22. The Committee was informed that, in addition to the expert consultations listed in the document, a Joint FAO/WHO Expert Consultation on Food Consumption and Exposure Assessment was held in Geneva from 10-14 February 1997.
FAO Activities
23. In addition to the activities listed in the document, the Committee noted that FAO had organized in collaboration with the University of Chile and LATINFOODS a Workshop on the production and management of data on food composition in Santiago de Chile in 1995, for countries of South America and Mexico. A similar Workshop was held with INCAP in Guatemala in 1996 for Central American countries. In addition, FAO provided support for a course on food composition in Jujuy, Argentina, and a course on carotenoids in Mexico in the National Nutrition Institute, in which several countries in the region participated under the TCDC programme.
24. The Delegation of Brazil expressed its thanks to FAO for its assistance in project TCP/BRA/4555 to strengthen the National Codex Committee, whereby several seminars and training courses had been held concerning HACCP in food control, risk analysis and pesticide residues, while a seminar on the application of Codex recommendations for inspection and certification would be held in April; diffusion of information on Codex had also been developed considerably and the participation of all concerned sectors had been strengthened.
WHO Activities
25. The Representative of WHO/PAHO indicated that guidelines had been prepared on “Application of the HACCP System for the Improvement of Food Safety”; “ Street-Vended Foods: a HACCP-based Strategy”; and on emerging pathogens. The Global Environment Monitoring Systems/Foods project also continued the collection of information from 60 countries on food contaminants.
PAHO Activities
26. In the framework of the Regional Technical Cooperation Programme on Food Safety, the strengthening of institutions responsible for food safety was underway in 5 countries. An information system on food legislation was developed to facilitate the revision of food legislation at the national level. Priority was given to information systems and epidemiological surveillance on foodborne diseases, through regional seminars, diffusion of information, and the organization of national systems.
27. A study on street food contamination was conducted in 7 cities in 7 countries; training was provided in the identification of several emerging pathogens; and inter-laboratory testing was carried out in 19 laboratories in 10 countries for the analysis of organochlorines.
28. The Committee expressed its appreciation to FAO and PAHO/WHO for their technical assistance to countries in the Region in the improvement of food legislation and control infrastructures in order to meet their obligations under the WTO Agreements.
