AGES (Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety GmbH)

AGES is the leading expert and research organisation for risk mitigation in Austria to ensure health for humans, animals and plants, food safety, food security and consumer protection.

AGES is a limited liability company owned by the Republic of Austria. AGES provides services defined by the Austrian Health and Food Safety Act (GESG), sectoral legislation and the relevant European and international regulations.

The company works impact oriented, risk-based and interdisciplinary regarding the topics public health, animal health, food safety, food security and consumer protection along the food chain, medical and drug safety and radiation protection.

Services provided by AGES comprise researches, examinations, integrative risk analysis, risk communication and information dissemination based on bundled, scientifically sound expert knowledge. To achieve these tasks, the company conducts applied science and communicates relevant scientific expertise. AGES experts are partners in national and international networks.

AGES monitors, controls, licenses, communicates risk management and develops recommendations for risk minimization for its two shareholders, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management and the Federal Ministry of Health. AGES assures objective, competent and responsible goods and services.

With the establishment of the business area Food Security in the "impact orientated corporate concept" from 2011 to 2015, the global but also national importance of food security is taken into account.

The scopes and tasks of AGES contribute to food security, food supply and quality of life of humans as well as animals by ensuring health and high-quality food.

In this process, meta-theses associated with food security such as climate change, climate protection and adaptation, resource effectiveness and efficiency, sustainable production and usage up to consumer expectations and food habits and lastly aging and migration of society are addressed by the implementation of specific tasks. Globalization of markets and traffic increase health risks for humans, animals and vegetation. Climate change and adaptation, biodiversity, resource effectiveness and efficiency, sustainability in agricultural production and input use to protect soil, air, water, environment and biodiversity on the orientation towards the natural potentials of agricultural production are relevant aspects in AGES' projects to achieve innovative solutions on a scientific and communicative level.

The cooperation with networking partners may improve and enhance the impact of AGES' contributions to food security along the food chain and therefore to the Austrian food sovereignty.

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