21/05/2012

At the university campus in Vigo

• Pilar Farjas stressed the importance of the centre,dependent on the AESAN,which joins the group of key laboratories in the European system of food safety.
• The laboratory will have 240,000 Euros this year for the setting up and improvement of biotoxin detection techniques.

The Secretary General for Health and Consumer Affairs,Pilar Farjas,today opened the new facilities of the European Union Reference Laboratory for Marine Biotoxins.One of the key laboratories of the European system of food safety will be on the Vigo university campus,“an environment of science and research” according to Farjas.

The European Union Reference Laboratories are responsible for providing support to national laboratories for official control.The Secretary General highlighted the “importance and significance” of the selection of this centre by the European Commission.

Farjas added that Spain is the primary producer of molluscs in the European Union.Cultivation in Spain represents almost 40 percent of the EU total and more than 20 percent globally.In Spain,Galicia is the leading Regional Community producer,with almost 95 percent of the total national production.

Therefore,“we have a duty to protect and promote our marine resources,in a responsible manner,complying with the strictest quality standards,and offering our consumers the highest guarantees of safety”,she explained.

The Secretary General,who also presides over the Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition (AESAN),on whom the laboratory depends,praised “the excellent work” of the laboratory and its team at Vigo university.In addition,the university centre offers optimum working conditions for the laboratory:the new facilities have an area of 344 square metres,approximately 130 percent more than the former installations.In this respect,Farjas announced AESAN’s wish to increase collaboration between both institutions.

In particular,she announced that this year a total of 240,000 Euros would be allocated for the setting up and improvement of biotoxin detection techniques as part of the European reference method.

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