Members Present
- Ray Bowe, Musgraves [RB] (Chair)
- Louise Reynolds, INDI [LR]
- Janis Morrissey, Irish Heart Foundation [JM]
- Dermott Jewell, CAI [DJ]
- Annette Sweeney, TUD [AS]
- Regina Sexton, UCC [RS]
- Patrick Farrell, Keelings [PF]
- Jamie Knox, Dr Pepper [JK]
- Adrian Cummins, RAI [AC]
- Jamie Knox, Dr Pepper [JK]
- Deirdre Ryan, Bord Bia [DR]
- Jonathan Griffith, IHTA [JG]
FSAI Staff Present
- Gail Carroll [GC]
- Jane Ryder [JR]
- Michelle Minihan [MM]*
- Gerard Power [GP]
- Rob Phillips [RP]*
Apologies
- Pamela Byrne [PB]
- Catherine Morrison, BIM [CM]
- Alice McGlynn, Consultant [AMG]
- Paul McKeown, HPSC [PMK]
- Eamonn Quinn, Kelsius [EQ]
- Paula Barry Walsh, DAFM (retired) [PBW]
- Siobhan Murphy, HSE [SM]
- Dave Lang, Craft Butchers of Ireland [DL]
- Mark Christal, Enterprise Ireland [MC]
- Sorcha Kavanagh, Repak [SK]
- Conor Mulvihill, DII [CM]
Guest Speakers
- Ghislain Marechal, Directorate Health and Food Safety, European Commission [GM] *
- Saskia van Ruth, Professor of Food Authenticity & Integrity, Wageningen University [SVR]*
* Indicates only present for a section of the meeting
Introduction and Welcome
Chair RB welcomed all attendees and began by addressing the late change in meeting format from an in-person event to a virtual environment because of weather warnings.
Declarations of Interest
None Declared.
Council members were reminded to submit remaining Declarations of Interest, as the initial assigned deadline has now passed.
Actions:
- Outstanding Declarations of Interest to be submitted by the end of March 2023.
Agree Minutes of Previous meeting (26 Jan 2023)
The minutes were agreed without amendment. All actions from previous meeting have been closed out.
Actions:
- Post agreed minutes to FSAI website.
Recommendations to FSAI Executive from 2022 Workplan
RB gave a brief presentation to the Council addressing the recommendations, resulting from the FSCC 2022 workplan, that will be presented to the FSAI Executive. The update dealt with the following topics:
- Food Crisis sub-group
- Packaging sub-group
- Training sub-group
- FSCC Open Meeting
GC acknowledged and thanked all sub-group volunteers for the time and work provided on these topics throughout 2022.
Actions:
- RB to make recommendations to FSAI
- GC to provide formal update at next FSCC meeting
FSCC Topic Discussions: Food Fraud Presentations
RB gave an overview of the presentations and guest speakers, providing bios for GM and SVR. The work of RP is procuring the speakers was also noted by the Chair.
Ten Years after Horsegate: An EU perspective
GM presented to the FSCC providing an EU perspective on preventative measures utilised in the fight against cross border fraud. The presentation touched upon some of the following topics:
- Protection plans and progressions
- Risk assessment processes and resulting penalties
- The EU Agri-Food Fraud Network
- EU Administrative Assistance and Cooperation network
- Technical guidance on Article 9(2) of the OCR
- EU coordinated enforcement actions
- Future potential for data automation
Developments in fraud detection technology in the last decade
SVR then addressed the FSCC on this subject, discussing some of the following topics:
- Detection approaches
- Technological developments in recent years
- Increase in laboratory analyses
- Advanced data analysis
- Surveillance methods
- Predictive analytics and resulting risk scoring
Food Fraud: The FSAI perspective
MM provided the Council with the FSAI perspective, addressing some of the following topics:
- Fraudulent and deceptive practices
- Preventative Regulations in place
- Food Fraud typologies
- Irish Food Fraud Strategic Assessment
- OPSON 2020
- National Food Fraud Task Force
A detailed Q&A session followed these presentations beginning with DJ addressing what additional resources have been sought both at local and European level to address fraud. GM, GC and RP replied noting an increase in resources over the last decade and reminding all that increased network cooperations across Europe have been made possible through advances in systems utilised by all official agencies. PF raised the subject of divergence in pricing between member state countries in relation to certain food products. LR raised a potential decline in consumer confidence if such an increase in fraud attempts continues, with MM assuring that consistent updates in official controls and monitoring are in place to maintain consumer confidence. DR closed out these discussions by giving insight into the sampling practices undertaken at Bord Bia to fight potential fraud.
Actions:
- GP to provide a copy of MM FSAI presentation to Council
FSCC Workplan 2023
RB confirmed that all votes have been tallied from the ballot circulated to Council members in advance of the meeting. The top two topics were confirmed as the assigned sub-group topics for the June and September FSCC meetings:
1. Food Safety, Food Sustainability and Food Security
2. Emerging Global Food Safety Risks
Actions:
- RB to confirm 2023 sub-group volunteers to FSCC
FSAI Update to FSCC
The FSAI update was circulated in advance of the meeting for review, updating Council members of recent FSAI activities that include:
- Recent press releases
- FSAI publications and events
- Food Incidents of significance
- FSAI Scientific Committee
- Any other topical issues
GC provided the Council with a brief update of recent work carried out at FSAI, noting that the last update was provided at the end of January.
Appointment of Deputy Chair to FSCC
It has been agreed that due to the increases number of Council members in recent times that a Deputy Chair be appointed to facilitate the work of the Council, this has been incorporated into the Governance framework. The term of service will remain consistent with the Council membership term of 5 years. RB set out the following criteria for selection:
1. Candidate appointment to Council must be before Jan 1st 2021
2. Attendance at Council meetings will be a consideration
3. Candidates provide a written Expression of Interest directly to the Chair
4. Closing Date Friday April 14th
Actions:
- Council members to nominate directly to Chair by 14th April 2023
AOB
JR gave a brief FSAI presentation to the Council advising them of upcoming event ‘World Food Safety Day’ on 7th June 2023. JR advised that in advance of this event the Communications team within FSAI will reach out to Council members requesting a 35-word statement on ‘What food safety means to me’, plus a copy of their photograph to utilise as part of FSAI’s social media strategy on the day.
Actions:
- GP to send FSAI presentation to FSCC.
- JR to seek statements and photographs directly from Council members