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RESIDUE TESTING AND CONTROL STRATEGIES
Author(s) -
MACNEIL JAMES D.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
journal of food safety
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.427
H-Index - 43
eISSN - 1745-4565
pISSN - 0149-6085
DOI - 10.1111/j.1745-4565.1998.tb00224.x
Subject(s) - business , food safety , risk analysis (engineering) , product testing , pesticide residue , product (mathematics) , marketing , pesticide , food science , chemistry , geometry , mathematics , agronomy , biology
The need for residue testing and controls basically derives from two imperatives, the safety of the food supply and requirements imposed in trade. Maximum residue limits (MRLs) for pesticides, veterinary drugs, intentional food additives and potential contaminants, such as mycotoxins, are set for various food commodities based on toxicological assessment. Regulatory testing on domestically produced goods reveals the prevalence of a particular residue in a specific food commodity and also serves as a means to assess the effectiveness of the product registration system, while testing conducted on imports is primarily a verification of the effectiveness of the regulatory program in the exporting country. For industry, testing is required to demonstrate due diligence or to ensure that a product meets the specifications of an export market or a specific contract. Testing programs should be appropriate to meet the intended use. A survey to determine incidence of violations requires a test that detects residues above the MRL, while a dietary exposure study requires methodology that detects residues with the maximum achievable sensitivity. Tests conducted to certify a product for export or to fulfill the requirements of a contract should ensure that the product is in compliance with the market or contract requirement. If the requirement is “no detectable residues”, a very sensitive test method may be required. In many countries, there is a developing consensus that while government has a role in conducting work that is in the public interest, such as ensuring the safety of the food supply within a level of statistical assurance, it is ultimately the producer of the food who is responsible for the safety of the product or for ensuring that the product meets market or contract requirements. Various aspects of this changing regulatory, trade and consumer environment will be considered, with examples of the roles now played by governments and industry to ensure the safety and quality of food products.