2. Basics of food safety

The general rule is: Food that is not safe may not be distributed. This is regulated by EU Regulation (EC) No. 178/2002 (Basic Regulation) [3]. In addition, national regulations apply as for example the German Food and Commodities Act (LFGB) [4]. In a European Law framework, food is only considered unsafe if it can be assumed that it is harmful to health. In addition, food is also considered unsafe if it can be assumed that it is not suitable for human consumption. A differentiation is in order here, as the first description is concerned with defending against health risks, while the second description only serves to secure commercial consumer interests. Put differently, consumers' commercial interests—and not their physical integrity—should be protected from bad buys and unpleasant surprises to the greatest possible extent.

The objective is a sustainable business condition along the entire process chain, as shown in Figure 1 (overview), under the inclusion of ecological, economical and social aspects. This applies in equal measure to the entire value-added chain, under the consideration of the respective process steps, starting at the producer and ending at the consumer. The legal requirements must be included, as well as the interests and requirements of NGOs, paying particular attention to consumer's expectations, who make the decision in the end and are an important part of the process chain.

Figure 1. Food safety and dialogue between relevant groups.
