Osijek hosted one of the most important discussions of the year: what are we eating, who produces our food, can we still afford it – and what does the future hold? The FOODCOOLTOUR conference highlighted that food production is a matter of national security, a view shared by more than 300 participants and 50 experts across 12 panels.
Bernhard Url, Executive Director of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), emphasized that: “The importance of sustainable food systems, adaptation to climate change, and meeting rising consumer expectations is greater today than ever before.” Unfortunately, as repeatedly highlighted in the discussions, Croatia imports most of its food and is far from self-sufficient. This is why additional efforts must be made to strengthen domestic agricultural production and the food industry.
Caution Needed When Advertising Food to Children
Food was discussed from various perspectives, and one key issue was advertising, especially aimed at children. Children and young people are increasingly exposed to aggressive marketing campaigns, with serious consequences – from rising obesity, as food becomes a source of comfort, to growing rates of eating disorders at the other end of the spectrum.
“Young people are especially susceptible to colorful and aggressive campaigns, quickly turning a child into the ideal consumer,” warned Prof. Dr. Katarina Dodig-Ćurković.
Prof. Dr. Božo Skoko noted that children under the age of seven don’t even recognize when something is an ad, but: “It only takes seeing a product twice – and they already want it. Children are serious consumers, and studies show they participate in decisions affecting a third of the household budget.”
When it comes to regulating such practices – especially on social media, which heavily influence children and youth – Stanislav Bender from the Agency for Electronic Media stated: “Digital platforms are beyond our jurisdiction since their headquarters aren’t in Croatia, and the algorithms deciding what children will see are protected as trade secrets. However, what we can influence – and what we are working on—is user education: how to recognize age-inappropriate content and report it.”
Lab-Grown Pâté and Dietary Supplements on the Menu
It was also announced at the conference that EFSA has received its first official request for a risk assessment of lab-grown food. The request concerns foie gras – duck pâté produced from fertilized eggs of the Pekin duck. The request was submitted by a French startup, and the risk assessment process is underway.
On the European market, “novel food” also includes insects. Marija Pašalić from the Ministry of Health stated that novel food is still rare in Croatia, noting that it is mostly present in the form of dietary supplements.
Dietary supplements were also a focal point in the panel on athletes’ nutrition, where it was emphasized that while supplements can be useful, they should not replace high-quality natural food.
“We’ve reached an absurd point where people think supplements can replace natural foods – fruits and vegetables. They can’t, even though they are sometimes necessary, especially for athletes,” said Tomica Đukić, chef of the Croatian national football team.
Suzan Fiack from the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) agreed, adding: “Many people believe taking supplements is an easy and fast way to improve health and physical condition, not realizing that these products can also pose serious health risks.”
The conference was organized by the Croatian Agency for Agriculture and Food (HAPIH), the City of Osijek, and DD Produkcija, with support from the European Commission (EC), the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
The conference was held under the auspices of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Green Transition, and Osijek-Baranja County. The conference’s communication partner was the agency Komunikacijski ured Colić, Laco i partneri.
