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CODEX STANDARDS ON SAFETY

Section IVSection IV

Food Quality and Standards Service (ESNS)Food and Nutrition Division. FAO

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FAO Strategic framework for

Food Safety Issues

Universal approach to food safety issues based on risks.

Increase the implementation of preventive measures to avoid food contamination from its origin.

Adoption of an integrated approach to food safety throughout the food chain “from farm to plate”

(Committee on Agriculture 2003)

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The Food Quality and Standards Service of the Food and Nutrition Division works on:

Providing technical assistance and capacity

building activities in quality and safety issues

FAO/ESNS

Technical assistance

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• Reorganization and strengthening of national food control systems; Strengthening national structures involved in the work of Codex; Enhancing the safety and quality of selected food products or groups of products; Harmonization of food standards and Harmonization of food standards and regulations within regions and with Codex;regulations within regions and with Codex; Improving the quality and safety of street foods; Prevention and control of mycotoxins;

ESNS Activities

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Development of studies and applied research in issues related to food quality and safety;

Technical Cooperation Projects in developing countries.

ESNS Activities

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- To guarantee quality and safety of the foods traded at the national and international level; - Protecting the health of the consumers and ensuring fair practices in the food trade;

- Facilitating food trade.

FOOD CONTROL SYSTEMS

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-Consumer protection, facilitate the production of safe food and fair trade practices.

- Simple, coherent, transparent, result of process of consensus among the food chain actors.

- Based on risk assessment through the food chain.

FOOD REGULATIONS

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CODEX ALIMENTARIUSCODEX ALIMENTARIUSCOMMISSIONCOMMISSION

Joint FAO/OMS Food Standards

ProgrammeSince 1962

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OBJECTIVESOBJECTIVES• Consumer protection;

• Fair practices in the food trade;

• Promoting coordination of all food

standard work undertaken by international governmental and non governmental organizations.

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Codex Alimentarius Commission

• 165 Member Nations.

• Adopt Codex Standards.

• Review of the provisional agenda.

• Review of Budget.

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- Executive Committee - 6 Regional Coordinating Committees. - Commission Secretariat. - 9 General Subject Committees . - 11 Commodity Committees. - 3ad-hoc Intergovernmental Task Forces

(Procedural Manual)

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At the National level

• Codex Contact Point.

• National Codex Committee and Technical Sub-committees

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Advisory Mechanisms

• JECFA –Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (Food additives, contaminants, residues of veterinary drugs.

• JMPR-Joint FAO/WHO Meeting on Pesticide Residues.

• JEMRA-Joint FAO/WHO Expert Meetings on Microbiological Risk Assessment .

• Expert Consultations on topics as required.

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• Agreement on the application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS).

• Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT)

National Standards and Regulations Harmonized with Codex Standards, are

accepted by the WTO Agreements.

WTO Agreements

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– Discourage the use of sanitary and phystosanitary measures as international trade barriers.

– Codex Standards, Guidelines and Codes of Practice are recognized by WTO as reference for settlement of disputes and international trade.

– Ask for harmonization based on Codex Standards. – Recognize Codex as the reference body regarding

Food Safety Issues.

SPS Agreement

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Codex Food Safety dispositions recognized by

the SPS Agreement:

– Maximum Limits for Pesticides and Veterinary Drugs.

– Maximum Limits for Food Additives.– Maximum Limits for Contaminants.– Codex standards and guidelines on Food

Hygienic Requirements.

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Since its establishment:

204 Food Standards

43 Codes of Practice 33 Guidelines

237 Pesticides evaluated 2516 Limits for Pesticide residues 25 Contaminants evaluated.

1300 Food Additive evaluated 70 Veterinary Drugs evaluated.

289 Limits for Veterinary Drugs.

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– Inclusion of HACCP principles in the General Principles of

Food Hygiene.

http://www.fao.org/DOCREP/005/Y1579E/Y1579E00.HTM – Guidelines for Food Import and Export Inspection and

Certification Systems.

http://www.fao.org/DOCREP/005/X4489E/X4489E00.HTM

• Statements of Principles Relating to the Role of Food Safety Risk Assessment are taken into consideration in Codex work.

http://www.fao.org/DOCREP/005/Y2200E/Y2200E00.HTM

SPS agreement: its SPS agreement: its implications in Codex workimplications in Codex work

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– prevents the use of national or regional technical requirements, or standards in general, as unjustified barriers to trade (FAO, 2000).

