Food safety is an issue of paramount importance in our modern world. Access to safe and high-quality food is crucial for maintaining good health. Meeting the essential food needs of a population is a critical political, social, economic, and medical concern for every country and state. Ensuring the safety of these foods is a top priority for the state. Foodborne diseases and poisonings harm people's health and have severe economic consequences for individuals, families, communities, entities, and countries. Food safety is crucial, affecting society's development, future generations' health, human gene pool protection, and economic productivity.

In recent years, there has been a rise in emerging challenges related to food safety worldwide. Globalization of trade in food and agricultural products increases the likelihood of greater outbreaks and spread of foodborne illnesses despite making these products more accessible and competitive. June 7 has been designated as World Food Safety Day by the United Nations Resolution, which was issued on December 20, 2018. The reason behind this decision is to ensure that consumers of food products have access to objective, independent, and scientifically based information regarding all the current and potential risks associated with food safety. The resolution also aims to strengthen control and management measures in food safety. It highlights the negative impact of any adverse events related to food safety on people's health, trade, and the global economy. The International Day is primarily established to raise awareness of global food safety issues and promote food security, economic growth, agricultural production, international market access, tourism, and sustainable development. It focuses on detecting, preventing on time, and managing adverse food safety events, including potential food-related risks.

All around the world, food safety has become a crucial concern, leading to the establishment of relevant institutions in this field. In addition, international organizations and relevant conventions have played a major role in ensuring food safety. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the World Health Organization (WHO), the Codex Alimentarius Commission, the International Plant Protection Convention, the European Food Safety Authority, and the World Organisation for Animal Health work together with national food safety authorities to ensure that their food safety programs are in line with globally recognized resolutions, recommendations, and international food standards.

Food safety is a critical consideration for our country and is held at the highest level of national priorities. Some of the main tasks in the food industry include ensuring food safety, improving the quality of food products, and strengthening the export potential. It is important to provide the population with safe and high-quality food products while also increasing the efficiency of the food product safety control system. On November 18, 1999, the Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan "On Food Products" was adopted, which consisted of 23 articles. This law aimed to establish the legal framework for managing food product quality, organizing the food market, and ensuring food safety for the population. The adoption of this law indicated the importance that National Leader Heydar Aliyev placed on food safety and all other fields. Successive measures have led to a comprehensive legislative framework in this area. On February 23, 2018, the Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan "On Food Products" was amended to meet modern requirements by the Decree of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev. A new bill, "On Food Safety," was passed on May 5, 2022, and it went into effect on January 1, 2023, to better organize and enhance activities in this field.

One of the main directions of the state's socio-economic policy is to ensure a reliable supply of food products to the population in our country. Significant progress has been made in this field. To ensure food safety in Azerbaijan, the Food Safety Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan (AQTA) was established by the Decree of President Ilham Aliyev dated February 10, 2017 "On additional measures to improve the food safety system in the Republic of Azerbaijan". On November 13, 2017, the Azerbaijan Food Safety Institute was established as a public legal entity under the Food Safety Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan. The Azerbaijan Food Safety Institute, subordinated to the AQTA, operates 16 laboratories and regional units. These include seven located in Baku and Absheron and nine in the regions, responsible for ensuring food safety, conducting complex examinations, and monitoring animal and plant health. The laboratories equipped with modern materials and technical facilities and staffed with professionals are primarily established to conduct safety examinations of food products. This includes imported goods and those produced within the country, to ensure minimum quality standards and maintain veterinary-sanitary and phytosanitary safety measures.

On April 29, 2019, the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, approved the "State Program for Ensuring Food Safety in the Republic of Azerbaijan for 2019-2025". This measure is an important step towards improving food safety in the country. The main objectives of the State Program are to align the standards in the field of food safety with international requirements, improve the provision of safe and quality food to the population, enhance the competitiveness and potential of export to foreign markets by strengthening food safety and quality, reinforce control measures for agrochemicals, plant protection products, and veterinary drugs used in agriculture, as well as increase awareness on their correct use. In celebration of this special day, the Azerbaijan representation of the UN Food & Agriculture Organization is collaborating with the Food Safety Agency to implement various educational and social responsibility measures. Messages are conveyed to consumers and entrepreneurs in this field through social networks, mass media, and other means of communication.

Recommended literature:

1. Qida təhlükəsizliyi. Qida mədəniyyəti /"Eko-Tes" Ekoloji Tədqiqatlar və Maarifçilik İctimai Birliyi, Azərb. Resp. Prezidenti yanında Qeyri-Hökumət Təşkilatlarına Dövlət Dəstəyi Şurası ; tərt.: Ç. Nəzərov, Z. Qasımlı ; [məsləhətçi.: E. Hüseynov, T. Əmiraslanov]. - Bakı: [QHT nəşriyyatı], 2013. - 104 s.
2. Quliyev, Eldar Allahyar oğlu. Qida təhlükəsizliyinin gücləndirilməsi problemləri və strateji istiqamətləri: monoqrafiya /E. Quliyev; elmi red. Z. Ə. Səmədzadə, B. X. Ataşovş - Bakı: Kooperasiya, 2020. - 463 s.
3. Quliyev, Eldar Allahyar oğlu. Qlobal ərzaq təhlükəsizliyi: reallıqlar, çağırışlar və perspektivlər /E. A. Quliyev. Bakı: Kooperasiya, 2018. - 479 s.