ICARUS in the USA

In 2002, after the discovery of some batches of pork-based products contaminated by Listeria monocytogenes, the US health authorities (USDA/FSIS) and representatives from the Italian Ministry of Health and the G. Caporale Institute, based in Teramo, Italy, devised a strategy to establish and maintain mutual trust between the official Italian and US control systems, at the same time ensuring that the certificates they issue are equivalent.

The strategy involved a series of measures, including the development of an information system to collect and share in real time the data from official controls and internal controls conducted by firms that export to the USA.

The information system, activated in 2005, is called ICARUS (Information system for Control management in production plants Authorised to expoRt to the USA).

It is a multilingual information system which enables the Ministry of Health, Regional Councils, Local Health Units and manufacturers to access online, each within its own sphere of responsibility, the results of the Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella surveillance plans, manufacturing and export data, and internal controls performed on premises authorised to export meat-based products to the USA.

ICARUS in other countries

In 2009, ICARUS was extended to management of the data relating to controls (official controls and manufacturer's internal controls) on products of animal origin exported to countries other than the USA. The system now enables official veterinary surgeons to conduct the annual re-certification of authorised export premises online.

ICARUS in the Russian Federation 

In 2010, ICARUS was extended to the management of controls and documents connected with the export of fresh fruit and vegetables to the Russian Federation.

After registering their firm, exporters enter in the system data from the certificates required by the "Memorandum concerning the phytosanitary certification of plant products to be exported from the EC to the Russian Federation" (phytosanitary certificate, safety declaration and safety certificate), the results of the tests for residues of phytosanitary products, nitrates and nitrites, and the information contained in the commercical documents (CMR).

The system makes the input data available to the Ministry of Health, Regional Councils, Local Health Units and exporters in real time, according to the user's access level.