The Food and Nutrition Division is responsible for approval decisions and for overseeing enforcement of foodstuffs legislation. It develops and implements the Swiss Nutrition Strategy.
The Food and Nutrition Division has four sectors:
Nutrition sector
Coordination and Surveillance sector
Food Hygiene sector
Market Access sector
The Nutrition sector develops the Swiss Nutrition Strategy and implements it in conjunction with its partners. It is responsible for projects and measures to develop the public’s nutrition literacy and improve the food available on the market. It collects and publishes data on the Swiss population’s nutritional status, food consumption and eating habits.
The Coordination and Surveillance sector supervises and coordinates implementation of foodstuffs legislation. It oversees the early warning systems in close cooperation with Switzerland’s enforcement agencies. The sector organises focus campaigns at the border. It is responsible for data flow and evaluating the investigation results of the Cantonal food enforcement authorities and it also coordinates the ongoing development of food legislation.
The Food Hygiene sector defines maximum residual levels for plant protection products, heavy metals and other unwanted substances and defines the microbiological requirements for food. It is responsible for the legal requirements applicable to hygiene and animal welfare in slaughterhouses. It defines permissible food additives and flavourings and defines the requirements for foods of animal origin as well as drinking and bathing water.
The Market Access sector reviews applications for authorisation of novel or genetically modified foods and approval of health claims and receives food legislation-related notifications. It is responsible for developing and refining legal requirements and implementation aids for utility articles such as toys, cosmetics and food packaging and for food labelling, health claims, new technologies and genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
Last modification 18.03.2024
