The Japanese delegation during the visit to aquaculture facilities in Chile. (Photo: Sernapesca)
CHILE
Wednesday, July 30, 2014, 02:40 (GMT + 9)
Authorities from the Department of Food Safety of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan (MHLW) last week visited the country in order to learn about the sanitary control systems on Chilean fishery and aquaculture products.
Apart from assessing the food control systems in field, the Japanese inspector delegation intended to strengthen ties and create trusts for the exchange of foodstuffs.
The visitors met with officials from the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Service (SERNAPESCA) of the Chilean Agency for Food Safety (ACHIPIA), the Agricultural and Livestock Service (SAG) and the Ministry of Health.
The committee consisted of Sachiko Yamanaka, deputy director of the Office of Safety Inspection of Imported Foods, and Makoto Otsuka, a professional from the field, who along with officials from SERNAPESCA observed the implementation of control and traceability programmes.
SERNAPESCA Foreign Trade Deputy Director, Cecilia Solis, evaluated the meeting with the Asian delegates as positive.
"These instances allow us to share information on control systems in the field of food safety," she said, which "not only helps to strengthen the relations between the two countries, but also makes it possible to have easy access to this important market."
The Japanese committee will prepare a report on the visit to Chile and everything that has been observed in salmon farms and processing plants. The reports will then be sent to each of the services involved for their comments and to be finally published on the website of Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan.