"From Farm to Fork" traces the different stages of the food chain system and examines the practices and procedures that ensure the safety of our food.

The purpose of this "fact pack" is to explain the complex process by which food reaches the consumer's table and the systems and technologies that ensure the quality and safety of food from farm to fork.

Each section of the fact pack is a self-contained study which may be consulted separately or as part of the whole document.

Specialists in food processing contributed to this document. Despite the different food cultures and eating habits in Europe, the study transcends national borders in its approach to food safety, hygiene and quality.

The European Food Information Council hopes that this information pack will contribute to a better understanding of the food chain in general, and more specifically, of the steps taken to ensure the safety of food. Ultimately, the quality and safety of food depend on the efforts of everyone involved in the complex chain of food production, processing, transport, preparation and consumption. As the World Health Organisation (WHO) puts it so succinctly - food safety is a shared responsibility.

• Changing Food Patterns
• The Farm - Beginning the Food Chain
• Food Processing - Lasting Longer /Staying Safer
• Transport and Storage - Safeguarding Food
• Food and the Consumer - A Shared Responsibility
• Eating Outside The Home - The Risks Involved Eating Out
• Conclusion - Shared Responsibility: Safer Food

EUFIC REVIEW 06/2006