PVD

Although the European Union has been already working at the issues of food safety for

several decades, there are still serious, food related problems present. In 1996 the

European Commission admitted that there is a large variety of biological pathogens and

chemical detergents that cause food poisoning, but almost all of them have something in

common: they accompany the products of animal and plant origin from the cattle-shed

or barn till the table.

Within the framework of food surveillance concept „from the field till the table”

which is the most effective way how to protect the consumer right to receive

safe and harmless food in January 1, 2002 the Food and Veterinary Service (FVS)

started operating under the Ministry of Agriculture.

The majority of FVS employees work in 27 branches that are situated in all territory of Latvia,

by ensuring the veterinary surveillance and the control of food safety. The central body of

the service which consists of the director general, the administration, the food

surveillance department and the veterinary surveillance department performs the

strategic planning of all service activities and helps the branches of the service to carry

out the food and veterinary surveillance in the whole country. The department of informatics is

responsible for the computerization of the whole service, exchange of information, the

systems of its gathering and analyzing. FVS sanitary border control works on the external

border of the European Union for 24 hours a day ; FVS Food Centre carries out the scientific

research and evaluates specific types of food before launching them into the market, but FVS

National Diagnostics Centre performs the laboratory examinations.