The guidelines
JECFA is an expert committee which was called into existence by the Director
Generals of FAO and WHO. The constitutions and rules of both organizations
for such committees need to be considered: Article
VI of the Constitution of FAO and the Regulations
for Expert Advisory Panels and Committees of WHO lay down the basic rules
which assure excellence and independence of expert committees which provide
scientific advice to both organizations.
Throughout its existence JECFA has continued to develop principles for the
safety assessment of chemicals in food. To improve the consistency and quality
of its decision-making process, the International Programme on Chemical Safety
(IPCS) sponsored the publication of Environmental
Health Criteria No.70, which consolidated and updated the Committee's
principles for the safety assessment of food additives and contaminants to
the mid-1980s. Principles developed since that time have been included in recent
reports.
The committee follows in its work modern principles of risk assessment, however,
such different chemicals occurring intentionally or unintentionally in food
as flavours and industrial contaminants pose different questions. Therefore
a set of guidelines which have been developed by the joint secretariats and
the committee are available. These documents provide guidance to the secretaries,
members and experts, and to interested parties that submit data or intend to
follow JECFA's recommendations. Both joint secretariats maintain separate and
complementary sets of guidelines.
Guidelines available at the WHO webpage for JECFA
Guidelines available from the FAO Joint Secretariat
OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT
Project to update the principles and methods for the risk assessment of chemicals in food
Public review process
The draft document is available here.
Comments should be submitted by 15 September 2008 electronically by e-mail to JECFA (jecfa@who.int). To note: please read carefully and follow the instructions on the web-page, in order for your comments to be considered by the final expert consultation.
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