June 7, 2024, Sântimbru Alba. On the occasion of World Food Safety Day, marked on 7 June by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), TRANSAVIA, the leader of the poultry market in our country reaffirms its commitment and social responsibility by offering safe, high quality chicken meat products. The major commitment for the Romanian chicken meat market leader is based on its belief that food safety is non-negotiable in any form and under any circumstances. Food safety is essential for our health, for everyone's health, and it is a shared responsibility, from the producer to the distributors, to the traders, the authorities and the consumers.

"As the leader of the poultry market in Romania, we take an active role in educating the market and setting good practice models regarding traceability and chicken meat production under the safest and highest quality conditions. For the TRANSAVIA team, food quality and safety are part of the social responsibility commitment assumed by all 2300+ employees who do everything day by day exactly as it should be done, from grain to fork. Thus, we guarantee the safety and quality of our products. We are proud that this year, too, we have not recorded any recalls or withdrawals of products for food safety reasons. This shows that we keep our promises every day and that we have a quality and safety culture where all our employees follow the strictest protocols, standards and rules," says Marian Sabău, Quality and Food Safety Director, TRANSAVIA.

Using the best hygiene and food safety practices, TRANSAVIA always does things exactly right and ensures that every product bearing its brand arrives on the consumer's table in optimal condition, without health risks, every time.

"At TRANSAVIA we believe that all consumers have the right to expect the highest standards of food safety, consistently and uniformly guaranteed, no matter where they eat or where they buy chicken from. That's why every activity in our 100% vertically integrated production chain, from grain to fork, is carefully supervised and monitored, from the selection of breeds and breeding parents, to feeding the birds scientifically formulated feed produced in our Combined Feed Factory, with grain grown by us on the approximately 10,000 hectares of farmland we work, to the slaughtering, processing, packaging and delivery processes. We apply best practice and the strictest standards of hygiene and food safety, ensuring that every product bearing the TRANSAVIA logo is a symbol of trust and quality," says Cristina Lupșan, Quality Director, Processing Sector, TRANSAVIA.

How do we know that foods are safe?

Standards, based on science, define what is safe and what is not. Through these standards, acceptable limits for various micro-organisms in food are identified, and safe limits are set for various hazardous substances that can enter food from the environment or through the production process. These standards guide hygiene, nutrition, food inspection, labelling and many other aspects. The standards set by the Codex Alimentarius 60 years ago protect consumer health and ensure fair practices in the food trade, and the responsibility for their application and food safety lies with every actor in the supply chain, from producers to processors, transporters, traders, authorities and consumers.

This year's World Food Safety Day brings to the fore the need to be "prepared for the unexpected". This slogan (Prepare for Unexpected) resonates strongly with the current context and underlines the importance of collaboration throughout the supply chain, from producers to consumers, who must act responsibly. In this context, TRANSAVIA's Director of Quality Industrialisation reminds consumers of the importance of making the right choice of food, offering some practical guidelines for choosing safe and high quality chicken meat::

• "Choose chicken from trusted producers who rigorously adhere to food safety standards and can provide detailed information about the origin and complete production process of the chicken.
• Check the origin of the chicken. It's important to know the country of origin and the producer to ensure the animals were raised under appropriate conditions, the agricultural practices used for feeding the chickens are responsible and sustainable, and the slaughterhouses and factories adhere to the highest food safety standards.
• Pay attention to the product label. Make sure the label provides the legally required information (product name, ingredient list for processed products, net quantity of basic products, product shelf life or expiration date, the name or trade name of the producer, the country of origin or place of provenance, etc. – for more details, see the Good Practice Guide in labeling and advertising poultry meat on the ANPC website). Read the information regarding the expiration date, storage conditions, and preparation instructions. It's important to follow these instructions to ensure the safety and quality of the chicken you consume.
• Pay attention to the characteristics of the products you choose. The appearance should be clean, with a moist but not sticky surface. For frozen products, the carcass should not show deformities. The muscle color should be a characteristic pinkish-red with firm and elastic consistency. The smell should be characteristic and normal. For frozen carcasses, the ice glaze should be clean, transparent, without a reddish tint. Organs (liver, heart, gizzard) should be well-cleaned, show normal and unmodified color and consistency, with a characteristic smell.
• Analyze marketing messages carefully. Any claim aiming to highlight product differences must be supported by verifiable arguments and information. It is recommended to choose products from trusted producers who communicate transparently about the entire production process.
• Ensure proper handling of purchased products. It is crucial to handle chicken under hygienic conditions and use clean utensils and surfaces when cutting and preparing it. It's important to cook the chicken and chicken products properly, ensuring they reach the recommended internal temperature indicated on the label.
• Stay informed about food safety aspects. Consult reliable websites such as the National Authority for Consumer Protection (ANPC), the National Sanitary Veterinary and Food Safety Authority (ANSVSA), and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) to find the latest information and recommendations in the field. The better informed you are, the safer and more responsible choices you can make."

The quality and safety of TRANSAVIA products are a calling card abroad, where the 100% Romanian owned company exports about 30% of its production to almost 30 countries on several continents. A family business, 100% integrated, TRANSAVIA distinguishes itself as the only producer in Romania that fully manages the production, breeding and processing of all chickens in its own facilities, thus being able to guarantee consistency for the high quality and maximum safety of all products offered.

TRANSAVIA is the only company in the Romanian sector selected in 2023 by the Directorate General for Health and Food Safety (DG SANTE) of the European Commission to carry out an audit of the control system in the field of slaughter hygiene and compliance with meat inspection requirements in Romania, which has obtained very good results confirming that the market leader in chicken meat in Romania strictly complies with safety and hygiene standards. At the same time, TRANSAVIA is the only Romanian company that has assumed the standards to be a co-signatory of the EU Code of Conduct on Responsible Business and Marketing Practices in the Food Sector.

Romania's largest chicken meat producer focuses on responsible and sustainable farming practices, transparently ensuring through the publication of annual GRI-compliant Sustainability Reports that animals are reared in appropriate conditions and that the highest food safety standards are met. For more information about TRANSAVIA and its commitment to food safety, you can consult the latest Sustainability Report published by the company..

Chicken meat is one of the staple foods on the table, providing a significant intake of the daily protein requirement (approximately 50g). Specifically, a lunch of vegetables and 200g of grilled chicken breast provides 44g of protein, and two boneless, skinless top thighs (about 250g) with vegetables provides 47g of protein.

World Food Safety Day was established by the United Nations General Assembly in December 2018 and is marked annually on June 7. This day is an important opportunity to promote the production and consumption of safe food and to draw attention to food risks.