127. The Delegation of Denmark presented the discussion paper which had been prepared (with the assistance of other countries) as agreed by the last session of the Committee. The document considered all sources of antimicrobial resistance and referred to the work currently underway in WHO, OIE and FAO in their respective areas of competence. The Delegation highlighted the public heath concerns related to the higher pathogenicity of resistant strains of Salmonella and Campylobacter in food, and proposed that a risk profile and risk assessment policy should be defined.
128. The Secretariat noted that consideration of this issue required a multidisciplinary approach and recalled that the 23rd Session of the Commission had established an intergovernmental Task Force on Animal Feeding, the Terms of Reference of which included addressing “aspects which are important for food safety, such as problems related to toxic substances, pathogens, microbial resistance, new technologies, storage, control, traceability, etc..”.
129. The Representative of WHO informed the Committee of the work of WHO on antimicrobial resistance in livestock, including the organization of an expert Consultation on Global Principles for Containment of Antimicrobial Resistance in Foodborne Bacteria (in collaboration with OIE and FAO) scheduled for March 2000, and stressed the importance of establishing a risk profile within the Codex framework, including consideration of the factors which contribute to an increase in antimicrobial resistance.
130. The Delegation of the United States expressed the view that antimicrobial resistance was one of the factors taken into account in risk assessment and there was no need for additional work in this Committee in terms of hygienic control measures. The Delegation therefore proposed to discontinue work on this issue, as it was adequately addressed in the framework of WHO, OIE and FAO, while matters related to residues of pesticides and veterinary drugs in food were addressed in the relevant Codex Committees.
131. The Delegation of Denmark pointed out that the Task Force would consider only some limited aspects of antimicrobial resistance and that a multidisciplinary approach was essential. Some delegations pointed out that antimicrobial resistance was a matter for consideration by the Committee on Residues of Veterinary Drugs in Foods. Other delegations and the Observer from IDF stressed that the expertise on microbiological hazards rested with the CCFH and that it would be appropriate to consider this issue further insofar as it related to the microbiological safety of foods.
132. The Committee agreed that this issue should be considered further at the next session, on the basis of a revised discussion paper in the form of a risk profile, to be prepared by the Delegation of Denmark, with the assistance of interested countries. Recognizing the importance of the issue, the Committee also agreed to ask the advice of the Executive Committee and the Commission on how to proceed in order to ensure coordination of work between concerned Committees.
