Ensuring Food Safety and Fair Trade Practices: JECFA and the Codex Committee on Food Additives Nick Gardner International Food Additive Council Presentation Overview • IFAC Background • Codex Alimentarius 101 • JECFA Background • The JECFA Safety Evaluation • Codex Committee on Food Additives • International Harmonization through the GSFA • IFAC’s Promotion of International Harmonization The International Food Additives Council (IFAC) IFAC is an international association, representing companies who produce high quality substances used worldwide as food ingredients. www.foodadditives.org IFAC Background IFAC strives to promote science-based regulation worldwide by: • Participating in international regulatory processes • Establishing IFAC as a source of credible scientific information on food ingredients • Organizing and sponsoring pertinent scientific research on food ingredients • Defending food ingredients and industry practices Codex Alimentarius A joint intergovernmental body of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and World Health Organization (WHO) Mission: to create harmonized international food standards to protect the health of consumers and ensure fair trade practices. Codex standards are voluntary and science based • Development of standards assisted by independent international risk assessment bodies or ad-hoc consultations Codex generally operates by consensus Codex Objectives Protect The health of consumers Ensure Fair practices in the food trade All work regarding food standards Coordinate To determinate the priorities Initiate Preparation of standards Publish Developed standards Codex Members 186 Codex Members • 185 Member Countries • 1 Member Organization (European Union) 216 Codex Observers • 49 International Government Organizations • 151 Non-governmental Organizations • 16 UN Organizations IFAC holds NGO observer status and actively participates in relevant committees Codex Scope Codex covers •Food additives and contaminants topics related •Microbiological standards, sampling and hazard analysis •Labeling, marketing, certification systems, and more to food hygiene •Pesticides, veterinary drug residues and quality •Any substance, processed, partly processed or raw •Intended for human consumption At Codex, •Includes drink, chewing gum and any substance which has been used in the manufacture, preparation or treatment of food “food” means •Does not include cosmetics, tobacco or substances used solely as pharmaceuticals Codex Structure Codex Alimentarius Commission Executive Committee Secretariat Commodity Committees General Committees (10) Regional Committees (6) and Task Forces Active Committees (7) Ad Hoc Task Forces (none active) Adjourned Committees (6) Codex Alimentarius Commission Ultimate decision-making body for all Codex matters Meets annually in June/July in Geneva or Rome Open to all UN member nations and organizations with observer status Executive 1 Chair, 3 vice chairs and 7others Committee structure Secretariat oversees Executive Committee Located at FAO in Rome Other General Committees CCMAS-Methods of CCFA-Food CCGP-General CCFL-Food Labelling Analysis and Additives (China) Principles (France) (Canada) Sampling (Hungary) CCFICS-Import and CCCF-Contaminants CCFH-Food Hygiene CCPR-Pesticide Export Inspection in Foods (U.S.) Residues (China) and Certification (Netherlands) Systems (Australia) CCNFSDU-Nutrition CCRVDF-Residues of and Foods for Veterinary Drugs in Special Dietary Use Food (U.S.) (Germany) Codex Standards, Codes of Practice and Other Guidelines Codex standards set • Consistent principles to ensure • Wholesome • Free from adulteration production of foods • Correctly labeled that are • Properly presented Standards ensure safety first, but must • Developed at Committee level, but approved by Commission • Not necessarily intended to reflect national regulation be internationally • Should be appropriate to global commerce acceptable/applicable • 215 standards • 49 codes of practice Codex maintains • 72 guidelines • 5 other miscellaneous Codex Process Map The Codex Step Process • The project proposal is reviewed by the Executive Committee and compared against the Step 1 criteria and priorities established by the Commission. • A draft text is prepared Step 2 • Text circulated to member countries and all interested parties for comment Step 3 • The draft and the comments are reviewed at Committee level (Step 4) and, if necessary, a new draft is Step 4 prepared • Commission reviews progress made and agrees that the draft be finalized. Draft is also endorsed by the relevant Subject Committees so that it is consistent with Codex general standards. Step 5 • Sometimes the text is considered to be ready for final adoption at this stage - called Step 5/8 • The