Regulatory Outline by International Organizations

The global nature of the food supply and world food trade have made food quality and food safety international issues. Hence, since its inception, the World Health Organization (WHO) has been working toward the improvement of food safety. In partnership with the Lood and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (LAO), WHO provides for the Secretariat of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC). The latter Commission is responsible for all matters pertaining to the implementation of the Joint LAO/WHO Lood Standards Program. 

Tire purpose of this program is to protect the health of consumers and ensure fair practices in the food trade to promote coordination of all food-standards labor 

The Codex Alimentarius is a code of food standards for all nations. All members of CAC and interested international organizations are invited to comment on proposed standards, including possible implications for their economic interests. Members are encouraged to consult with interested and affected parties in their countries. Codex standards are recognized by the World Trade Organization as the international reference standards for food safety. 

Development of standards, guidelines, and recommendations for veterinary drug residues in food has been delegated by CAC to its subsidiary body, the Codex Committee on Residues of Veterinary Drugs in Foods (CCRVDF), which is more routinely involved in risk management. The work of this subcommittee is mainly supported by tire Joint FAOAVHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA). 

JECFA is a scientific advisory body established in tire 1950s, prior to the establishment of the CAC. Over the past 40 years, it has provided independent scientific advice to all FAO and WHO member countries. The traditional and current activities of JECFA are mainly in the area of risk assessment, not risk management. To some extent, however, JECFA activities also touch on risk management. Risk assessment, risk management, and risk communication constitute the three basic elements of risk analysis that are taken into account in the Codex procedure for setting MRLs of veterinary drug residues in foods (Table 11.1). 

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