About NCFSER

 

Origin

The National Center for Food Safety Education and Research (NCFSER) was established in order to improve food safety knowledge, increase public awareness of food safety, and advance collaboration toward food safety by serving as a bridge between government agencies, research institutes, industry, and the public. Public awareness has also recently been drawn to functional foods as mechanisms to maintain health and prevent illness. Recent incidents regarding food safety, including “melamine” and “plasticizer” disasters, have also increased public attention on food and food safety.

Mission

The National Center for Food Safety Education and Research was established to serve as a platform for reliable information and research regarding food safety. The Center provides information and education regarding food safety laws and regulations as well as current food safety information and leading research regarding food safety risk assessments.

Vision

The Center provides a platform for leading work regarding food safety management, information, and risk assessment.

Goals

The Center seeks to advance understanding of food safety, undertake leading research regarding food safety, and promote accurate and relevant food safety educational and risk assessment information to the public, government, and industry. The Center functions as a collaborative platform between government, industry, and National Taiwan University, and seeks to provide a scientific basis for food safety information and research. NCFSER promotes collaboration and interaction between managers, production technicians, salesmen, and the public.

Organization

 

Roles and Responsibilities

Consultant Committee

  1. Provide evaluation and consultation regarding food safety issues as needed.
  2. Assist with project management and investigation.
  3. Assist with hiring NCFSER staff.

Executives

Responsible for administrative-related business.

Regulatory Affairs

  1. Establish food safety risk communications between media and public.
  2. Set food safety risk assessment standards for policy and establish guidelines for industry.
  3. Compile risk assessment database.

Education

  1. Create educational courses for and convey relevant food safety information to government, industry, the public, and media.
  2. Develop and promote accessible food safety curricula and educational materials.

Public Relation & Promotion

  1. Promote and create awareness regarding food safety issues.
  2. Host lectures and conferences to increase public information about food safety.

Research

  1. Undertake food safety and risk assessment projects.
  2. Identify food safety risk factors and generate recommendations for regulation.

Risk Communication

  1. Collaborate with government to assess food safety risks as needed.
  2. Establish food safety risk assessment database, provide early warning regarding food safety hazards, and carry out risk communication.

Function & Organization

Function

The Center was formally established on August 31, 2012. The Center serves as a long term collaboration platform for different areas related to food safety. Its mission is to:

  1. Establish food safety protocols and offer emergency response consultation to government as needed.
  2. Establish risk analysis database and offer consultation to industry.
  3. Provide resource persons to impart food safety training and develop curriculum.
  4. Impart food safety education training courses to food industry professionals.
  5. Conduct research regarding food safety risk analysis and evaluate testing technology.
  6. Facilitate administrative interagency communication and collaboration to improve food safety.
  7. Provide assistance to the Taiwan Food and Drug Administration (TFDA) and the College of Bioresources and Agriculture at National Taiwan University (NTU) regarding matters of mutual interest.

Supervisory Board

The NCFSER Supervisory Board includes seven – nine representatives from academia, industry, and government. The Dean of College of Bioresources and Agriculture at National Taiwan University serves as a member and Convener of the Supervisory Board. The Taiwan Food and Drug Administration Director-General serves as a member and Deputy-Convener of the Supervisory Board. Other members of the Supervisory Board are nominated from experts within or outside of National Taiwan University, and three members are recommended by the Taiwan Food and Drug Administration.

Responsibility

NCFSER is responsible for providing evaluation and advice regarding food safety issues, including identification of food safety hazards, public information and educational materials, and recommendations for actions that promote food safety for government, industry, and the public. The Center is a collaboration between the government, industry, and National Taiwan University, and seeks to promote cross-sectoral collaboration to promote food safety and increase public awareness of food safety issues. In this spirit of collaboration, the Center also frequently hosts and interacts with leading international experts in the field of food safety and risk assessment.