In the first half of 2023, the competent inspection services of the Republic of Srpska Inspectorate conducted 44,944 controls on food shipments in foreign trade during import. Inspectors check the accompanying documentation of the shipment, perform organoleptic examination and food sampling for laboratory analysis.

In accordance with the estimated risk, potential irregularities in different types of products are identified, and analyzes are used for the examination of the parameters that represent the greatest risk in a particular product. For example, biggest risk for fruits and vegetables is the unpermitted amount of pesticides and heavy metals, and these are the parameters analyzed for this type of food.

Special attention of inspectors is focused on products where some irregularity was found in previous controls, seasonal products, products for which there are certain risks in the countries of the region or if irregularities were found in those countries, and the like.

In the observed period in the control of food imports, inspectors took 1,530 samples for laboratory analysis of health safety and quality. After analyzes were carried out, for 10 food shipments were prohibited from being imported.

Irregularities were found in shipments of zucchini from Albania, carrots from Egypt, mangoes from Brazil due to the increased presence of pesticides, grain shipments from Serbia due to the presence of mycotoxins and others.

It is important to note that shipments from which samples were taken for analysis are prohibited from being marketed, distributed or processed until the Decision of the inspector is made in accordance with the results of the laboratory examination of the samples. With regard to this procedure, in cases where the analyzes reveal some irregularity, there is no risk that the food has been consumed, because it was not even available to consumers.

In the first half of this year, in internal traffic, competent inspection services carried out 1,180 controls at subjects in the food business. The inspectors controlled the hygienic conditions of the facility and equipment, the operation of the cooling devices, the method of food storage, the hygienic procedures of the employees, the declarations and sensory properties of the food and more.

Determining health defective food is much rarer than determining various irregularities that can result in defective food, such as irregular sanitary inspections of employees, failures in maintaining hygiene in facilities that deal with food production and circulation, improper manipulation of food and the like.

In the observed period, by the order of the inspection, about three tons of different food were withdrawn from circulation. Most often, these are products that by their nature have a shorter life, such as dairy products, soft drinks and juices or confectionery products.

The work of inspectors at the border, expert risk assessment, timely identification of potential irregularities and the taking of prescribed measures resulted in food of the prescribed quality being found on the market. Competent inspections are engaged in their full capacity and perform daily surveillance of subjects involved in the production and trade of food, and based on the above, we can say that controlled food is traded on the market of the Republic of Srpska.