Food safety is a global issue. Unsafe foods cause major public health problems, including in ASEAN countries. Food safety hazards, such as microbiological pathogens, or other food contaminants, such as chemicals, are reported as causing major social and economic burdens across both developed and developing countries. The globalization of the food supply has also increased the challenges for regulatory authorities to best manage food safety risks. In order to cope with this challenge, a well-designed risk-based monitoring procedure for food safety hazards should be considered. These procedures would support individual competent authorities to effectively control food safety hazards, in both domestic and import food products, to better protect consumer health at national, regional and international levels. The scientific data obtained from risk-based monitoring procedures could be also used for the establishment of relevant food safety standards, such as setting appropriate Maximum Levels (MLs) for contaminants, across national, regional and international levels.

Concept Note

Agenda