approved draft is sent again to governments and interested parties for comment and Step 6 finalized by the relevant Committee • The draft is submitted to the Commission for adoption. Step 7 • Following a final round of comments, the Commission adopts the draft as a formal Codex Step 8 text. The standard, guideline or other text is then published by the Codex Secretariat. Why Codex Standards Matter Ultimately protect the health and safety of consumers, while instilling confidence in food supply Following Codex standards facilitates trade and opens foreign markets to businesses Codex standards are science based, which may be critically important to overcoming regional or national bias against new technologies or techniques Codex process fosters consensus and ownership Codex Committees have access to significant technical and scientific expertise not available to many nations domestically Public/private, national/international organization that helps all stakeholders have a voice Questions? Consult the Codex Procedural Manual Codex Procedural Manual helps stakeholders navigate the process and should be consulted by all meeting attendees Explains Rules of Procedure, procedures for the elaboration of Codex standards and related texts, basic definitions and guidelines for the operation of Codex committees Lists Codex members In 23 rd edition The Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) International expert scientific committee intended to evaluate the safety of food additives • Codex risk management body for evaluation of all food additives • Evaluations used by many national regulatory bodies JECFA now also reviews contaminants, naturally occurring toxicants and residues of veterinary drugs in food • “Gold standard” for safety evaluation International food additive evaluation was initiated after a Joint FAO/WHO Conference on Food Additives held in 1955 • Recommended FAO and WHO establish expert committees to address the technical and administrative aspects of chemical additives and their safety in food. • Provided basis for the first meeting of JECFA in 1956 • Predates Codex JECFA: Unique Scope and Purpose Independent risk • Not affiliated with any national body • Many countries use JECFA reviews when establishing national assessments food safety controls Reliable with international • Ensures health protection while promoting fair trade practices • Perspective helps JECFA evaluate technologies controversial in perspective certain regions/nations • Not all countries have the expertise or funds to carry out Capability and expertise to separate risk assessments review numerous substances • Publicly available in complete form and in timely fashion Source of scientific advice for • Codex Committees do not manage risk, they defer to JECFA • Requests for scientific advice initiated in Committees--ember Codex Committees States initiate requests Harmonizing force • JECFA evaluations help companies expand to new markets JECFA Terms of Reference For food additives, including enzymes and flavouring agents, contaminants and naturally occurring toxicants, the Committee: • Elaborates principles for evaluating their safety and for quantifying their risks; • Conducts toxicological evaluations and establishes acceptable daily intakes (ADIs) or tolerable intakes for chronic exposure and other guidance values for acute exposure; • Assess the performance, quality and applicability of analytical methods; • Prepares specifications of purity for food additives; and • Assesses exposure of populations to chemical substances in food JECFA’s Role as a Risk Assessor For foods and food ingredients, JECFA preforms the following: • Establishes ADIs on the basis of available toxicological data • Develops specifications to identify substances • Develops ‘tolerable’ intakes for contaminants and naturally occurring toxicants • Establishes maximum residue limits (MRLs) in target animal tissues for vet drugs Experts conduct extensive literature searches for consideration by the Committee, in addition to reviewing information submitted JECFA develops general principles and methods for the risk assessment of chemicals in food • Continuous review and updates to risk evaluation process • Contributes to international harmonization assessment techniques JECFA Membership FAO selects members with WHO selects members for chemical expertise for toxicological evaluations to FAO and WHO work together to development of specifications, establish acceptable daily intakes seat committee assessment of veterinary drugs (ADIs), or other guidance values, residue levels, assessment of or quantitative estimate of the monitoring data health risk Panel typically includes 10 to 15 Experts are taken from all over members and more than 20 the world secretariat