Food safety: Minister Salla in Parliament — 68,000 inspections and 95 non-conforming samples

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Andis Salla, reported to the Committee on Agriculture, Food and Rural Development on the inspections carried out during 2026, food safety and the measures taken against non-conforming products. Imported meat from Brazil was also in focus. During the hearing, the minister stressed that food safety is a direct issue of public health and consumer protection.

“Food safety is not simply an institutional obligation, nor only a matter of inspections. It is, first of all, a matter of public health, of consumer protection and of citizens’ trust in the products they consume every day,” the minister declared.

According to the data presented to the Committee, during the period January–August 2026 the National Food Authority carried out 68,872 official inspections, of which 8,242 were field inspections and 60,630 inspections at border inspection points.

The minister said the focus is shifting from the number of inspections towards identifying the highest-risk operators and products. “We are gradually moving from a system that measures work only by the number of inspections and fines, towards a system that asks: where is the risk, which operator presents the highest risk, what do the laboratory analyses show, and where should we concentrate our capacities?” he said.

An important part of the statement was devoted to inspections of meat imported from Brazil. According to the minister, during 2026, 44 samples of animal products imported from third countries were taken, 30 of which were products from Brazil — specifically 22 samples of chicken meat and 8 samples of pork. In two cases of chicken meat from Brazil, residues of veterinary substances were found.

“In one case, the quantity was blocked and isolated in the operator’s refrigeration facilities; the inspection data show that it had not reached the market,” the minister declared.

According to him, the case was reported through the RASFF and INFOSAN systems, while the product was returned to the country of origin. In the other case, the product had reached the market before the verification was completed.

“Tracing was requested, clients were notified and the relevant administrative measures were taken,” the minister said.

He announced that since 3 September 2026 the changes relating to the European listing for beef and poultry meat from Brazil have been implemented. Laboratory data show that during January–August 2026, 3,337 samples were received and 5,719 analytical indicators were analysed. 95 samples turned out to be non-conforming.

“For us this has a clear meaning: food inspection must rely ever more on scientific evidence and not only on formal verification,” the minister declared.

Meanwhile, during January–September, the NFA received 34 notifications through the RASFF system, while Albania forwarded 16 notifications for cases identified by its own inspections.

The minister also reported on the results of the ISUV laboratory. According to him, the audit carried out in September for the maintenance and extension of accreditation under ISO 17025:2017 was completed with no non-conformities. Accreditation was maintained for 1,945 tests, while it was extended by 354 new tests.

“This is a result of the work of the specialists and one more guarantee of the reliability of the analyses on which our decisions are based,” he said.

During 2026, of 904 establishments planned for assessment, 696 were inspected. According to the minister, 208 others turned out to be closed, suspended, under reconstruction or deregistered. Of the establishments assessed, 19 were ranked in category I, 204 in category II, 453 in category III and 20 in category IV. The Ministry aims by December 2026 to prepare the National Programme for the Improvement of Establishments for products of animal origin and animal feed.

The minister stressed that the aim is a system that reacts faster, is more accurate in inspections and closer to European standards. “Food safety is the consumer’s right, the operator’s obligation and the state’s daily responsibility. For this responsibility we will continue to work with evidence, with transparency and with measurable measures,” he declared.