THE USER'S MANUAL ON CODEX - Department of Biotechnology

2.2 FAO/WHO Joint Meeting on Pesticide Residues (JMPR)
The Joint Meeting of the FAO Panel of Experts on Pesticide Residues in Food and in the Environment and
the WHO Core Assessment Group come together to form the FAO/WHO Joint Meeting on Pesticide
Residues (JMPR). This group carries out toxicological evaluations of agricultural chemicals, normally
resulting in an estimate of the ADI. In addition, the JMPR proposes MRLs for individual pesticides in or
on specific commodities. These MRLs are primarily based on the residue levels estimated in
supervised field trials when the pesticide is used according to Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs). In
cases where initial estimates indicate that the ADI may be exceeded, more refined intake calculations
are performed, using national food consumption data and information from chemical residue
monitoring programs.
The Expert Committees establish chemical safety standards based on a review of toxicological studies in
the most sensitive test animal species. They factor in an adequate level of safety (safety factor), use risk
assessment procedures, consider use and consumption patterns and define the specifications of the
identity and purity of food grade chemicals to be used.
2.3 Ad Hoc Expert Consultations
Ad hoc expert consultations are convened by either the FAO, the WHO or jointly by both
organizations to address specific issues on which specific expertise is required to facilitate the
work of Codex. In more recent times, a series of ad hoc expert consultations on risk analysis, risk
assessment, risk management and risk consultation have been held in response to the international
desire to base all standards on an assessment of the risks affecting human health and safety. The
independent advice from these consultations has led to the Codex Commission giving advice to its
Committees on the application of risk analysis as an intrinsic part of standards design and
development. Module 6 of this manual provides further information on the principles of risk analysis
and its major components and the significance of risk analysis in the development of the food
safety system.
There have been other expert consultations that have provided guidance to the work of Codex in areas
such as biotechnology, microbiological hazards, mycotoxins, trade impact of listeria in fish products,
validation of analytical methods for food control, animal feeding and food safety, food fortification,
street food, probiotics, and others. The reports of expert consultations are available on the FAO web
site: www.fao.org/es/ESN/index_en.stm.
3. INTERACTION BETWEEN SOME CODEX COMMITTEES
There is a synergy between the work of different Codex Committees that ensures the consistency of
outcome and that requires certain aspects of the Commodity Committees to be endorsed by the horizontal
Committees. Thus, Codex Committees do not work in isolation, even though each Committee or Task
Force has a discreet mandate – see the procedural manual for Terms of Reference of the Committees
and Task Forces.
3.1 Food Hygiene and Food Labeling
The Codex Committee for Food Hygiene and the Codex Committee for Food Labeling carry out their
functions by developing proposed general subject standards. For example, the Labeling Committee
has elaborated the Codex General Standard for the Labeling of Pre-packaged Food. When a Commodity
Committee considers the development of a standard of a pre-packaged food, it merely refers to the
labeling standard as the requirement for the labeling aspect of the standard being considered. In
another example, the Food Hygiene Committee has elaborated the recommended International
Code of Practice – General Principles of Food Hygiene. When a Commodity Committee considers the
development of a food standard, it in turn refers to the Code of Practice in the standard section
related to hygiene.
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