The International Food Standards and

Recommendations

Prof. Elisaveta StikovaM.D., Ph.D.

School of MedicineUniversity “St. Cyril and

Methodius” – SkopjeRepublic of Macedonia

The expansion of international food trade leads to:

Social and economical benefit, Many trade barriers,Increase of food related hazards,Need for protection of human,

animal and plant life and health, Need for fair and correct practice.

International Organizations:

Codex Alimentarius for food safety and human health,

International Office of Epizootics for animal health and zoonoses,

International Plant Protection Convention for plant health.

Codex Alimentarius Commission:

Founded by FAO in 1961 and WHO in 1963,

167 member countries,Responsible for the Joint FAO/WHO

Food Standards Program since 1962,

http://www.codexalimentarius.net/

Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC):

Objectives:To protect human health,To accept food standards,To protect consumer rights,To ensure fair food trade

practice.

Organization of CAC:

Executive Committee 5 Regional Committees, 9 Horizontal Committees,11 Product Committees, 3 Ad-hoc Intergovernmental

Task Working Groups

CAC supports:

Scientists and researchers,Scientific and research laboratories,Scientific and research institutes,Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committees

Structure and contents of Codex Alimentarius:

Codex Alimentarius is composed of 14 volumes distributed in 17 books

Each book (by group of products) contains standards, guidelines, recommendations...

Achievements:

237 Food Standards, 3274 Limits for pesticides residues,1300 Food additives evaluated, 289 Limits of veterinary drug residues, 197 Pesticides evaluated, 43 Code of Practice, 33 Guidelines.

Transparency of Codex Alimentarius:

The information for all the standards, regulations, guides and other recommendations are available on the web page http://www.codexalimentarius.net/

National Codex Contact Point

function:

Relation between the Secretariat and the member countries

Coordination of all relevant Codex activities in their own country,

Acceptance of all final Codex–texts (standards, guidelines, advisory texts)

International Organization for Epizootics (OIE):

Founded by International Agreement in 1924,

162 member countries, www.oie.int

OIE Objectives:

To ensure transparency of animal

diseases status in the world,To collect, analyze and disseminate

veterinary scientific information,To develop animal health and biological

standards,To coordinate approach to disease

outbreaks.

OIE Organization:

International Committee Central Bureau, Working Groups, 5 Regional Commissions, 4 Specialist Technical Commissions

OIE Specialist Technical Commissions:

International Animal Health Code Commission,

Standards Commission,Foot and Mouth Disease and other

Epizootics Commissions andFish Diseases Commission.

Achievements:

The Code - provides international standards,

The Manual - gives the diagnostic techniques and vaccine control methods,

A Code and Manual for aquatic animals.

Network:

144 Reference Laboratories in 30 countries,

cover 47 terrestrial and 22 aquatic animal diseases

9 Collaborating Centers in 7 countries,

Centers of expertise and standardization

Transparency of OIE(1):

Reporting for disease outbreaks and incidents

Active search and verification of non-official information

Improving of knowledge for the global data situation

Data quality,Essential for safe trade

Transparency of OIE(2):

OIE Early Warning System, Weekly Diseases Information, Two-month bulletins, Three-month scientific review, Annual World Animal Health

Report.

International Plant Protection Convention(IPPC)

IPPC came in force in 1952, Amended in 1979, 1991 and

1997 117 member countries http://www.ippc.int

IPPC Objectives(1):

To provide joint and effective action to prevent the introduction and spread of pests of plants and plant products,

To provide joint and effective action to prevent the entry and spread of plant and plant product diseases,

IPPC Objectives(2):

To promote appropriate measures for

phytosanitary control,

To develop phytosanitary standards,

To support the harmonization of regulation,

IPPC Objectives(3):

To conduct treatments and certify exports,

To share information on pests and regulations,

To define storage conditions,To control biological

pests/organisms.

Trade elements of the IPPC:

International standards for phytosanitary measures,

Phytosanitary certification,Dispute settlement,Requirements for imports.

IPPC Organization:

IPPC Secretariat,9 Regional Plant Protection

OrganizationsInterim Commission on

Phytosanitary measures,Standards Committee.

Relationship to the IPPC:

GMO’sBiosafety, biocontrol and

application of phytosanitary measures,

Alien invasive species,Environmental hazards/risks.

Transparency of IPPC:

To facilitate mandatory information exchange of:

standards,pest status,regulations, requirements,pest lists,non-compliance, emergencies.