOS expressed that the approach was with the committee of vegetal health. M.C. Luisa Yolanda of UANL expressed that there are
many conflicts of interests. The company makes the solicit
with basic science, for example a quick microbiological
analysis, but research that is applicable to the necessities
and functions of the company is required. Dr. Martha Elva Ramírez commented that before there was a regulation in COLPOS that prohibited entailment. Currently, the team of researchers has taken diverse actions with the proposed goal of disseminating information to third parties. Lic. Adrián Ávila of SECTUR explained that the researcher connects to the companies with the Support Program for Training (PAC) in which 25% of the costs is paid by the company, 50% is paid by PAC, and the final 25% occasionally paid by the state government. Dr. Amanda Gálvez of PUAL expressed that there is a link with SAGARPA-SENASICA and she stressed that UNAM at all times carries out research that is integrated with the needs of the companies. MVZ Arturo Sandoval of Food Quality Systems commented that the objectives are distinct. A precise link does not exist. There is not a political state with concrete objectives. There is not something that dictates how to utilize a political state, and there is not an institutional network that works over a strategic research line. Ing. Luís Alberto Cruz of AVQ Integral Consultancy expressed that the companies have opted to approach the research centers in order to obtain research and support. For this reason, the research sector should be interrogated in order to see if it is really fulfilling the link with the enterprise sector. Conclusions of Panel 2
Panel 3 was divided into three presentations with the following subjects: national regulations and certifications recognized at a global level. Presentation: “National Regulations” by MVZ Juan Carlos Gómez Araujo auditor of TIF establishments at the level of the Center of National Service of Food Sanitization, Food Safety and Food Quality (SENASICA) of SAGARPA. He explained that the legal mark of the national regulations corresponds to food safety in respect to the meta sector. Currently, the following norms are coming into effect: NOM 008-ZOO-1994 (that treats animal sanitization specification for the construction and equipping of establishments that are used for the sacrifice of animals and that are dedicated to the industrialization of meat products) and the NOM-009-ZOO-1995 (over the process of sanitizing meats). He concluded by clarifying that in order for TIF to be more competitive, more specific norms are required. Also, he pointed out that the norms should be the responsibility of the company, and verification should be the responsibility of the government. Presentation: “National Regulations” presented by Ing. José Luis Flores Luna of the Federal Commision over the Protection from Sanitary Risks (COFEPRIS). Ing. Flores initiated his discussion by commenting over the application of risk management that takes place in COFEPRIS to revise the NOM-120. He explained the definition of a sanitary risk which causes harm to the consumer. The presence of the hazard is necessary and so is the exhibition of the same and the susceptibility of the individual to develop the sickness. It is a requirement for the food’s biological, chemical and physical characteristics to not present a food safety hazard and to effectively meet the sanitary regulations which are the responsibility of the food chain. The sicknesses transmitted by foods (ETA) relevant to the public health results from a diagnosis of the specific identification of the microorganism. He commented that the rejections of foods by the FDA are more related to food quality rather than food safety. Also, he explained that the Mexican sanitary legislation is based on laws, regulations, official Mexican norms, and agreements. He continued by pointing out the three official Mexican norms of process and systems (NOM-093-SSA1-1994 over hygiene and sanitary practices in the preparation of foods that are offered in fixed establishments, and NOM-128-SSA1-1994 establishes the application of an analysis of risks and critical control points system in industrial product processing plants of fish). In agreement with the data that he presented, he concluded that a regulation that only a minority can comply with cannot be made, because of which HACCP cannot be obligatory. He invited the project revision of hygiene practice norms for the food and beverage processing which has the purpose of integrating in only one norm the NOM 120 and the 093 including an informative appendix over HACCP. The object of the NOM of good sanitary practice is that it is of obligatory observation with respect to sanitary quality of foods and beverages and it is of voluntary observance in respect to the HACCP system. Presentation: “Certifications recognized at the global level”, by Ing. Luis Alberto Cruz, general director of AVQ Integral Consultancy. Ing. Cruz began by explaining the characteristics of the ideal certification is to recognize what it is and from where it comes from, how it is established, who recognizes it, what authority it has, how the certification is met, how it is administered, and how it fortifies its transparency. Ing. Cruz mentioned the transparency and recognition of the global certifications through the adherence of the international systems, the revision for the organizations and external agents, the constitution of technical and consultant committees, the documentation and the publication of all its process and procedures and the benchmarking against other standards. Also, he spoke of globally recognized organizations, specifically over CIES, an organization independently founded in 1953 in Belgium; strengthening its presence at the global level, it is the only independent global network in the sector of supermarkets and food producers and their subsidiaries in 150 countries. In the year 2000, it impelled the Global Initiative of Food Safety, (GFSI) which in its objectives are the recognition of norms that exist at the global level and the suitable certifications. Ing. Luis Alberto Cruz explained that GFSI has elaborated an orientation document (4th edition) that permits the carry out of an evaluation comparative to the management norms of food safety. The requirement for the comparative evaluation consists of three concrete elements: a management system of food safety of the norm, and the pre-requisite program which includes the programs of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and HACCP. Ing. Luis Cruz explained that the norms recognized
by GFSI are: To end, he asked the audience: which of the global certifications is the most appropriate?, and the answer is to first now our market. After the presentations were concluded, the discussion session continued with the participation of MVZ Arturo Sandoval of the Food Quality Systems, who commented that the spirit of the norm does not matter. What matters is the letter in any official document. The companies are making TIF through commercial means. The certification material in México lacks trust between who gets the certification and the authorities. To have a management system of quality in terms of presenting the EMA is not easy. The third party authority should have a point of confluence in the operation and this will increase the trust. Ing. José Luís Flores of COFEPRIS stated that this attitude of little trust in the certification organizations not only is present in México but also in the United States. Another localized case is in India in which a certification organization did not adequately realize its functions. The vigilance of the certification in México depends on the SSA, as of 9 years ago third party organizations cannot evaluate BP or HACCP. Dr. Amanda Gálvez Director of PUAL-UNAM expressed that not just any laboratory can give a service, and she thinks that the research institutions can supply these services. Dr. Ramón Gay of UAM-X commented that several levels of laboratories can be considered, as in the research laboratories located principally in research institutions, and he also stated that a distortion can be made between the services and the private sector.
