New digital inspection system for more effective food safety controls
The Barcelona Public Health Agency (ASPB) has developed and launched the Official Digital Food Control of Barcelona (CODAB), an innovative digital system that sets a benchmark in the country and standardises the food inspection process across the city. This system makes inspections more effective, facilitating digital data collection and enabling more streamlined and efficient analysis. In retail settings, its use has led to a 34% increase in the detection of non-compliance issues in food handling and processing practices compared to the traditional system.
The new system is used to inspect retail establishments (such as fishmongers, butchers and greengrocers), commercial catering (restaurants, cafes and pubs) and social catering (school canteens, care homes and hospitals) to ensure compliance with hygiene and food safety requirements and prevent health risks.
CODAB gives inspectors a systematic way to collect data and ensures a consistent evaluation process. It uses an inspection protocol established by the department, which categorises requirements with a scoring system based on severity, outlining the actions to be taken and the deadlines for corrections.
During inspections, the four sections of the food hygiene and safety requirements are evaluated: structures, hygiene, products and self-monitoring. The result of the inspection is either satisfactory, needs improvement or unsatisfactory. Based on this result, the digital tool automatically determines what steps must be taken and the deadlines for corrections. Each inspection is documented using a unique, coded electronic report, which is sent to the person in charge of the establishment.
Thanks to CODAB, 34% more non-compliance issues in food handling and processing practices were detected compared to the traditional system. 38.9% of retail inspections in 2023 achieved a satisfactory result, while 61.1% needed improvements. However, 73.8% of the latter establishments received a satisfactory result in follow-up inspections, highlighting the positive impact of the new digital system.
FAO recognition
The FAO (Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations) has recognised CODAB as an innovative solution and best practice for official food safety control.
In addition, the ASPB has shared the new tool with other municipalities in Catalonia, in an effort to adapt the system and improve the standardisation of official controls beyond Barcelona.
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