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CODE OF PRACTICE AND COMMODITIES STANDARDS, PRESENTED AT NIGERIA AFLATOXIN WORKSHOP BY STANDARDS ORGANISATION OF NIGERIA. Standards Organisation of Nigeria. Established by decree 56 of 1971 The apex standards body in Nigeria Carries out standardisation and conformity assessment programmes
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CODE OF PRACTICE AND COMMODITIES STANDARDS, PRESENTED AT NIGERIA AFLATOXIN WORKSHOP BY STANDARDS ORGANISATION OF NIGERIA
Standards Organisation of Nigeria • Established by decree 56 of 1971 • The apex standards body in Nigeria • Carries out standardisation and conformity assessment programmes • Advises Nigerian Government at all levels on issues of standards and quality assurance • Represents Nigeria in International, regional Standards bodies etc
Introduction • In today’s changing world, safety and security have generally remained basic human needs. • Ensuring the safety of food has been a major focus of international and national action over the last few years. • Both microbiological and chemical hazards are of concern.
Introduction • Among chemical hazards, the contamination of food and feed by aflatoxin(toxic metabolites of fungi), fishery products by phycotoxins (toxins produced by algae) and edible plant species by their plant toxins have been recently characterized by the World Health Organization (WHO) as significant sources of food-borne illnesses, • Of these three categories of natural toxins, most attention has been directed to aflatoxinuntil now.
Introduction • In several parts of the world, aflatoxincurrently represent a major food safety issue. • The knowledge that aflatoxincan have serious effects on humans and animals has led many countries to establish regulations on aflatoxinin food and feed in the last decades to safeguard the health of humans, as well as the economic interests of producers and traders
Basis for Regulating Aflatoxins The primary scientific basis for the establishment of regulations is Risk Assessment • Risk Assessment - scientific evaluation of the probability of occurrence of known or potential adverse health effects resulting from human exposure to food-borne hazard
Basis for Regulating Aflatoxins Various factors play a role in decision-making processes focused on setting limits for aflatoxin. These include: • scientific factors to assess risk (such as the availability of toxicological data), food consumption data, • knowledge about the level and distribution of aflatoxinin commodities, and • Analytical methodology. • Economic factors, such as commercial and trade interests and food security issues, also have an impact
Legal and Regulatory Environment • Aflatoxinregulations have been established in many countries during the past decades and newer regulations are still being issued, difficulties not withstanding,
Standards' Approach Towards the Control of Aflatoxin • In Nigeria, Nigerian Industrial Standards/Nigerian Code of Practice are the main framework for the control of Aflatoxins in Food. • As a direct response to the emerging food safety challenges, focus of food standardisation world wide has shifted from food composition to food safety. • All new food Standards in Nigeria have a section for Chemical contaminants and • Aflatoxins are specified , where relevant
SON is the Process of adopting/adapting all existing and relevant Codex Codes of Practice for the Prevention and Elimination of aflatoxin. • Also work on Codes of Practices Targeted at the prevention and Reduction of Aflatoxins in Sesame Seeds and Shea Nut/Butter are at advance stage of completion • Old standards are being revised to adequately address the issue of aflatoxinand Aflatoxins in Particular.
Maximum Limits Specified • In all our new and revised standards the maximum limits for Aflatoxins are: • Total Aflatoxins– 4 mg/kg (ppb) • Aflatoxin B1 - 2mg/kg (ppb)
Nigerian Industrial Standards with specifications for Aflatoxin
Challenges • Agencies charged with monitoring the conformity to set standards do not have adequate capacity to do that, • Weak capacity for risk analysis • Weak agricultural extension services to educate farmers/parkers GAP
Way Forward Nigeria dose not have its Aflatoxin level, further research for indigenous products is recommended. Examples • Melon seed • Bush mango National policies on Aflatoxin comprising of all stakeholders is recommended.