FAO launches toolbox for Veterinary Drugs Residues Risk Assessment
The JECFA risk assessment process is meant to critically evaluate the hazard and exposure potential of Veterinary Drug residues.
GLOBAL – The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) recently launched the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) Toolbox for Veterinary Drug Residues Risk Assessment.
The launch, which was hosted on Zoom, attracted participants from more than 50 countries.
The JECFA Toolbox 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 fundamental purpose of the JECFA risk assessment process is to critically evaluate the hazard and exposure potential of such residues via robust analyses of relevant scientific data.
The key output of the assessment process is the derivation of maximum residue limits (MRLs), which serve to protect human health from acute or chronic risks of drug residues present in animal-derived food products.
It also helps to facilitate the fair trade of animal-derived food products by establishing internationally recognised limits for veterinary drug residues.
The derived MRLs are usually recommended to the Codex Committee on Residues of Veterinary Drugs in Food (CCRDVF), which develops appropriate risk management measures.
Speaking on why FAO launched this toolbox, Vittorio Fattori, FAO, said, “We think that understanding the process and the procedures that underpin the JECFA risk assessment is very important for different stakeholders that have a role to play in this process… We believe this toolbox will better illustrate how JECFA work is conducted, and some of the implications of this work.”
Heilyn Fernández Carvajal, National Animal Health Service (Servicio Nacional de Salud Animal), Costa Rica, joined the webinar as a guest speaker to share a national authority’s perspective on the toolbox’s launch.
“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. I notice a sincere intention from JECFA, FAO and collaborators to support countries in improving and moving forward with these kinds of issues,” Fernández commented.
She highlighted that, while technical experts from academia, industry, national authorities, and other sectors have some knowledge of MRLs, a lack of harmonisation impedes the achievement of results at the country level.
She added that the training helped the participants better understand their role in risk analysis and the importance of communication throughout the process.
It also promoted knowledge sharing between countries, leading to the establishment of a consortium of Latin American and Caribbean countries to provide data to present to JECFA in the future.
Kenneth Lowery from the US Codex Office commended FAO for developing and launching 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,” he commented.
Sign up HERE to receive our email newsletters with the latest news and insights from Africa and around the world, and follow us on our WhatsApp channel for updates.
