Food Inspection – Daily Work in the Service of Public Health and Food Safety

The work of the Food Inspection is based on the application of the Food Safety Law, as well as numerous regulations and rules governing food hygiene, microbiological criteria, official controls, food labeling, materials and objects in contact with food, maximum allowable levels of contaminants, additives, residues, and other substances, as well as specific requirements for certain food categories. During inspections, hygienic working conditions, implementation of a self-control system based on HACCP principles, food traceability, product labeling, storage and transportation conditions, expiration dates, the health status of food handlers, and compliance with all legal obligations of food business entities are checked. One of the most important segments of work involves sampling food and sending samples for laboratory testing, which allows for the timely detection of potential risks and prevents the distribution of food that may pose a health hazard. When irregularities are found, inspectors undertake legally prescribed administrative and misdemeanor measures, including banning the sale of unsafe food, its withdrawal and destruction, and temporary bans on operations when legal conditions are met. An inspector's work does not end with the end of working hours; it continues into the evening, weekends, and holidays, as protecting public health requires constant presence, responsibility, and readiness to react at any moment, said Zoran Karadžić, Assistant Director for the Food Safety Sector, emphasizing that every segment of the Food Inspection's work is aimed at one goal: protecting citizens' health. Every timely report enables faster inspection response and contributes to more effective public health protection, added Biljana Blečić, Chief Inspector in the Food Safety Sector, highlighting that preventive action is the most important segment of the Food Inspection's work.