Global aspects of regulations + controls: Food safety

Question 1

What is process criteria?

Answer 1

The physical process control parameter (e.g. time, temperature) at a specified step that can be applied to achieve a Performance Objective or Performance Criterion (CAC, 2005).

Question 2

What is performance criteria?

Answer 2

The effect in frequency and/or concentration of a hazard in a food that must be achieved by the application of one or more control measures to provide or contribute to a PO or an FSO (CAC, 2008)

Question 3

What is performance objective?

Answer 3

The maximum frequency and/or concentration of a hazard in a food at a specified step in the food chain before the time of consumption that provides, or contributes to, an FSO or ALOP (WTO, 1994)

Question 4

What is food safety objective?

Answer 4

The maximum frequency and/or concentration of a hazard in a food at the time of consumption that provides or contributes to the Appropriate Level of Protection (CAC, 2001)

Question 5

What is appropriate level of protection? (ALOP)

Answer 5

The level of protection deemed appropriate by the member (country) establishing a sanitary or phytosanitary measure to protect human, animal and plant life or health within its territory (WTO, 1994) – “public health goal”

Question 6

What is a trade barrier?

Answer 6

• Any restriction imposed on international trade by the government
• Ie. EU regulations limiting import of goods from US to EU
• Tariff – taxes/duties on imported products imposed by government
• Have to be paid by the country exporting goods
• Non-tariff – not directly money-related
• E.g. quality standards (EU regulations)
• Paying subsidies to producers but not directly to government

*Quota – limit on the number/monetary value of product in certain time period

Question 7

What are specific public health concerns?

Answer 7

• Sanitary certificates
• Welfare
• Growth hormones and B agonists
• Pathogen reduction treatments
• “chlorinated chicken”
• frozen pork
• SRM and by-products
• Live cattle
• Somatic cell count
• Cloning
• Labelling/certification/traceability

Question 8

What are sanitary certificates?

Answer 8

• Document confirming that the environment in which a product has been prepared meets minimum hygiene requirements
• Specific to product e.g. seafood, honey, dairy etc.
• EU requires statements assuring minimum animal welfare standards

Question 9

What does the EU beef hormone ban stop?

Answer 9

• Use of oestradiol, progesterone + testosterone, B agonists in production animals for consumption