The abbrev at on stands for ' the European Food Safety Author ty '.
EFSA is a European agency funded by the European Union that operates independently of the European legislative and executive institutions ( Commission , Council , Parliament ) and EU Member States .
It was set up in 2002 following a series of food crises in the late 1990s to be a source of scientific advice and communication on risks associated with the food chain .
MAIN SUBJECT AREAS
Food and feed safety Nutrition Animal health and welfare Plant protection Plant health
The General Food Law created a European food safety system in which responsibility for risk assessment ( science ) and for risk management ( policy ) are kept separate . EFSA is responsible for the former area , and also has a duty to communicate its scientific findings to the public .
WHAT DO THEY DO ?
As the risk assessor , EFSA produces scientific opinions and advice that form the basis for European policies and legislation .
It also considers , through environmental risk assessments , the possible impact of the food chain on the biodiversity of plant and animal habitats .
Communicating on risks associated with the food chain is another key part of EFSA mandate .
This research has been done by the Italian team . Source : text and photos from its official website