The SAFFI project: Fostering alignment and collaboration in EU-China food safety management with infant food safety as case study

Abstract

Ensuring food safety is a shared priority for both the European Union (EU) and China, yet differences in regulatory frameworks, enforcement mechanisms, and risk assessment approaches present challenges for harmonization. The SAFFI project (2020–2024), which concluded recently, seeked to bridge these gaps by fostering collaboration in food safety management, with a specific focus on infant food safety. Bringing together partners from several EU member states and Chinese provinces, SAFFI aimed to improve hazard identification, risk ranking, detection methods, and mitigation strategies for both microbial and chemical contaminants in infant food supply chains. This article first provides a comparative analysis of EU and Chinese food safety regulations, highlighting key similarities and differences in legal structures, risk assessment procedures, and enforcement strategies. Infant food safety standards are particularly strict in both regions, yet inconsistencies in testing methods, contaminant limits, and monitoring approaches necessitate greater alignment. The second part of the article details the scientific advances achieved through SAFFI to support regulatory convergence. These include structured databases and decision-support tools for hazard identification and prioritization, improved processing and preservation techniques for contaminant control, and cutting-edge analytical methods for detecting and monitoring known and emerging chemical and microbial hazards. The project also examined the role of consumer practices in mitigating risks and explored pathways for integrating rapid detection technologies into food safety systems. Overall, the outcomes of SAFFI contribute to enhanced consumer protection, the promotion of safe international trade, and the development of more coherent, science-based food safety policies through sustained EU–China cooperation.