FSIS Reports on Meeting to Discuss Risk Assessment & Hazards in Animal Feed

The Food Safety and Inspection Service reports that the Ad Hoc Intergovernmental Codex Task Force on Animal Feeding concluded its Sixth Session in Berne, Switzerland on February 24, 2012. The Task Force focused on drafting Proposed Guidelines on the Application of Risk Assessment for Feed and the proposed Prioritized List of Hazards in Feed.

Proposed Guidelines on Risk Assessment for Feed. On the risk assessment document, the Task Force focused on revising its structure and content, and clarifying the scope to make it explicit that the guidelines are intended for use by governments. A physical working group was established to revise the remaining sections of the document, and the guidelines document was advanced to step 5.

Proposed List of Hazards in Feed. The Task Force discussed at length the scope and intent of the proposed draft Prioritized List of Hazards in Feed, and agreed to focus on criteria for governments to prioritize hazards, examples of hazards of international relevance, and guidance on applying the criteria. The Task Force also agreed to a proposal by the United States to change the title of the document to Guidance for Use by Governments on Prioritizing their National Feed Hazards. An electronic working group was established, to be led by Switzerland, to revise the remainder of the document. The document remains at step 2.

Next Meeting in 2013. The Task Force was authorized for two sessions with an option for a third, and its second meeting is scheduled for February 4-8, 2013.