Descrizione
Not only for our health, but also to protect our livestock heritage and support the regional agricultural economy, so fundamental for Puglia. With regard to the Food Sector, in the year 2023, in compliance with EU Regulation 2017/625, over 19,900 inspections, checks and audits were carried out on approximately 89,000 Food Sector Operators present in Puglia. Over 330,000 food safety analytical parameters including chemical, microbiological and physical analytes were carried out by the official control laboratories of ARPA Puglia and the Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale di Puglia and Basilicata on more than 8,000 food and water samples taken by the competent Services of the Apulian AASSLL. It is highlighted that foodborne diseases (FTA), caused by biological, chemical, physical and zoonotic hazards transmitted by animals, represent a public health problem due to the serious consequences in terms of health, economic and impact on consumer confidence, especially for a Region like Puglia which boasts important tourist flows and presences in recent years. Among the numerous interventions and MTA surveillance implemented, particular importance has been given to the activity of the Regional Food Safety and Veterinary Health Service and the Regional Veterinary Epidemiological Observatory IZS PB which have allowed the identification, management and early extinction of an epidemic cluster of Listeria monocytogenes ST1 – CC291 which occurred on the national territory, with 54 associated human cases, caused by a vegetable semi-preserve - REPFED produced by an OSA from Puglia.
As regards Animal Health, almost 376,000 animals of various species and productive categories were tested, in order to implement the surveillance and/or eradication plans of infectious diseases. In terms of Control and Prevention of Stray Animals, the Puglia Region has implemented the provisions of LR2/2020 and the subsequent Regional Regulation no. 14/2023 by carrying out over 58,000 health services. Furthermore, a thousand inspections were carried out in the area of ​​the Welfare of livestock and approximately 1,400 checks on livestock farms and pharmacies in relation to Veterinary Drug Surveillance. This Report, in compliance with Reg. (EU) 2017/625, is shared with citizens, with the Operators of the Regional Health Service and with the territorial Economic Operators operating in the different sectors of interest in order to provide the entire community with a snapshot of the main interventions implemented in 2023 by the Puglia Region. Interventions guaranteed thanks to the work of many specialists and professionals from our health companies. Special thanks are due to the staff of the Regional Food Safety and Veterinary Health Service, the SIAN Services and Veterinary Services of the Prevention Departments of the AASSLL, the IZSP PB, the ARPA Puglia, the Veterinary Epidemiological Observatory who contributed to the achievement of the positive results reported in this document as well as to its drafting.
The report can be downloaded from the regional Health portal at the following link: https://www.sanita.puglia.it/web/pugliasalute/cittadini1