Creating an integrated pork safety and quality system in Greece

The study for establishing an integrated safety and quality certified system for pork, in Greece, is reported. To this end, the Hellenic Organisation for Certification and Supervision of Agricultural Products (AGROCERT) created standards for feed production, pig farming, pig slaughtering, meat cutting and pork retail selling points. Certification of the various stakeholders of the pork industry, according to the above standards, by AGROCERT, is a prerequisite for entering to the system. The system is to be operated by an independent agency (DELFAX), to which production – processing – distributing units are participating, regardless of their specific activity, in the chain from production to the retail selling points. The agency is responsible for maintaining the basic characteristics for the credibility and transparency of the system, in order that certified pork will be distinguished in the market by means of a specific trade mark, in combination with the trade mark of AGROCERT