44. The Delegation of Costa Rica indicated that sanitary and phytosanitary inspection was carried out by the Ministry of Agriculture, while voluntary quality certification for exports of fruit and vegetables was implemented by a certification body (National Production Council, accredited by the National Accreditation Body (ENA). A training programme on quality systems was developed in 1996 in small and medium-sized industry in the sectors of fruit and vegetables and shellfish, with a specific orientation towards international trade (see also para. 41).
45. The Delegation of Argentina informed the Committee that the National Service of Food Safety and Quality (SENASA), a subsidiary body of the Secretariat of Agriculture, and the National Food Institute (INAL), a subsidiary body of the Secretariat of Health Policy were mainly responsible for food control. The Delegation presented its comprehensive inspection system of meat products for hygiene and residues, which integrated a risk-based approach in the definition of priorities.
46. The Delegation of the Dominican Republic stressed the efforts made to improve the educational level of food inspectors and upgrade its inspection system through a number of training courses focusing on priority areas: HACCP in the food industry, with the assistance of PAHO, street-vended foods, mass catering. The Delegation expressed its thanks to Argentina for the assistance provided in the food industry sector and pointed out that such bilateral programmes should be encouraged.
47. The Delegation of Brazil indicated that food control infrastructures had not been significantly modified since 1995, and that actions taken to comply with obligations under WTO were intensified. The application of the HACCP system was integrated into several training programmes. As regards import and export matters, the computerized Foreign Trade System (SISCOMEX) coordinated by the Ministry of Economy was created to facilitate the import and export processes, with direct access to the system through computer terminals.
48. With reference to the progress in inspection and certification systems since the last session, the Delegation of Uruguay indicated that the National Advisory Commission on Foodstuffs included all concerned official authorities and interested sectors and that the specialized technical committees in the National Codex Committee followed the structure of the Codex Committees. The HACCP system was applied in the fish and meat industries, which complied with the requirements established by the USA and the EC. Training courses for food inspectors and processors were organized regularly.
49. The Delegation of Peru indicated that the creation of a single sanitary authority was under consideration, and that a surveillance system on the health of the population was applied, with special emphasis on the involvement and information of consumers. The use of product registration was gradually being discontinued, while manufacturers registration and certification was implemented.
50. The Delegation of Cuba indicated that legislation was under review to meet the obligations arising from the WTO Agreements. The National System of Food Import and Export Inspection and Certification was in the process of been established on the basis of the CCFICS recommendations, with the participation of interested Ministries (Agriculture, Health, Fisheries, Food Industry, Foreign Trade through the National Standards Institute). This system had already initiated a number of actions such as the accreditation of laboratories and the application of the HACCP system in the fish industry with the cooperation of FAO.
51. The Delegation of Guatemala informed the Committee that a new legislation on food inspection and certification had been approved whereby the Ministry of Agriculture was responsible for unprocessed food and the Ministry of Health for processed food; the National Codex Committee involved all interested ministries and sectors of the economy, with specialized sub-committees following the structure of the Codex Committees. A pesticides monitoring programme was developed with the assistance of FAO/WHO in the LUCAM laboratory (Ministry of Health). The Ministry of Economy was carrying out the approximation of national standards to Codex standards.
52. The Delegation of Nicaragua emphasized the importance given to the education of consumers as regards health and food safety in national food control programmes, as well as its efforts to modernize the inspection system.
53. The Delegation of El Salvador indicated that the establishment of national standards was underway, on the basis of international standards; an inventory of laboratories had been made and a laboratory accreditation Regulation already existed.
54. The Delegation of Mexico pointed out that the food control system had been revised to follow a risk-based approach, consequently the application of the HACCP system in food processing was mandatory in some cases; this was monitored by the responsible authorities, with external auditing. The review and updating of relevant standards was also ongoing.
55. The Delegation of Bolivia stated that the Secretariat of Health chaired the National Codex Committee, which included other ministries responsible for food control. Revised food legislation was being elaborated with the assistance of FAO.
56. The Delegation of Ecuador indicated that Codex standards were used as a basis for national standards, and officially endorsed as national standards in some cases.
57. The Delegation of Trinidad and Tobago informed the Committee that the Food and Drugs Act and Public Health Act were being reviewed with the assistance of PAHO, and that training in HACCP was being provided for public health and veterinary inspection.
58. The Delegation of Chile indicated that a national food control programme was in operation and included imported foods, with a request for sanitary certification in the exporting country and random controls a posteriori. The system was carried out at the national level through 19 food laboratories.
59. The Delegation of Panama indicated that product registration was gradually discontinued and replaced with plant certification, and that the Food Control Programme focused on the monitoring and control of emerging pathogens through random sampling.
60. The Delegation of Jamaica stated that food inspectors were being trained for the application of the HACCP system and increased control of street-vended foods; the veterinary laboratories had being upgraded in accordance with EC requirements and accreditation procedures were underway.
61. The Delegation of Guyana noted that responsibilities for food control were divided between several ministries, and a programme to rationalize the inspection system and to update the food law was underway with the assistance of PAHO.
62. The Representative of FAO expressed his appreciation of the positive results achieved in the region and encouraged the countries to use the opportunities offered by the TCDC programme in order to promote the exchange of experience in the area of food control.
