FAO launches toolbox to assess the risks of veterinary drug residues in food
On 27 February 2025, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) officially launched the JECFA Toolbox for Veterinary Drug Residues Risk Assessment. FAO hosted a launch event on Zoom, attracting over 150 attendees from 50 countries (see the summary report for more details).
The JECFA Toolbox for Veterinary Drug Residues Risk Assessment describes the process used by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) when assessing the risks of veterinary drug residues in animal-derived food products consumed by humans. The key output of the JECFA risk assessment process is the derivation of maximum residue limits (MRLs), which protect human health and facilitate fair trade. The derived MRLs are then recommended to the Codex Committee on Residues of Veterinary Drugs in Food (CCRDVF), which develops appropriate risk management measures.
The JECFA Toolbox is designed for use by potential JECFA experts to broaden the pool of experts available. It can also be used by national or regional regulatory agencies responsible for veterinary drug approval or food quality standards, the pharmaceutical industry, producers in animal agriculture or veterinary associations.
Michela Kranner, FAO, and Alan Chicoine, University of Saskatchewan, presented a live demonstration of the JECFA Toolbox. You can follow the demonstration on the webinar recording (minute 9:00-24:00) and watch a 3-minute introductory video.
Heilyn Fernández Carvajal, National Animal Health Service (Servicio Nacional de Salud Animal), Costa Rica, joined the webinar as a guest speaker to share the perspective of a national authority on the launch of the toolbox. Fernández participated in training in Latin America and the Caribbean organized by FAO on the JECFA process. She reflected on how the toolbox will bring this knowledge to more people: “It is an excellent time to celebrate this type of initiative, such as the JECFA Toolbox. It reproduces the training, which means countries can access the knowledge, taking advantage of virtual and interactive education, with more languages.”
Vittorio Fattori, FAO, celebrated the collaborative effort involved in bringing the toolbox to life. “It was a big team behind the scenes, and we are really happy with the with the result. And we hope that this is also useful for all the users and CCRVDF, and potential new JECFA experts”, said Fattori. Markus Lipp, FAO, explained that the toolbox aims to balance the needs of different stakeholders for both highly technical and more general knowledge, to “reduce the complexity of the JECFA risk assessment process without oversimplifying it”.
The toolbox was developed as part of training activities on JECFA risk assessment processes, funded by the United States Department of Agriculture. Kenneth Lowery from the US Codex Office commended FAO for the development and launch of the JECFA Toolbox for Veterinary Drug Residues Risk Assessment: “This comprehensive and practical resource marks a significant milestone in our collective efforts to ensure food safety and public health worldwide”.
The toolbox materials are available in English, French and Spanish, while the website contents are available in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish. The learning materials have been designed to be interactive, and the materials can be downloaded for offline use.
Toolbox: JECFA Toolbox for Veterinary Drug Residues Risk Assessment
Webinar recording: Launch event: JECFA Toolbox for Veterinary Drug Residues Risk Assessment 27 February 2025
Summary report: Launch event of the JECFA Toolbox for Veterinary Drug Residues Risk Assessment - Summary report