Food and nutrition

Nutrition is an important factor in maintaining health and wellbeing. The State Advisory Board on Nutrition has been drawing up nutritional recommendations for Finns since the 1980s. These recommendations aim to guide Finns in adopting healthier eating habits and to prevent diseases that are common in Finland.

The way foods are produced, the composition of food and the effects of nutrients are important to many consumers.

The safety and freshness of foods is controlled by monitoring their preparation and distribution. In Finland, monitoring the quality of food is based on self-monitoring by companies, which is overseen by the authorities. Responsibility for the monitoring lies mainly with local authority health inspectors, official veterinarians and food supervisors.

The purpose of monitoring food is to promote its safety and quality and to prevent and eliminate the harmful effects on health it can cause. Food monitoring in Finland is the responsibility of the Finnish Food Authority Evira.