WORLD TRADE G/SPS/GEN/57
23February 1998
ORGANIZATION(98-0663)
Original: English Committee onSanitary andPhytosanitary Measures
DRAFT ECREGULATION -AFLATOXIN CONTROL
Submission byThailand
Thefollowing communication wasreceived fromThailand on16February 1998, identifying
questions which Thailand intends toraiseatthemeeting of12-13 March 1998.
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Comments onG/SPS/N/EEC/51
1. Asstated inthenotification, thesetting ofmaximum levels forAflatoxin B1andtotalaflatoxin
isduetotheconcern ofpublic health. Itmustbenoted thattheCodex Committee onFood Additives
andContaminants (CCFAC) hasnotyetagreed uponthemaximum levels ofAflatoxin northetesting
methodology invarious products. Therefore, itisappropriate forMembers tosetuptheirstandards
aftertheconclusion oftheCCFAC. Thenextmeeting ofCCFAC isscheduled intheNetherlands,
9-13March 1998. Thailand would liketoseekthereaction oftheEuropean Communities totheabove
statement.
2. Aflatoxin M1isametabolic product ofAflatoxin B1andispresent inthemilkandmilkproducts
ofanimals which haveconsumed contaminated feed. Ifourunderstanding iscorrect, thelevel of
aflatoxin inrawmaterials foruseinfeedingstuffs mustbecontrolled nottoexceed themaximum level
inorder tomeettheacceptance levelofAflatoxin M1.
- Could theEuropean Commission please explain howtocontrol andtosample theraw
materials? Arethere anydifferences incontrolling andsampling between products
intended fordirect human consumption andproducts foranimal feed?
- CouldtheEuropeanCommissionalsoindicatethetypesofrawmaterialforuseinanimal
feed?
- WilltheEuropean Commission plantoassist ortransfer technology toexporting
developing countries tocontrol aflatoxin before theirproducts areexported tothe
European Communities?
3. TheEuropeanCommissionhasmentionedvariousproductsnormallycontaminatedwithaflatoxin,
namely groundnuts, nuts, dried fruit, cereals andsoon.
- Could theEuropean Commission kindly indicate thetypes ofimporting cereal inwhich
arecommonly found aflatoxin beyond themaximum levels?
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