This report presents for the year 2018 the results of regulatory control related to food safety, official controls and monitoring programmes on food and feed, as well as research and risk assessments. The report also assesses, based on the results, the status of food safety and future needs for regulatory activities in Finland. The report extends the annual report referred to in EU Control Regulation (EC) No. 882/2004 with respect to food safety where the annual report describes the results of control in the various sectors of the food supply chain as a whole.

The results of regulatory control and research in 2018 demonstrate a good status of food safety in Finland. Domestically produced food does not contain chemical substances in levels that would be dangerous to the consumer. Foodstuffs tested contain food-poisoning causing bacteria in very low concentrations. The number of food-borne epidemics as well as the number of people affected increased notably from the previous year. The reason for this increase was mainly due to illnesses caused by noroviruses. The number of food frauds is increasing and fraudulent activities are also found in Finland. The number of food withdrawals is still increasing.

As a rule, food sector companies operating in Finland meet food safety requirements excellently or very well. Severe shortcomings occur in very low numbers.