The meeting was held in Rome on October 25, 2003 , in the convention room of the Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Regioni Lazio e Toscana

For healthy food, we use remote check-up systems for animals

The safety of the food on our table is one of the principal worries for us as consumers, due in part to recent crises such as "mad cow" disease and dioxin in poultry. The European Union has set food safety as a primary objective, with service to the consumer and his health in mind.

Thus, various initiatives have been undertaken, including adoption of the White Book on Food Safety, creation of an independent Food Safety Authority, and issue of various norms, such as EC Regulation 178/2002, which establishes the principles and general requirements for food legislation, institutes the European Food Safety Authority, and sets procedures in the area of food safety.

Both consumers and producers/distributors recognize that food traceability, which provides a way to track each phase of the food's "life" ("from the field to the table"), is absolutely necessary. The European Union interpreted this need even in the preface to Regulation 178/2002:
"Experience has shown that the functioning of the internal market in food and feed can be jeopardised where it is impossible to trace food and feed. It is therefore necessary to set up a comprehensive system of traceability within food and feed businesses [.] thereby avoiding the potential for unnecessary wider disruption in the event of food safety problems ."

This is the context of the research project "Every animal tells its story: remote check-up systems for animals of different species ", financed, within the sphere of the targeted research, by the Ministry of Health, and co-financed by the Lazio Region and Win Cat srl (a company in the UNITEAM SpA group). The initiative is intended to provide operating instruments and solutions in the area of meats and derivative products, making it possible to follow all phases of the animal's development, from birth to the distribution counter. Today, technology makes it possible to use aids in identifying livestock (microchips) that can memorize the animal's data, not only personalized information, but more importantly the transit companies, veterinary check-ups and treatments to which it was subjected.

The information resides on the animal and thus is accessible wherever it is located. When slaughtered, the data follows the carcass, sides, and quarters to the distribution counter, where it can be delivered to the consumer using a special reader.

The preliminary part of the research has been completed, which includes planning and development of the electronic identification system for the animals, and subsequent phases are being implemented.

The purpose of the meeting is to illustrate and discuss the process and preliminary results with all the players involved: representatives of National and Regional Institutions, associations of breeders, producers and consumers, veterinary services, representatives from the university and research world, and above all, citizens.

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Recipients:


Veterinary services of local health corporations, professional associations, representatives of regions, agribusiness organizations, and consumer associations.

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Program

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Agencies and organisms that participated in implementing the project

Lazio Region:
Assessorate of Health, General Office for Veterinary Services - Assessorate for Agricultural Policies, Department of Agricultural Development and the Rural World

Experimental Institutes for Animal Disease Prevention
Lazio and Tuscany; Veneto; Lombardy and Emilia; Piedmont, Liguria and Valle d'Aosta; Umbria and Marche; Southern Italy (Campania and Calabria).

University of Tor Vergata:
Faculty of Engineering, Department of Electronic Engineering

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