7 Regulatory Perspective in Translating Science into Policy. . .
75
a series of joint expert consultations to assess risk associated with microbiological
contamination of foods (JEMRA). For hazards which are not covered by the
standing risk assessment body, such as biotoxins, biotechnology, etc., ad hoc expert
consultations were convened (FAO/WHO 2003).
In short, Codex is an international risk management body, while the FAO and
WHO provide scientific advice and risk assessments to Codex and its member
countries. Within the Codex system, committees prepare draft standards for submission to the Commission. There are two kinds of committees, (i) so called general
subject committees whose work has relevance for all Commodity Committees and
applies across the board to all commodity standards and (ii) so called Commodity
Committees which develop standards for specific foods or classes of food. One
of the examples of general subject committees is the Codex Committee on Food
Hygiene (CCFH) which provides concepts and principles of food hygiene and
microbiological food safety in general, or specific foods or groups of foods; and
endorse or reviews relevant provisions in Codex commodity standards. One of the
examples of Commodity Committees is the Codex Committee on Fish and Fishery
Products (CCFFP). Provisions on food hygiene in fish related standards prepared by
CCFFP are reviewed and endorsed by the CCFH.
Purpose
This paper reviews the process of risk analysis, mainly to see how Codex subsidiary
bodies use outputs from risk assessment bodies to produce Codex documents, and
identifies good practices, as well as areas needing improvement.
Method
To achieve the purpose mentioned above, three examples were selected: (1) marine
biotoxins in a standard bivalve mollusc, (2) Salmonella in bivalve molluscs, and
(3) Vibrio parahaemolyticus in seafood. Each case was reviewed in the following
manner: (1) risk assessment questions posed, (2) outcomes from the risk assessment
bodies analysed, and (3) how the Codex subsidiary bodies understood, interpreted
and utilized the outcomes of risk assessments for elaborating the Codex documents,
by reviewing reports of the sessions of Codex subsidiary bodies, particularly CCFH
and CCFFP. These examples were selected because: (i) they are related to shellfish
safety, (ii) CCFFP and CCFH requested scientific advice/risk assessments from
the FAO/WHO, (iii) may indicate some problems/challenges and suggest further
improvements.
75
a series of joint expert consultations to assess risk associated with microbiological
contamination of foods (JEMRA). For hazards which are not covered by the
standing risk assessment body, such as biotoxins, biotechnology, etc., ad hoc expert
consultations were convened (FAO/WHO 2003).
In short, Codex is an international risk management body, while the FAO and
WHO provide scientific advice and risk assessments to Codex and its member
countries. Within the Codex system, committees prepare draft standards for submission to the Commission. There are two kinds of committees, (i) so called general
subject committees whose work has relevance for all Commodity Committees and
applies across the board to all commodity standards and (ii) so called Commodity
Committees which develop standards for specific foods or classes of food. One
of the examples of general subject committees is the Codex Committee on Food
Hygiene (CCFH) which provides concepts and principles of food hygiene and
microbiological food safety in general, or specific foods or groups of foods; and
endorse or reviews relevant provisions in Codex commodity standards. One of the
examples of Commodity Committees is the Codex Committee on Fish and Fishery
Products (CCFFP). Provisions on food hygiene in fish related standards prepared by
CCFFP are reviewed and endorsed by the CCFH.
Purpose
This paper reviews the process of risk analysis, mainly to see how Codex subsidiary
bodies use outputs from risk assessment bodies to produce Codex documents, and
identifies good practices, as well as areas needing improvement.
Method
To achieve the purpose mentioned above, three examples were selected: (1) marine
biotoxins in a standard bivalve mollusc, (2) Salmonella in bivalve molluscs, and
(3) Vibrio parahaemolyticus in seafood. Each case was reviewed in the following
manner: (1) risk assessment questions posed, (2) outcomes from the risk assessment
bodies analysed, and (3) how the Codex subsidiary bodies understood, interpreted
and utilized the outcomes of risk assessments for elaborating the Codex documents,
by reviewing reports of the sessions of Codex subsidiary bodies, particularly CCFH
and CCFFP. These examples were selected because: (i) they are related to shellfish
safety, (ii) CCFFP and CCFH requested scientific advice/risk assessments from
the FAO/WHO, (iii) may indicate some problems/challenges and suggest further
improvements.