Food today is safer than ever before. Food safety in Austria is ensured by high quality standards and controls that start with the food manufacturers and end with EU-wide monitoring programs.

For many substances there are permitted maximum amounts (= limit values) in food. If these are exceeded, the food is no longer safe and may no longer remain on the market. However, exceeding the limits does not mean that the food is already harmful to health. Only when the amounts are exceeded, which indicate how much of it can be ingested daily, once, for a short time or over a longer period, can health impairments occur.

It is also important that consumers are informed immediately about products that are harmful to health. We provide information about warnings and product recalls for food and children's toys (according to LMSVG - Food Safety and Consumer Protection Act), this year we have provided information about more than 30 product recalls/warnings so far.

In order to further increase awareness of food safety, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) is addressing the issue together with 16 partners from EU countries in what is already the third edition of the campaign. We are participating again this year. More information and tips on food safety can be found here.