72. The delegation of Brazil reported on the risk analysis activities being developed in Brazil and that included in CRD 4. The delegation expressed its concern over its submission of data on pathogen-commodity combinations which had not been used for the assessment of microbiological risks at the meeting of the group of experts of the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Consultation on Risk Assessment of Microbiological Hazards in Foods. It therefore requested information on how such data should be sent for these to be considered. The Secretariat explained the criteria and mechanism for the inclusion and analysis of data and announced that it would send further information on this matter. The delegation of Brazil stressed that the way to send information to the groups of experts needed to be identified.
73. The delegation of Uruguay voiced its divergence of opinion over the extension of the scope of application of the Principles and Guidelines for Risk Analysis, which the Codex Alimentarius Commission had asked the Committee on General Principles to draw up, to include not only to the work of Codex but also that of the Governments. The delegation believed that these Principles and Guidelines should be restricted in future to the work of Codex. Also, the formulation of guidelines on 'other legitimate factors' could help avoid many unjustified barriers to trade, to the extent that such legitimate factors referred to aspects that were widely accepted.
74. The delegation of Costa Rica proposed that consideration be given in risk assessment to the application of a methodology that assessed the validity and transparency of the underlying premises of conclusions used in support of risk management.
75. The Committee discussed the concept of "precaution" that was being debated in Codex. Numerous delegations were of the opinion that this should be considered as an 'approach' and not as a 'principle' as it was not appropriate to present it as a principle of law or regulation because of its temporary and exceptional nature. The delegations of Peru and Chile and the Observer of Consumers International stated that the precaution approach was related to the protection of consumer health and that its use should be discussed more broadly. The Committee agreed that precaution was already included in risk management but that its application should be delimited and defined to avoid it becoming a technical obstacle to trade. The Committee was in agreement that precaution related to food safety and health protection.
76. The Committee referred to the recommendation of the Executive Committee that FAO/WHO should consider the possibility of organizing workshops on the subject of "precaution" prior to the meetings of the Codex Coordinating Committees to facilitate debate on this matter in the Codex Committee on General Principles, and agreed that it would be important to hold such a workshop in the Region.
REGIONAL WORKSHOP ON RISK ANALYSIS - EXPOSURE ASSESSMENT
77. The Committee was informed of the recommendations of the Regional Workshop on Risk Analysis - Exposure Assessment, held the day before the 12th Session of the Committee. The objectives of the workshop were:
- to familiarize participants with the principles of risk analysis and in particular the methodologies for the assessment of exposure to food-borne hazards;Presentations were by speakers from FAO and WHO/PAHO/INPPAZ consultants.- to raise the awareness of participants of the region of risk assessment;
- to provide guidelines to participants on the data required to assess exposure;
- to encourage participants to apply expertise acquired on risk analysis of food-borne hazards in food legislation.
78. The Committee adopted the recommendations of the Workshop:
To the Countries
- Organize working groups on risk analysis, with the participation of government, food producers/processors, consumer organizations, academia and scientific associations with the objective of identifying human and material resources for risk assessment, identifying the limitations and needs in this area and propose strategies and actions to carry out risk assessment throughout the food chain.To the Codex Alimentarius Commission- Update the national and regional food composition tables that are being prepared by the Latin American Food Composition Group (LATINFOOD) with the assistance of FAO.
- Develop food consumption surveys to determine national food consumption patterns for risk assessment and for the chemical composition of foods.
- In the establishment of priorities for risk assessment, keep in mind the relationship between contaminant and the food.
- Request cooperation from the international organizations for the formulation of projects for the presentation to potential donors and other financial institutions.
- Strengthen the surveillance system for food-borne disease (VETA) in order to improve information, particularly on pathogen-food combinations.
- Establish information systems and food contaminant surveillance systems to provide a scientific basis for risk exposure assessment.
- Emphasize the identification of the most prevalent hazards in order to obtain information to carry out risk assessment relevant to the national situation.
- Strengthen the quality management of national food control laboratories so as to obtain valid analytical data. In relation to this, it is recommended that efforts for the development of the Inter-American Network of Food Analysis Laboratories (RILAA) and the national food laboratories be continued.
- Promote the development of guidelines for risk assessment and analyze possible strategies to facilitate risk communication.To FAO, WHO/PAHO and ISLI
- Stimulate awareness of the importance of risk analysis among decision-makers in both the public sector and the food production sector by carrying out, among other activities, regional workshops with the participation of industry and academia from both the Region and the developed countries.To Countries, Industry, Consumer Organizations and Academia- Continue the dissemination of knowledge and provision of training on risk analysis in general as well as more specific areas such as predictive modelling for microbiological risk assessment.
- Design strategies for the development of joint activities in relation to risk analysis and the procurement of resources.To the Food Production Sector
- To integrate the process of risk analysis, disseminate knowledge among the different sectors, share information about the presence of pathogens and contaminants in raw materials and foodstuffs as well as resources.
