Harmonisation of food safety standards is indispensable for boosting food trade globally and to protect the health of the consumers. Discuss (200 Words)
Refer - Financial Express
Enrich the answer from other sources, if the question demands.
IAS Parliament 5 years
KEY POINTS
The WTO Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS) sets out the basic framework and standards for food safety, animal and plant health standards.
Boosting food trade
· While giving a platform to countries for framing own standards, it notes that regulations must be justified through science, i.e. regulations should be implemented only to the extent necessary to protect the animal, human or plant life or health, and also not unjustifiably discriminate between countries where identical or similar conditions prevail.
· Although member countries are encouraged to use international standards, guidelines and recommendations, they may use measures that result in higher standards if there is a requisite scientific justification.
· The Codex process involves broad international input and sound scientific support from expert panels. Codex food safety standards thus guide countries in adoption of national food safety standards and regulations that protect public health within their respective territories and promote fair practices in food trade. Ironically, even today, economies digress from the Codex standards.
· To illustrate, the maximum residual limits (MRL) of carbendazim in orange juice is different for each country. In Canada, it is 500-600 (parts per billion, ppb), in the EU 100-700 ppb, and in the US barely 10 ppb.
· Apparently, the US gives justification for this to ensure a continued safety of orange juice that is fit for human consumption. This, in a way, is an articulation of divergence from Codex standards and proliferates barriers for developing and less developed countries aspiring to export.
Protecting health of consumers
· The highest priority of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, as stated in Article 1 of its statutes, is to protect the health of consumers
· Maintaining and satisfying each country’s food safety standards have become a costly affair and also ambiguous for member countries.
· During early 2000s, the African economies lost sizeable exports worth $670 million to the EU due to strict aflatoxin MRL acceptability. The risk on human health due to this strict food safety measure was estimated at 1.4 deaths per billion in a year.
· So internationally acceptable standards are essential for protecting the health of consumers.
· Concern about safety of new technologies, like food irradiation, has been addressed and recommendations have been made by Codex.
· This ensures that the shelf life of food is maintained properly for the safe consumption of food.
MURALIDHARAN 5 years
Kindly review!!
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IAS Parliament 5 years
Try to elaborate about the points written on protection of health of consumers. Keep Writing.
Hari 5 years
Kindly review.. Thank you
IAS Parliament 5 years
Try to stick to word limit and underline key points, mention about some points on protecting health of consumers. Keep Writing.
Chandresh Pathak 5 years
Kindly review thanks
IAS Parliament 5 years
Try to avoid listing out points and add few points on protecting health off the consumers. Keep Writing.
Deepesh 5 years
Pls review
IAS Parliament 5 years
Good attempt. Try to stick to word limit. Keep Writing.
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