The Státní zemědělská a potravinářská inspekce (SZPI) is an organisational unit of the state directly subordinate to the Ministry of Agriculture. It is the state supervisory authority for the safety, quality and proper labelling of foods, among other matters.[1]
Scope of competence
Within its powers it inspects agricultural products, foods, tobacco products, and also articles and materials that come into contact with foods. Since 2015 it has also been responsible for checking advertising and meals served in certain catering establishments. Its competences cover placing on the market, that is production, storage, transport and sale, including imports.[1]
Inspection activity
Inspections include audits of food business operators, comprehensive checks of hygiene conditions, of the HACCP system and of food traceability, and checks of food supplements, online retail, imports, adulteration and protected designations.[1] The basic type consists of audits and comprehensive inspections focused on food safety. Premises classified as high-risk are inspected considerably more often than low-risk premises, and the results of audits are taken into account when further inspections are planned.[1] For this purpose the premises are described in terms of risk assessment, in which the SZPI considers four criteria.[1]
According to the inspectorate, inspection is targeted and is intended not only to monitor but to protect the economic interests of citizens and of the state, that is, to protect consumers from dangerous, misleadingly labelled or expired foods and from foods of unknown origin.[1]
Safety and quality
Food safety inspection covers microbiological requirements and the content of foreign substances, for example chemical elements, additives and pesticide residues. Quality inspection covers analytical characteristics, for example fat content, sugar content or moisture, and sensory characteristics. The correctness of labelling is assessed separately.[1]
Legal basis
Inspection is based mainly on Act No. 110/1997 Coll., on Foods and Tobacco Products, Act No. 146/2002 Coll., on the SZPI, and Act No. 255/2012 Coll., on Inspection, and it corresponds to the principles of food control in the member states of the European Union.[1]