Methods of Sampling
JECFA/JMPR Harmonization Meeting
Establishment of Specific MRLs for Cereal-Based Foods for Infants and Young Children
Establishment of MRLs for Fish
5. The Committee received a report on matters referred to this Committee by the 45th Session of the Executive Committee and from other Codex Committees.
6. The Committee agreed to refer the comments on the Draft Revised Recommended Methods of Sampling for the Determination of Pesticides for Compliance with MRLs from the Codex Committees on Residues of Veterinary Drugs in Foods (CCRVDF) and on Methods of Analysis and Sampling (CCMAS), and International Dairy Federation (IDF) to the ad hoc Working Group on Methods of Analysis and Sampling (see paras 124-127).
7. The Committee was informed that following the request of the 11th Session of the CCRVDF, an informal JMPR/JECFA Harmonization Meeting was convened in Rome (February 1999) in order to resolve differences in residue definitions and related matters and to ensure harmonization and consistency between the JECFA and JMPR when considering chemicals that were used both as veterinary drugs and pesticides.
8. The Representative of FAO presented a preliminary oral report of the Harmonization Meeting. The Committee noted that the Meeting made several general and specific recommendations which would be considered by the JMPR in September this year. These recommendations had already been considered by the JECFA at its Fifty-second meeting in February 1999, and had generally been received favourably. The JECFA had agreed to change the expression of MRLs in milk from a volume basis to a weight basis.
9. The Committee noted that many of the harmonization issues related to specific substances could be resolved only when these substances were re-evaluated and concluded that detailed consideration on the recommendations of the Harmonization Meeting be postponed pending their consideration by the JMPR.
10. The Codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses (CCNFSDU) requested the CCPR to consider the feasibility of establishing specific MRLs for cereal-based foods and infant formula. The Committee noted clarification had been provided by the 21st Session of the CCNFSDU in response to the request of the CCPR made at its 29th Session.
11. The Committee noted that the European Community (EC) was of the opinion that the toxicological databases supporting ADIs might not be fully adequate in all cases to ensure that the special needs of infants and young children were covered, in particular, in such areas as endocrine disruption and reproductive tests, developmental neurotoxicity and immunotoxicity. It also noted that as a temporary precautionary measure and pending review of the databases supporting existing ADIs, MRLs at the level of 0.01 mg/kg would be adopted within the EC for all pesticides in baby food.
12. The Observer from Consumers International (CI) expressed its view that Codex MRLs needed to be developed in a way that explicitly considers the greater exposure and greater susceptibility of children; that an additional 10-fold uncertainty factor should be applied to establish ADIs, unless there are reliable data supporting the use of another safety factor; and that the current MRL setting process used by JMPR/CCPR did not explicitly consider this. The Observer of CI welcomed the actions taken by the USA and EC in this area (see paras 11 & 37).
13. The Committee requested the Codex Secretariat, in collaboration with Germany, the United States of America, CI and the Commission of the EC to prepare a paper in response to the request of the CCNFSDU, in particular, possible unique toxicological concerns to children, for consideration at the next Session of the Committee. The Committee also requested the JMPR to consider at its next meeting the physiological and developmental characteristics of infants and young children.
14. The Observer from the Global Crop Protection Federation (GCPF) stated that a body of scientific evidence existed which did not support the premise of generally higher susceptibility of children to chemicals and drugs. The Observer encouraged the WHO Panel of the JMPR to review this issue and establish a position regarding an increased susceptibility of infants and young children and the validity of the ADIs established by WHO for these age groups. The Committee requested the JMPR to provide advice on this matter.
15. The Committee noted the concern of the Codex Coordinating Committee for Africa regarding the difficulties experienced by the countries bordering Lake Victoria in exporting fish caught in this lake due to the presence of certain pesticides and its request to the CCPR to consider the problem of pesticide residues in fish with a view to establishing MRLs.
16. No data had been provided to the CCPR. Therefore, the Committee concluded that it was not in a position to take action until relevant data were submitted.
17. The Representative of WHO noted that the report[6] of an FAO/NACA[7]/WHO Study Group on the Food Safety Issues Associated with Products from Aquaculture became available. The Study Group had considered potential biological and chemical hazards that might be important for farmed finfish and crustaceans. Regarding the use of chemicals in aquaculture, the Study Group urged national governments to enforce a licensing system for chemicals, including pesticides, in aquaculture and to establish withdrawal times appropriate to environmental conditions and fish species. However, more information was required on pesticides and their conditions of uses to assure that residues in fish tissue were not harmful to health.