The Ing. José Luis Flores of COFEPRIS answered that there are no zero risks, and when the plants have well identified traceability systems, it is certain that the entire industry will not be punished. Also, he expressed the need to consider NOMs as merely minimum requirements. The SSA does not emit certificates and anyways from the beginning they should comply with those norms. Because of the petition of other governments, yes, they do get to emit a certification. MVZ Juan Carlos Araujo of SENASICA-SAGARPA considers the juristic process to be very lengthy, and it causes conflicts between companies and the government. He also mentioned that it is important to consider that in the question of norms, an appropriate process of productive implementation does not exist. There is always a risk with certification, but searching for a reduction of risks like in other countries is what needs to be done. Ing. Luis Alberto Cruz of AVQ Integral Consultancy stated that the private initiatives that encourage the certification are a vital take for the evaluation of food safety and food quality. Dr. Óscar García Suárez regional coordinator of OIRSA food safety commented that the companies look to certify their products, thus the reason why these types of subjects like certification should be discussed as a national strategy. He added that the government does not have an army of inspectors, and the state is not only a regulator but also a facilitator. Therefore, for this reason, these discussions need to help us improve the procedures that the companies have been developing. Dr. Rene Jasso of CIATEJ expressed that we need to look to give a value to the certification. A formal education that guides the norms of the companies does not exist. Also, she commented that in order to understand the importance of certification, the fact that the certification is only to give trust should be considered. It is important to integrate the concepts of norms in the contents of professional races. From the discussion session of panel 3, the following conclusions and recommendations were generated: The establishment of norms serves like platform for the certifications. Certification only by petition of the client. To work together with the government and private entities to give certainty to the private certifications. Governmental regulation of the company’s certifications is necessary.Panel 4 was divided into two presentations with the following subjects: the experience of the company protects your foods in Argentina and the experience of the TIF seal. Presentation: “The Experience of the company protects your foods in Argentina, the general population and companies” directed by Dr. Martías De Nicola, director of the National Institute of Food of the National Administration of Nutrition Medication and Medical Technology (ANMAT) of the Health Ministry of Argentina. The presentation took place through videoconference, and at the end of the presentation there was a time period for the participants to ask questions to the speaker. Dr. Matías De Nicola explained the four important areas of food safety in Argentina, control, food monitoring through the means of a national training program for inspectors in food bromatology with the objective of harmonizing criteria, modernizing the inspection system, consolidating the change of paradigm in the inspection system through special techniques designed for adults on questions that the inspectors should answer during an audit. Other important areas are food monitoring through qualifications and training, the elaboration of procedural manuals elaborated in the food industry and sanitary authority, and workshop of foods that are market retired through the accomplishment of maneuvers. The National Network of Official Analysis of Foods (RENALOA) conformed by the executive committee and the technical groups are specialists in the area of physical chemistry, microbiology, quality and toxicology. The development of a national education and prevention company of the diseases transmitted by foods (ETA) which is based on the communication of food safety tools for the population and has been carried out since 2003 in concordance with the company of the “five keys” of OMS. He explained that currently this company is recommended as the regional model by the IV COPAIA and the 1st reunion of regulation agencies of medications and food. Dr. Matías de Nicola expressed that the national company of education and prevention of ETA was one inter-institutional initiative whose objective is that the consumer obtains the information necessary to preserve the food safety, basing itself in the five key recommendations for food safety, utilizing simple phrases that are familiar to the population, now that for example the basic population does not know the definition of cross-contamination instead using the term raw-cooked contamination. The company is directed to the general population, but great importance has been put on mothers of children less than 10 years of age because these are the ones that show preoccupation and worry towards the habitat change related to the food preparation in the measure in which this affects the health of their children, according to the studies of the INNPAZ/OPS-OPS of 2003 focus group. The said company includes the communication through the distinct massive channels of communication such as radio (voice), television (images and voice), webpage, educational materials, and systems of telephone gratuitous information. He commented that the graphic materials, games and other activities related to food safety are dispensable in the webpage: www.cuidatusalimentos.org.ar, partners, which will incorporate all the messages the company wants to transmit. There are important advances with the supermarkets, introducing specific materials that have