The Near East University Irfan Günsel Research Center continues to shed light on important issues in the field of agriculture and food with its scientific activities. The center's latest seminar titled "International Dimension of Food Safety Management" addressed the issue of food safety and quality from an international perspective.
The seminar emphasized the importance of examining the control and management practices in the entire process from farm to table in a global context. While the current developments in this field were conveyed to the participants, they were also given the opportunity to get to know and evaluate global food safety standards. The seminar, which was held with the valuable presentation of Prof. Dr. Beyza Hatice Ulusoy, Vice Dean of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of Near East University and Board Member of the İrfan Günsel Research Center, drew attention to the fact that food safety is a subject that is too broad and complex to be evaluated only on a local scale.
The seminar, which saw intense participation from academics and students, ended with a Q&A session where the participants were asked questions and clarified the issues they were curious about. Prof. Dr. Özge Özden, Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture at the Near East University and Head of the İrfan Günsel Research Center, was also present at the event. Reminding us about the basic mission of the İrfan Günsel Research Center at the opening of the seminar, Prof. Dr. Özge Özden emphasized that the center's protection of agricultural values specific to Cyprus and their transfer to future generations with a scientific approach are of vital importance. Prof. Dr. Beyza Hatice Ulusoy, on the other hand, made a comparative examination of the policies implemented in different countries regarding food safety in her presentation, and stated that safe food production will become more sustainable through international cooperation and information sharing.
Prof. Dr. Özge Özden: “Our Knowledge Sharing in the Fields of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development Will Continue!”
Prof. Dr. Özge Özden, Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture at Near East University and Head of the İrfan Günsel Research Center, shared the purpose and vision of the center with the participants in her opening speech. Prof. Dr. Özden particularly emphasized that the center was established to keep alive the deep devotion of İrfan Günsel, the father of the esteemed Founding Rector of Near East University, Dr. Suat Günsel, to Cyprus, its rich culture, productive agriculture and fertile soil, and to pass it on to future generations. Recalling İrfan Günsel’s special interest in beekeeping, Prof. Dr. Özden gave the good news that innovative projects and scientific activities were also planned in this field.
Prof. Dr. Özden stated that the main purpose of the center is to conduct scientific research by establishing national and international collaborations on vital issues such as agriculture, food and rural development, to protect the unique local values of Cyprus and to disseminate this valuable information by sharing it with the society. He also stated that the Irfan Günsel Research Center has adopted the contribution of its scientific productions to the harmonization process of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus with the European Union as an important goal.
Prof. Dr. Beyza Hatice Ulusoy: “According to WHO Data, Approximately 600 Million People Get Sick Every Year Due to Unsafe Food!”
In her comprehensive presentation titled “International Dimension of Food Safety Management”, Prof. Dr. Beyza Hatice Ulusoy, Board Member of the Near East University Irfan Günsel Research Center, discussed in detail the profound effects of globalization and rapid technological advances on food safety management and emphasized that significant developments in cold chain systems and advanced logistics infrastructure in particular play a vital role in the safe transportation of perishable food products.
Prof. Dr. Ulusoy said, “Thanks to blockchain technology, the entire journey of a food product from the field to the consumer's table can now be monitored transparently and in real time,” and noted that digitalization has increased the trust it provides to today's consumers and has made production processes much more accountable. Prof. Dr. Ulusoy also stated that smart agricultural practices not only increase production efficiency, but also significantly facilitate producers' access to global markets.
Emphasizing that advanced technological infrastructure alone is not sufficient in ensuring food safety, but also that internationally harmonized legal regulations play a major and inseparable role, Prof. Dr. Ulusoy stated that the European Union’s food safety regulation numbered 178/2002 and Türkiye’s Veterinary Services, Plant Health, Food and Feed Law numbered 5996 are among the successful exemplary practices in this field. In a striking point of his presentation, Prof. Dr. Ulusoy drew attention to the seriousness of the issue and its social impact with the words, “According to the current data of the World Health Organization (WHO); unfortunately, approximately 600 million people worldwide experience serious health problems and get sick every year due to the unsafe or contaminated food they consume.” Finally, Prof. Dr. Ulusoy concluded his presentation by emphasizing that food safety, which has a direct and inseparable relationship with sustainable development goals, is also an indispensable part of every individual’s right to a healthy life, which is a fundamental human right.
