Enhancing INFOSAN in Asia and Implementation of Regional Food Safety Strategies was convened by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and WHO from 27 to 30 November 2012 in Seoul, the Republic of Korea, in collaboration with and support from the Korea Food and Drug Administration (KFDA). A total of 33 participants were drawn from 12 countries across Asia and four temporary advisers came from within and outside of the region. The participants were country-nominated members of the International Food Safety Authorities Network (INFOSAN) from different national agencies involved in food control. Where a second INFOSAN person was not available, the responsible of

This volume of FAO JECFA Monographs contains specifications of identity and purity prepared at the 76th meeting of the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA). The specifications monographs are one of the outputs of JECFA's risk assessment of food additives, and should be read in conjunction with the safety evaluation, reference to which is made in the section at the head of each specifications monograph. This publication consists of four volumes, the first three of which contain the specifications monographs on the identity and purity of the food additives and the fourth volume contains the analytical methods, test procedures and laboratory solutions required and referenced in the specifications monographs.

An international expert meeting on the potential food safety implications of the application of nanotechnologies in the food and agriculture sectors was convened by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) in June 2009. The key findings, conclusions and recommendations of the meeting were published in 2010 (FAO/WHO, 2010) and are briefly summarized in this publication. This report was commissioned by FAO and WHO with the objective of summarizing and analysing the information that has become available since the 2009 expert meeting and determining possible courses of action to be followed by FAO and WHO in this matter.

The global nature and growing complexity of the food chain means that risks posed by unsafe foods have the potential to quickly evolve from a local problem to an international incident at an increasingly rapid pace. Ensuring food safety is therefore an important component to consider in the broader context of achieving public health security around the world. While international trade of foods brings many benefits to consumers and contributes significantly to economic development, new challenges are constantly presented to food safety authorities around the world. Experience in the recent past demonstrates that with the increased volume of foods traded globally, comes an increased risk of the spread of foodborne pathogens and contaminants across national borders. This necessitates more efficient...

Scombrotoxin fish poisoning (SFP) (often called “histamine poisoning”) is caused by ingestion of certain species of marine fish that contain high levels of histamine and possibly other biogenic amines. Codex Alimentarius through its standards and guidelines aims to provide countries with a basis on which to manage issues such as histamine formation. Several of the existing standards include maximum levels for histamine in different fish and fishery products. The need to harmonize such limits and produce the associated guidance on the relevant sampling plans and other aspects of sampling resulted in the 31st Session of the Codex Committee on Fish and Fishery Products (CCFFP), which agreed to look into the issue of histamine limits in more detail. 

The objectives of the meeting were to: (1) formulate an Asia-based strategy to enhance participation in INFOSAN; (2) strengthen INFOSAN by facilitating active participation in this network by the countries present through the development of in-country notification systems and risk analysis capacities for emergency situations; and (3) discuss the implementation of regional food safety strategies, including the Western Pacific Food Safety Strategy 2011-2015, identify priorities and assess countries' status against the defined indicators

A meeting of the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) was held in Geneva, Switzerland, from 5 to 14 November 2013. The purpose of the meeting was to evaluate residues of certain veterinary drugs in food. The report of the meeting will be printed in the WHO Technical Report Series. Its presentation will be similar to that of previous reports, namely, general considerations, comments on specific substances and recommendations. The report will include an annex (similar to Annex 1 in this summary) summarizing the conclusions reached by the Committee relating to ADIs, dietary exposure and MRLs.

This volume of FAO JECFA Monographs contains specifications of identity and purity prepared at the 77th meeting of the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA), held in Rome on 4 - 13 June 2013. The specifications monographs are one of the outputs of JECFA's risk assessment of food additives, and should be read in conjunction with the safety evaluation, reference to which is made in the section at the head of each specifications monograph. Further information on the meeting discussions can be found in the summary report of the meeting (see Annex 1), and in the full report which will be published in the WHO Technical Report series. Toxicological monographs of the substances considered at the meeting will...