direct contact with the consumer. Also, many provinces of the country have taken the campaign, and they have spread information by radio and television. At the end of the presentation given by Dr. Matías de Nicola, M.C. Ana Rosa Moreno asked: Is there a post-evaluation of the calls made by people? Dr. Matías de Nicola responded with: An evaluation is made previous to the campaign in order to know the level of food safety knowledge, for instance, the aspects of the habits related to the Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome. If there are changes related to the habits in respect to the ETA, it has been notated that these notifications have improved. MVZ Miguel Ángel García of SENASICA-SAGARPA asked: From where is financial support for campaign promotion obtained? And when was the last campaign that was made at the massive level on TV? Dr. Matías de Nicola responded that it is very costly, but there is an alternative. He explained that when the TV channel is fined, the state is allowed to host a free space and these spaces are taken advantage of, and others finance their own spaces. With respect to the second question, he said that the ultimate campaign took place in a widespread manner in the last months of last year, but in a regional way because these channels have a wide spread and have a lower cost. Dr. Francisco Ramón Gay asked: What are the specialized techniques that are utilized for the education of adults? Dr. Matías de Nicola responded: It stimulates new attitudes that have to do with acquiring habits that can be put into practice at work; it works with groups no larger than 40 individuals who in turn are divided into groups that are smaller. With these groups, games are carried out with the subjects of HACCP, BPP and BPM. Presentation: “Experience in the TIF campaign” directed by MVZ Miguel Ángel García of the National Service of Agro-food Sanitization, Safety and Quality of SAGARPA. He began by mentioning the experience of SENASICA in
transmitting the concepts of food safety. He commented
that in order to be able to transmit with ease the said
concepts it is important to use materials such as triptychs,
pamphlets, and posters with the language common to the
production region, manuals of good agricultural practices
(GAP), manuals of good production practices (GPP) of
swine, ovine, bovine, and honey, and the manuals of
good manufacturing practices (GMP). MVZ Juan Carlos Araujo presented the subject “Population in General and Companies”. Due to his experience with TIF, he mentioned that the people do not know what the TIF seal is, and currently, an average of the plants certified as TIF per year does not exist. Continuing, he mentioned that the certification mainly deals with the criteria of the evaluator. The food industry directed its interest to the quantity of products produced which currently products are exported to TIF plants in Japan, USA, Korea, Cuba, European Union, Canada and Central America. The TIF system is recognized by different countries and the same commerce is the one that is obligated to acquire the TIF certification in the industry. Ing. Luís Alberto Cruz of AVQ Integral Consultancy began by mentioning a newspaper article in which the United States told México to “revisit what you are doing with the TIF seal”. The comment made by this type of publication can come to affect the prestige of the TIF seal. And he finished by saying that nobody can guarantee the food safety to 100% and he recognizes that the systems can falter as of now or later. MVZ Miguel Ángel Garcia of SENASICA-SAGARPA responded that effectively the United States signals to Mexico that it had some weaknesses in the TIF system. However, after three months, an evaluation took place and it was newly granted security for the functioning of the system. Currently, there exists an intranet system and it contains evidences of the USDA authority. Dr. Martha Elva Ramírez of COLPOS commented over the newspaper note that was published regarding the alarm over the first cases of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) in the United States where it pointed out that México is no longer free of BSE. MVZ Miguel Ángel García of SENASICA-SAGARPA responded that the SENASICA has implemented a monitoring system in all of the country where CENAPA is doing a sampling and monitoring to verify and prove that México is free of BSE. The moderator Ana Rosa Moreno commented that when the first communication is made one has to know who is going to give the information when a newspaper note comes. When a communication campaign is established the message has to be well identified in order to correctly manage the situation. Also, she exhorted to invite the modes of communication in elaboration of the materials, the communication costs too much, and the evaluation of the campaign has to be evaluated. Also they will need to evaluate how the message is and that it is understandable, test the messages with someone that does not belong to the institution, and have the ability to convince and have the capacity to lower the level of communication when it is appropriate. MVZ Francisco Ramón Gay of UAM-X commented that it is necessary to retake the concept of the public health. There is an important section of education for health, and one should consider that the education professionals (teachers, psychologists, areas especially for communication, technologists in communication and information), and it is indispensable to conform an interdisciplinary group. Ing. Luis Alberto Cruz of AVQ Integral Consultancy commented that the idea is: how should we give the message to the consumer that a product is safe? Since we use materials of promotion over food safety, we should first try to explain what food safety is.
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