Italian Zooprophylactic Institutes against food contamination

The Network of the Italian Experimental Zooprophylactic Institutes (IZSS) played an active role in the Risk Management Forum in Arezzo, wherein the Institutes elucidated their role in the safeguarding of welfare through a One Health approach. This approach postulates that the well-being of animals and the quality of the natural environment are essential for ensuring human health and well-being. Antonio Limone, the coordinator of the IZSS Network, highlighted the pivotal role of the scientific entity as a crucial reference point in the country, serving as a conduit between research, innovation, and health prevention. The collaborative efforts of IZSS, encompassing the identification, analysis, and intervention stages, were showcased in a case study on tropane alkaloid poisoning resulting from spinach contamination with stramonium fragments. This phenomenon, intricately linked to the ongoing climate change crisis and its ramifications on public health, is a compelling illustration of the synergetic approach. The current challenges, such as climate change, the spread of vector-borne diseases, and antimicrobial resistance, require more dialogue between Zooprophylactic Institutes and Prevention Departments to create a resilient national health system, Limone argued.