For sustainable assurance of food safety and the prevention of fraud, the FSVO identifies newly emerging risks to the health of Switzerland’s population. Early detection of this kind allows appropriate action to be taken in real time.
News
The FSVO compiles the most important food safety information every month
Monitoring developments in the field of food safety is an essential task of early detection. This is why the FSVO summarises and evaluates the main information in Seismo Info. The publication is sent out by newsletter. Further information on early detection for food safety can be found in the visualization.
Subscription to the “Food safety and nutrition” newsletter
Subscription to the “Food safety and nutrition” newsletter. Remark: to receive the Seismo info in English, please subscribe to the Newsletter in German or French (the English version of the Seismo info will be enclosed in the newsletter).
The aim of early detection for food safety is to identify and assess potential risks of food to the health of consumers.
The FSVO distinguishes between different types of risk:
- Microbiological risks in foodstuffs and food fraud and deception
- Chemical risks in foodstuffs and commodities
- Nutrition-related risks
Monitoring system
The detection of newly emerging risks requires vigilant monitoring of societal and ecological changes, technological developments, economic trends and political conditions.
To perform these tasks, the FSVO manages an early detection system for food safety. This system considers information from a variety of sources, as well as the opinion of experts from the federal government, the cantons, industry and universities. The FSVO is also part of an international network that regularly shares information on new risks, assesses these risks and discusses the action to be taken.
Information and communication
The information gathered is compiled in the ADURA database, which can be accessed by federal and cantonal experts and to some extent also by the public.
The FSVO summarises and evaluates the main information every month in Seismo Info. The publication is communicated via the «Food safety and nutrition» newsletter (Subscription in French, German or Italian).
«Briefing letters» are short summaries of issues. They are characterised by in-depth research on a specific topic. Their purpose is to draw attention to hazards or risks that could endanger food safety in the medium to long term.
Anyone can contribute to early detection by submitting information to seismo@blv.admin.ch. Specialists check the information and incorporate it into the ADURA database or Seismo Info as appropriate.
More Information
In detail
Is food safety in Switzerland impacted by the war in Ukraine? (in German) (PDF, 2 MB, 05.02.2024)Food Risk Assess Europe (FRAE) - DOI: 10.2903/fr.efsa.2024.FR-0028
Zenodo - DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.10787274
The future of food safety: possible trends for the years 2022-2032 and their influence on food safety and nutrition (in German) (PDF, 1 MB, 02.09.2022)Food Risk Assess Europe (FRAE) – DOI: 10.2903/fr.efsa.2024.FR-0041
Seismo Info
Signal Reports
Briefing letters and risk evaluations
Studies under mandate from Early detection
Impact of mercury released from permafrost on food safety in Switzerland (PDF, 3 MB, 07.02.2024)DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.10630257
Prevalence of E. coli Sequence Type 131 as a foodborne pathogen in Swiss chicken (PDF, 1 MB, 11.02.2021)Report by Silvan Wetzel; Prof. Dr. Lars Fieseler
Contact
Last modification 10.04.2025
