Data collection

Last reviewed date:

Introducing EFSA’s data collections

Data is one of the essential building blocks of EFSA’s scientific work. It is a prerequisite for informed risk assessment and risk management. Whether it is data from monitoring programmes on zoonotic organisms performed by EU Member States or analytical results from samples taken by food business operators to conduct their own safety checks, EFSA needs the results of these activities in its databases.

Data must be sent to EFSA in pre-defined formats to ensure that it is fit for purpose and comparable in the assessments carried out by EFSA. The information in this section is intended to improve understanding of the formats and to support newcomers submitting data to EFSA.

WHAT data are collected

List of data collection domains:

  1. Biological monitoring
    1. Zoonoses, food-borne outbreaks (FBO), whole genome sequencing (WGS) and antimicrobial resistance (AMR)
    2. Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs)
    3. Avian Influenza (AI)
    4. African Swine Fever (ASF)
    5. One Health surveillance
  2. Chemical Monitoring
    1. Pesticides
    2. VMPR
    3. Contaminants
    4. Additives
  3. Food consumption
  4. Food composition
  5. VMPR National Control Plans (NCP)

WHO can send data to EFSA

WHERE data collected are used

  • Annual European Union Summary Reports
  • National Reports
  • Exposure and risk assessments
  • Rapid Outbreak Assessments

HOW to send data to EFSA: Getting started

  1. Prepare your data
    • Documents describing how to compile data and send it to EFSA, including examples, are known as Reporting guidance/manuals.
    • Data sent to EFSA must be organised according to structured Data models.
    • The complete list of terms that are to be used to report data to EFSA are contained in Catalogues. FoodEx2 is one of the main catalogues that classifies food, feed and animals. EFSA catalogues are available in the Catalogue browser.
    • EFSA has developed Reporting tools (mainly Excel based) for compiling the data in the required format.
  2. Submit your data
    • A person sending data from their organisation is known as a Data provider.
    • The EFSA platform to be used to send data to EFSA is the Data Collection Framework Watch this short video.
  3. Verify and accept your data