Iran, Netherlands sign MoU on food hygiene, safety
August 18, 2018 - Iran and the Netherlands signed a MoU to expand cooperation within the framework of a program to improve food hygiene and safety.
The MoU was signed in a ceremony attended by representatives of Iran’s Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences and the Netherland’s Wageningen University in Tehran on Saturday, IRNA reported.
Addressing the ceremony to sign the memo between the Iranian university’s Research Center for Food Hygiene and Safety and RIKILT food safety and hygiene institute of the Dutch university, Mohammad Aqajani, the president of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences said that human biologic system is composed of food, water and oxygen.
Human body is exposed to food contaminants to the same extent that it consumes food, he added.
“Among the responsibilities of the governments is to ensure food safety and hygiene. In Iran, this duty is entrusted to the Ministry of Health and Medical Education in cooperation with diverse organizations.”
Iranian universities of medical sciences are the executive arms of the country’s Ministry of Health and Medical education to ensure about food safety and hygiene, he said, adding Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences has always been a leading and avant-garde scientific and educational institute in this field and has implemented many measures to this end, among which is establishing connection with the RIKILT institute of Wageningen University.
Aqajani noted that this cooperation began with a number of scientists from the Dutch university traveling to Iran and holding courses.
At present, he said, the two universities are continuing collaboration in the form of organizing joint research projects, exchanging students and holding educational and training workshops and courses.
“The level of cooperation between Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences and Wageningen University has reached a level where it is possible to take bigger steps towards further fostering collaborations.”
Regretting that poor food safety and hygiene is currently a global problem, he said the issue of food contaminants and cheating in foodstuff production are the focus of all countries.
“In Iran too, the issue has turned into a national concern. Iranian Ministry of Health and Medical Education as well as universities of medical sciences are responsible for easing public concerns about food safety and hygiene in the country.”