In the light of the recent recall of selected chocolate bars produced by Mars Incorporation after a piece of plastic was found in one of their products, the NSTF Mini European Assembly discussed food fraud and how to safeguard the health and safety of EU citizens in a simulation of the EU Parliament in Brussels.
In early 2013, food inspectors had found horsemeat in frozen beef burgers as well as in other ready-made meals sold in popular supermarket chains in Europe. Two years earlier, there was an outbreak of the E. coli bacteria across Germany and other European countries brought about by food safety negligence related to vegetables.
In his keynote speech at the NSTF Mini European Assembly, former EU Commissioner Tonio Borg distinguished between food fraud as being intentional for economic gain and food safety which, although may be unintentional, may have serious health consequences.
According to Dr Borg, both food safety and food fraud are of particular concern within the EU as there is a free market of goods and products. The EU cannot afford for one member state to close an eye, as once the food enters the EU, it can be freely traded to all member states.
Dr Borg gave the E.coli outbreak as an example wherein 50 EU citizens died within Germany, and over 800 suffered from syndromes or kidney problems in Switzerland, Poland, Netherland, UK, Denmark, as well as outside the EU in the US and Canada. In light of the food fraud and safety issues which have taken place in the past, the EU has enforced the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed to respond to risks relating to food.
Each team gave its comments on food fraud within the EU and what each country was doing to safeguard citizens, such as the implementation stricter regulation on labelling and product specification, conducting reports and tests of the highest level, investing in research and development and banning the importing and cultivation of GMOs.
The Mini European Assembly is open to Sixth Form and first-year tertiary level students and is organised by NSTF, a non-profit organisation, to provide non-formal training to students in research and public speaking, as well as to encourage participation in international events.