119. The 32nd Session of the CCFAC decided[47] to append Annex I (Methodology and Principles for Exposure Assessment in the Codex General Standard for Contaminants and Toxins in Food) to its report for circulation, comment at Step 3 and further consideration by the 33rd CCFAC.
120. The methodology proposed in the Annex was drafted by the UK as a risk-assessment screening tool for use in the establishment of maximum levels for inclusion in the General Standard for Contaminants and Toxins in Foods. Based on comments received prior to the current CCFAC session the Committee decided to discontinue work on the document.
121. As an alternative approach, the Committee considered the methodology proposed in a FAO/WHO Workshop on Methodology for Exposure Assessment of Contaminants and Toxins, held in WHO headquarters from 7 - 8 June 2000. The results of this workshop were introduced by the Delegation of Australia to the members of the ad hoc Working Group on Contaminants and Toxins and the report was made available to the Committee at the current session.
122. The Committee decided to develop a proposed draft Annex to the General Standard for Contaminants and Toxins in Food (GSCTF) on exposure assessment by elaborating on Annex 4 of the Report of the Joint FAO/WHO Workshop on Exposure Assessment of Contaminants and Toxins in Food and the Technical Annex on Distribution Curves of Contaminants in Food Products (CX/FAC 00/15 -Add 1), and with the understanding that the Annex would need to be approved as new work by the Commission. The Committee decided that a Drafting Group led by Australia and France, and assisted by China, Denmark, Ireland, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, the Philippines, Spain, Thailand, the United Kingdom, the United States and the IFT, would elaborate proposed draft Principles for Exposure Assessment of Contaminants and Toxins in Foods for circulation, comment and further consideration at its next meeting.
123. The Committee agreed that the Drafting Group should expand on the principles for exposure assessment on contaminants and toxins in foods as an integral part of risk analysis. The Committee decided that the document would contain parameters for risk assessment policy in broad terms, would confirm that JECFA was the body responsible for risk assessment, and would be based on the premise that the application of appropriate methodology required in each situation should be flexible. The Committee also emphasized that the document should be prepared in close co-operation with the FAO and WHO and should be sent to JECFA for comments.
