Compilation of Information on Analytical Methods
103. The Delegation of the United States reported that the information on analytical methods provided by Member countries in response to CL 1998/7-RVDF showed that in total methods were reported for 50 compounds considered by Codex. The initial objective of this exercise was to catalogue methods of analysis used by national governments to ascertain the availability of methods to support Codex MRLs. The next step would be to catalogue validated methods of analysis for veterinary drug residues.
Report of the ad hoc Working Group on Methods of Analysis and Sampling
104. Dr R. Ellis (USA), Chairperson of the Working Group, presented its report.
105. The Committee was informed that the outcome of the Joint FAO/IAEA Expert Consultation on Validation of Analytical Methods for Food Control (Vienna, December 1997) would necessitate substantive changes in the operation of the Working Group. In accordance with the recommendations of the Consultation, the Working Group would develop recommendations on performance criteria by:
106. It was noted that JECFA would bear primary responsibility for reviewing methods for compounds on its agendas of the 50th and later meetings while the Working Group would undertake the similar exercise for compounds reviewed by the 48th and earlier JECFA meetings. It was further noted that in order to make the process more transparent, the individual compound-rapporteur system would be replaced by teams that would evaluate methods within four classes of compounds: anthelmentics; antimicrobials; antiprotozoals, insecticides, trypanocides; and growth promoters, beta-adrenoceptor blockers, and tranquilizers.
107. The Committee endorsed the modified approach to method evaluation as described above.
108. The Committee discussed whether or not the selection of methods of analysis was within its Terms of Reference. It was pointed out that at present a number of countries were moving towards establishing performance criteria which methods should meet and away from prescribing specific methods. If the CCRVDF were to follow the same path, the current Terms of Reference were felt to be appropriate. However, it was also pointed out that a list of official/recommended methods would be beneficial to many developing countries in performing residue analyses. No conclusion was reached on the question of the Terms of Reference.
109. The Delegation of Costa Rica requested that performance criteria be established for screening methods due to their importance in ensuring compliance to MRLs. The Delegation of Nigeria requested that reference standards be provided to developing countries.
110. The Committee thanked the Working Group for its work and agreed to reinstate the ad hoc Working Group at its next Session under the chairmanship of the United States to review methods under the alternative proposals for performance-based criteria for the evaluation of routine control methods.
