Codex Report (ALINORM 09/32/31), 11-15 May 2009

CODEX – Committee on Residues of Veterinary Drugs in Foods (18th Session), Natal, Brazil

The summary and conclusions of the Committee are as follows:

MATTERS FOR ADOPTION/CONSIDERATION BY THE 32ND SESSION OF THE CODEX ALIMENTARIUS COMMISSION

Draft and proposed draft Standards and Related Texts for adoption at Step 8 and 5/8 of the Procedure

• Draft MRLs for melengestrol acetate for adoption at Step 8 and proposed draft MRLs for avilamycin, dexamethasone, monensin, narasin, triclabendazol and tylosin for adoption at Step 5/8 (para. 80 and Appendices II and III);
• Draft Guidelines for the Design and Implementation of National Regulatory Food Safety Assurance Programmes Associated with the Use of Veterinary Drugs in Food Producing Animals (para. 106 and Appendix V).

Proposed draft Standards and Related Texts at Step 5 of the Procedure

• Proposed draft MRLs for narasin and tilmicosin for adoption at Step 5 (para. 80 and Appendix IV).

Codex standards and related texts for revocation

• Temporary MRL for tilmicosin in sheep milk (para. 72);
• Guidelines for the Establishment of a Regulatory Programme for Control of Veterinary Drug Residues in Foods (CAC/GL 16-1993) (para. 106); and
• Code of Practice for Control of the Use of Veterinary Drugs (CAC/RCP 38-1993) (para. 106).

Proposals for the Elaboration of New Standards and Related Texts

• Priority list of veterinary drugs for evaluation or re-evaluation by JECFA (para. 138 and Appendix VI).

Discontinuation of Work

• MRLs for triclabendazole in goat tissues (para. 74);

Matters for information by the 32nd Session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission

The Committee:

• Concluded that there was no significant new data available that would justify the inclusion of ractopamine in the Priority List for complete re-evaluation by JECFA (para. 21);
• Agreed to request FAO/WHO to convene an Expert consultation on dietary exposure assessment as it relates to veterinary drug residues in food (para. 150).

OTHER MATTERS

The Committee agreed:

• To request the Codex Secretariat to issue a Circular Letter requesting information on veterinary drugs registered for honey production and bee health (para. 28);
• To establish an electronic working group, led by the United Kingdom, to review: (i) the information on veterinary drugs registered for honey production and bee health submitted in response to the Circular Letter; and (ii) the guidelines on good veterinary practice with respect to honey (para. 29);
• To establish an electronic working group, led by the United States of America, to prepare revised table on guidance on sample type and quantity for residue control for aquatic animal products and derived edible products of aquatic origin, including minimum quantity required for laboratory sample and instruction for collection, for future inclusion in the Guidelines for the Design and Implementation of National Regulatory Food Safety Assurance Programmes Associated with the Use of Veterinary Drugs in Food Producing Animals (para. 103);
• To establish an electronic working group, led by the United Kingdom, to prepare a discussion paper containing proposals for the evaluation of analytical methods provided by JECFA and guidance on the development of performance characteristics for multi-residue analysis (para. 118 and 120);
• To request the Codex Secretariat to issue a Circular Letter requesting: (i) comments and information onthe priority list of veterinary drugs for evaluation or re-evaluation by JECFA; and (ii) developing countries to indicate those priority compounds for which this assistance would be required and provide other relevant information (paras 139 and 142);
• To establish: (i) an electronic working group, led by Australia, to prepare a proposal for a Priority List of veterinary drugs for evaluation or re-evaluation by JECFA; and (ii) a physical working group, which would meet immediately before its next session, under the chairmanship of Australia, to consider the report of the electronic working group and comments submitted (para. 140-141);
• To establish: (i) an electronic Working Group, led by France, to prepare a discussion paper which would review all the factors taken into account in connection with establishing the ADI and the current process of recommending MRLs; and (ii) a physical working group, which would meet immediately before its next session, under the chairmanship of France, to consider the report of the electronic working group and comments submitted (paras 148-149);
• To state that malachite green and chloramphenicol should not be used for food producing animals (para. 163).
• To establish an electronic working group, led by the United States of America, to (i) define the scope for the new work addressing risk management recommendations for veterinary drugs for which no ADI and MRL has been recommended by JECFA due to specific human health concerns or lack of information needed to resolve existing human health concerns; (ii) develop a process by which the Committee will promulgate risk management recommendations; (iii) make proposals on how to address veterinary drugs for which JECFA clearly identified human health concerns; and (iv) propose procedures for conveying these risk management recommendations in the Codex standard setting process (para. 165).