Scientific basis of Codex work on veterinary drug residues

Geneva, Switzerland

The FAO/WHO Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) provides independent scientific advice to Codex on the safety of food additives, contaminants and residues of veterinary drugs.  JECFA scientific advice on residues of veterinary drugs allows the Codex Committee on Residues of Veterinary Drugs in Foods (CCRVDF) to recommend maximum residue limits in food and other risk management recommendations to the Codex Alimentarius Commission.  These standards help the 188 Codex members to protect consumer health and ensure fair practices in the food trade. 

The 85th JECFA meeting, dedicated to veterinary drug residues, is taking place in Geneva, Switzerland from 24 October to 2 November 2017. 

Discussions at JECFA

The meeting is attended by independent members and experts, the FAO and WHO JECFA Secretariat and the Codex Secretariat. Dr Kevin Greenlees, CCRVDF Chairperson, is also participating in the meeting.

Assuring the safety of residues of veterinary drugs in food to the global community.

“The food we eat more and more comes from around the world," said Dr Greenlees. "The independent, expert assessments provided by JECFA are essential to allow CCRVDF member countries to step outside of their national concerns to consider how to manage risk and develop international standards to assure the safety of residues of veterinary drugs in food to the global community.”

The agenda of the 85th JECFA meeting includes requests for the evaluation of veterinary drug residues formulated by the 23rd Session of the CCRVDF and some arising from the previous meeting of JECFA dedicated to veterinary drugs.

The outcomes of the 85th JECFA, will be published in the JECFA report and FAO and WHO monographs and considered by the 24th Session of CCRVDF that will be held in Chicago (USA) from 23 to 27 April 2018.

Rain Yamamoto

Learn more about JECFA

WHO website: http://www.who.int/foodsafety/areas_work/chemical-risks/jecfa/en/

FAO website: http://www.fao.org/food/food-safety-quality/scientific-advice/jecfa/en/

Learn more about CCRVDF

CCRVDF on the Codex website: http://www.fao.org/fao-who-codexalimentarius/committees/committee-detail/en/?committee=CCRVDF

 

19/10/2017