Foscollab Data Quality Working Group. Guidance Document for the Integration of Data in Foscollab

Food safety is a global issue requiring global solutions. A resolution1 was passed at the 63rd World Health Assembly in May 2010 reaffirming this and outlining key actions needed to advance food safety in the coming years. One of the key elements to ensure global food safety is the ability to share data from food monitoring and other sources to better inform the development of preventive control strategies and risk-based approaches to food safety.

FOSCOLLAB is a platform accessible from internet and displaying together within dashboards various data (quantitative and qualitative) and information (e.g. expert advice) useful for food safety professionals. FOSCOLLAB allows linkages between databases based on 4 criteria: food name, hazard name, country of origin and year for data generation.

The overarching objectives for FOSCOLLAB are to assist food safety professionals by: Overcoming the fragmented availability of current food safety data and information; Providing easy access to global food safety data and information; Saving time by not needing to search and sift through numerous resources Bringing together data and information coming from animal/agriculture, food and human health areas to improve assessments linked to global public health Strengthening the underlying data sources by promoting awareness and increased utilization. (Source: Foscollab “Background” and “Objectives”)