Through the agreement, Mars and the FAO will exchange knowledge and information to support science-based decision-making on food safety, so as to ensure that Mars’ own food is safe and to “raise the bar in food safety by identifying and tackling risks that impact society at large”.
Dr. Abigail Stevenson, chief science officer at Mars, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in collaboration with FAO chief economist Maximo Torero, which commits both parties to promote better understanding and application of Codex Alimentarius international food safety standards.
The MoU also looks to set out how Mars and the FAO can collaborate in order to increase levels of adherence to Codex standards and codes of practices within the private sector. This will include discussing emerging food safety issues, methods, technologies and trends that could impact future food safety.
The partnership between the two parties started almost 10 years ago and Mars now hopes to raise the food safety bar further by expanding the relationship.
Commenting on the development, Dr. Stevenson said: “At Mars we believe everyone has the right to safe food and that collaboration is essential as we work together to address food safety challenges.
“This is why we are delighted to extend the strategic global partnership, initiated in 2015, with the FAO to continue working together on food safety initiatives. This is a great opportunity to share our technical knowledge and scientific expertise in mycotoxin management and develop scientific publications which help to ensure safe food for all.”
Meanwhile, Torero said that the FAO and Mars would build on the work that has been completed so far and look to further demonstrate its impact.
“Strong science to support food safety decisions and strong public-private cooperation for food safety are increasingly important to ensure sustainable and resilient agrifood systems,” Torero concluded.
In other news, Princes Group has announced the appointment of Simon Harrison as its new chief executive.
