Public health impacts of food control (2020-)

Major aim of food control is prevention of foodborne diseases. However, a little is known about the effect of food control on the incidence of foodborne diseases. This project aims to demystify this relationship.

Approximately 25 000 food control inspections are done in Finland yearly. Inspection have been found to decrease non-compliance toward food safety legislation. However, public health impact of inspections remains unknown. In this project we study how results of food control inspections are related to incidence of foodborne diseases, and what kind of effects would changes in the resources of food control have on public health. Results of the project can be used in developing risk-based food control.

The researcher of the project is DVM, MSc, doctoral researcher Mikko Kosola. Collaborators in the project are Finnish Food Authority and Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare.