Safe food campaign launched in Cyprus, and across Europe

An EU campaign aiming to help people make informed decisions about everyday food choices was launched in Cyprus on Tuesday.

A statement released by the health ministry said the #EUChooseSafeFood campaign will focus on certain common topics on which people might have doubts but might struggle to find reliable answers.

Some of the topics relate to the ‘use by’ and ‘best before’ labels found on food in stores and supermarkets, while others explain what are the best hygiene and safety rules to apply in regards to food.

The campaign also aims at debunking a number of myths surrounding food additives.

According to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), the campaign targets a non-specialised citizen audience, aged 25 to 45, with an extra focus on women and young parents.

“This audience may be interested in well-being, health, cooking, an active lifestyle and/or food safety topics, but may need help navigating the complexity of available information,” it said.

The launch of the campaign in Cyprus was welcomed by EU Commissioner for Health and Food Safety Stella Kyriakidou.

“Informed citizens make empowered consumers and therefore I welcome the launch of the #EUChooseSafeFood campaign in Cyprus, which aims to provide people with reliable and practical advice so that they can make healthy and safe food choices,” she said.

Kyriakidou added that accelerating the transition to sustainable food production systems and promoting healthy lifestyle choices are key pillars for the European Commission.

Health Minister Michalis Hadjipantela also praised the campaign, saying the protection of citizen’s health is directly linked to food safety.

“I am optimistic that this campaign in our country will make a significant contribution to both properly informing the public and strengthening awareness on food safety,” the health minister said.