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This year's World Food Safety Day (June 7) is an opportunity to realize that food safety is a matter for each of us. This is especially true at the time of the global coronavirus pandemic. This was pointed out by the top representatives of the World Health Organization and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, when they praised all those who are helping to take care of safe food and healthy nutrition for all these days.

The University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy in Košice has an important position in this area. University students focus on food hygiene in its entirety in the study programs of General Veterinary Medicine, Food Hygiene, Safety of Feeds and Foodstuffs and The Market and Quality of Foodstuffs. In the scientific and research sphere, the expert team of the Department of Food Hygiene and Technology, as well as other academic university workplaces, deals with this issue.

„All our activities are in line with the strategic missions of our country, especially with the effective use of Slovakia's potential to increase the level of food self-sufficiency and the share of domestic food," says Assoc. prof. DVM. Peter Popelka, PhD., from the Department of Food Hygiene and Technology UVMP. When dealing with the consequences of the coronavirus crisis, we are aware of the low level of food self-sufficiency in Slovakia. Its increase should be a strategic interest of the state and is a priority of the government. An important mission is to ensure quality and safe food.

„If we are not responsible for complying with hygiene requirements, as defined by legislation, there may be damage to health or even loss of life. The Slovak Republic, as part of the European Union, has undertaken to comply with the principles prohibiting the placing on the common market of foodstuffs endangering the health of consumers. Controlling these principles protects the health of us all," explains Peter Popelka.