Members Present
- Paula Barry Walsh, DAFM (retired)* [PBW]
- Alice McGlynn, Consultant [AMG]
- James McCrudden [JMC]
- Conor Mulvihill, DII [CM]
- Louise Reynolds, INDI [LR]
- Sorcha Kavanagh, Repak [SK]
- Patrick Farrell, ex IFA [PF]
- Marcella Rudden, LEO, Cavan [MR]
- Annette Sweeney, TUD [AS]
- Siobhan Murphy, HSE [SM]
- Dermott Jewell, CAI [DJ]
- Martin Roper, Food Safety Consultant [MR]
- Catherine Morrison, BIM [CM]
Guest Speakers Present
- Marcel Keuenhof, KIDV [MK] *
FSAI Staff Present
- Gail Carroll [GC]
- Jane Ryder [JR]
- Ann-Marie Taaffe [AMT]
Apologies
- Pamela Byrne [PB]
- Jamie Knox, Dr Pepper [JK]
- Tim O’Brien, Restaurateur [TOB]
- Cormac Healy, MII [CH]
- James McCrudden [JMC]
- Eamonn Quinn, Kelsius [EQ]
- Maree Gallagher, Food lawyer [MG]
- Caroline Keeling, Keelings [CK]
- Jonathan Griffith, IHTA [JG]
- Regina Sexton, UCC [RS]
- Janis Morrissey, Irish Heart Foundation [JM]
- Ray Bowe, Musgraves [RB] (Chair)
* Marcel was only present for the Reusable and Safe Packaging
Introduction
Introduction
Paula Barry Walsh [PBW] opened the meeting, GC noted that the Chair sends his apologies but at short notice was not able to attend due to illness. GC thanked PBW for agreeing to chair the meeting today. PBW welcomed everyone to the meeting and provided a summary of the plans for today’s meeting. PBW requested any Declarations of Interest from Council members before proceeding and it was note no declarations were made.
Agree Minutes of Previous meeting (10 March 2022)
The minutes were agreed without amendment. All actions from previous meeting have been closed out.
Actions:
- GP to post the agreed minutes to the FSAI website.
Matters Arising
There were no outstanding matters arising that were not agenda items.
Reusable and Safe Packaging Overview
Presentations given by:
a) Sorcha Kavanagh [SK], Repak.
b) Alice McGlynn [AMG], Consultant.
c) Marcel Keuenhof [MK], the Netherlands Institute for Sustainable Packaging (KIDV).
SK, AMG and MK gave detailed presentations around topics such as:
- Challenges for reusable packaging systems
- Recent REUSE developments from the Netherlands & Europe
- Food safety aspect of reusable packaging and relevant EU Regulations
- Reusable Food and Beverage packaging systems
A Q&A session followed in which queries were directed to all presenters around various topics such as how to maintain traceability under food safety legislation, how use of reusable packaging is being communicated to the consumer and the impact on safety when using some of the proposed reusable containers.
Martin Roper [MR] and MK commented on the costs and financial implications to both food business operators and consumers. SK shared an example of changing consumer trends – in the late 1980s gave an example of a non-food business beauty/skincare store that started out as a refill store. Its business model was built on a refill system. This changed in later years but is now returning to aspects of its initial business model of a refill system.
Louise Reynolds [LR] referenced that glass milk bottles were last used by the dairy industry in Ireland in 1999 but that consumer interest in this is now swelling again, commenting on the cost and huge management behind reusing glass and shared the opinion that consumers might get behind such initiatives gain. MK responded highlighting the safety hazards and costs to glass packaging but speculates that Cooperative groups and Government support could aid this.
GC advised that at an EU level, the Commission had published a June 2022 report evaluating the EU food contact material legislation which reported several deficiencies in the current legislative framework, https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/have-your-say/initiatives/1212-Evaluation-of-Food-Contact-Materials-FCM-_en
PBW asked who will take ownership of the recommendations given in the representations. AMG advised it would be useful to set up a working group/ consultative committee with members of this committee, and then also collaborate with MK’s committee at a European level to keep track of what is happening in other countries.
Actions/Agreed:
- AMG and SK will discuss proposed consultative committee and share thoughts at the next meeting.
- Any questions or remarks regarding MK KIDV's presentation or on reusable packaging in general can be directed MK.
FSAI Update
GC elaborated on the document that was circulated to the members in advance of the meeting and opened the floor to comments and suggestions.
Patrick Farrell [PF] suggested more focus should be put in FSAI industry compliance activities on horticulture producers that sell e.g., at farmers market etc.
FSCC Governance Framework
GC elaborated on the Framework document that was circulated to the members in advance of the meeting, noting that the FSAI Board have suggested that it be published and subsequently reviewed on an annual basis.
Actions/Agreed:
- Members have until the end of the week (COB Friday 17th June) to share electronic comments. If nothing of substance is brought up the FSCC Governance Framework is agreed to be electronically signed off on.
AOB
GC confirmed that the next FSCC meeting is scheduled to take place on 08 September 2022.
GC and Ray Bowe [RB] will coordinate over the coming weeks with Jane Ryder [JR] to discuss the topic and venue for the proposed 2022 FSCC Open Meeting to take place in November.
The next sub-group committee will involve the topic of ‘Food Safety Training’, with committee members Annette Sweeney [AS], PF and Janis Morrissey [JM] sourcing guest speakers over the coming weeks.
Actions/Agreed:
- Members are to send on any points for the opening Meeting to GC.