How to establish international limits for mycotoxins in food and feed?

In 1961/62 the FAO and WHO established Codex Alimentarius to elaborate international food legislation, including provisions for mycotoxins in foods and feeds. Chemical contaminants and toxins are handled in the Codex Committee for Food Additives and Contaminants, CCFAC. The Codex Alimentarius system for developing legislation concerning contaminants including mycotoxins in food is based upon the Codex General Standard for Contaminants and Toxins in Food, GSCTF. The GSCTF covers also feeds and raw commodities. The Codex Alimentarius Risk Analysis system comprises a scientifically based Risk Assessment by the FAO/WHO Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives, JECFA, a committee also dealing with contaminants and natural toxins such as mycotoxins, and a Risk Management part by CCFAC. The principles for laying down Maximum Limits (MLs) for contaminants and toxins in foods and feeds within Codex Alimentarius are agreed, and work is in progress to establish MLs for some mycotoxins, in particular in cereals. In the European Union, a similar process is in progress. The legal basis for European Commission regulations concerning specific contaminants such as mycotoxins became available with the framework Council Regulation EEC 315/93 laying down Community procedures for contaminants in foods. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.