A number of food-related events in the European Union have focussed the attention of the mass media on the issue of Food Safety and have caused a great deal of concern in society about matters relating to the consumption of foods.

In view of this situation, the need to work towards an overall approach is clear. Emphasis has been laid on the need to instil the concept of safety from the start of the food chain, i.e., in animal feed, in the primary sector and the products that derive from this, as well as the agro-food products produced in the Basque Autonomous Community (CAPV). For this reason, the main area of activity of ELIKA is Agro-food Safety.

As published in the European Commission Food Safety White Book, consisting of three stages: Risk Assessment, Management and Communication. The monitoring of these stages from a scientific viewpoint, affords adequate protection of Agro-food Safety in the field of food-transmitted risks. In order to carry out risk evaluation, ELIKA has set up a Scientific Committee, in accordance with the principles of independence, excellence and transparency established in the aforementioned White Book.

Another of ELIKA's main tasks is Analysing and Exchanging Information. ELIKA has carried out this work in order to contribute to the detection of potential problems and to ensure that scientific advice is provided quickly and efficiently. In this sense, and with the aim of exchanging information with the main European Safety Agencies, it administers the participation of the Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Department in the 6th Framework Programme, within the ERANET SAFEFOODERA.

In order to promote Safety and support the production sectors of the CAPV, ELIKA promotes the improvement and adaptation of the Primary Sector, Animal Foods and the Agro-food Industry to legal, safety and environmental protection requirements.

Likewise, ELIKA provides the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food with technical advice and support in the Management of Agro-food Alerts. In this sense, the Alert Unit provides a 24-hour/365-days-a-year service as well as acting as a reception and coordinating body for all information relating to Alerts.