– the agreement covers standards relating to all types of products including industrial and agricultural products. Not covered are food standards related to sanitary and phytosanitary measures.

– It includes numerous measures designed to protect

consumers against deception and economic fraud.

TBT Agreement

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Codex decisions recognized by the

TBT Agreement:

• Food labeling.• Decisions on quality aspects.• Nutritional requirements.• Analytical and simple methods.

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Upgrade National Food Standards and Regulations based on harmonization

with Codex; get involved with Codex work; Strengthen National Food Control Systems; and Ensure efficient importing and exporting

inspection and certification systems.

CODEX AND WTO MEMBERS SHOULD

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● Market access opportunities;

● Increased opportunities for producers, exporters, consumers and legal authorities in setting information regarding international food quality and safety standards, and take part in their elaboration;

Advantages of Advantages of active participation active participation

in Codexin Codex

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● possibilities to reach sustainability of the agricultural, fishery and forestry sectors; ● guarantee the supply of safe, wholesome and nutritive products; and ● contribute to achieve food security objectives.

Advantages of Advantages of active participation active participation

in Codexin Codex

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Work carried out by the Codex Work carried out by the Codex Alimentarius Commission Alimentarius Commission regarding Fresh Fruits and regarding Fresh Fruits and

Vegetables.Vegetables.

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member countries should:

- harmonize and modernize their standards and regulations based on those of Codex.

– have an active participation in Codex works.

Implications of the SPS and TBT agreements

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Codex Commission work related with the Codex Commission work related with the quality and safety of fruits fruit and quality and safety of fruits fruit and

vegetablesvegetables

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• Recommended International Code of PracticeGeneral Principles of Food Hygiene.

http://www.fao.org/DOCREP/005/Y1579E/Y1579E00.HTM

• Revised guidelines for the application of the HACCP system. http://www.codexalimentarius.net/reports.asp

• Code of Hygienic Practice for Fresh Fruits and Vegetables.http://www.codexalimentarius.net/reports.asp

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• Maximum residue limit of pesticides and contaminants in several fruits and vegetables. (http://apps.fao.org/CodexSystem/pestdes/pest_q-e.htm).

• Guidelines for the Production, Processing, Labelling and Marketing of Organically Produced Foods. (http://www.fao.org/DOCREP/005/Y2772E/Y2772E00.HTM)

• The International Code of Conduct on the Distribution and Use of Pesticides.

http://www.fao.org/ag/agp/agpp/Pesticid/Default.htm)

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Commercial Quality Standards:

• 22 Standards. (http://www.codexalimentarius.net/standard_list_es.asp)

• Recommended International Code of Practice for Packaging and Transport of Tropical Fresh Fruit and Vegetables-CAC/RCP 44-1995

(http://www.codexalimentarius.net/standard_list_es.asphttp://www.codexalimentarius.net/standard_list_es.asp)) • Standards in elaboration

(http://www.codexalimentarius.net/ccffv10/ff02_01s.htm )

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Commercial Quality Standards:

• Draft- Guidelines for Quality Control Systems of Fresh Fruits and Vegetables. (http://www.codexalimentarius.net/ccffv10/ff02_01s.htm)

• De for Food Labeling, specifically for Fresh Fruits and Vegetables. (http://www.codexalimentarius.net/ccffv10/ff02_01s.htm)

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FAO FOOD FAO FOOD SAFETY SAFETY

PUBLICATIONSPUBLICATIONS• Manuals of food quality control (series of 17)

http://www.fao.org/es/ESN/publications/pub_control_en.stm

• Food Quality and Safety Systems - A Training Manual on Food Hygiene and the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) System. http://www.fao.org/es/ESN/publications/pub_quality_en.stm

• Improving the Quality and Safety of Fresh Fruits and

Vegetables: a Practical Approach. FAO/ESNS. http://www.fao.org/es/ESN/food/foodandfood_fruits_en.stm

• Guidelines for developing an effective national food control system. http://www.fao.org/es/ESN/publications/pub_cont rol_en.stm

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FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS (FAO)

Food Quality and Standards Service (ESNS)Food and Nutrition Division

Viale delle Terme di Caracalla 00100 Rome, Italy

E-mail: food-quality@fao.orgTel.: 0039 06 57053308

Fax.: 0039 06 570 54593/53152http://www.fao.org/