Ms. Shashi Sareen Senior Food Safety & Nutrition Officer

1. FAO/WHO Framework for developing national food safety emergency response (FSER) plan & FAO initiatives/ activities(1 March 2012, Bangkok) Ms. ShashiSareen Senior Food Safety & Nutrition Officer FAO Regional Office for the Asia & the Pacific E-mail: shashi.sareen@fao.org

2. Food Safety Emergency? Codex Alimentarius definition : A food safety emergency is asituation whether accidental or intentional, that is identified, by a CA as constituting a serious and as yet uncontrolled foodborne risk to public health that requires urgent action. Codex Alimentarius, document CACGL-19 Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

3. Emergency, Incident, Event? Food Standards Agency of the UK – Incident Response Protocol 2009 Definition of an incident: An incident is any event where, based on the information available, there are concerns about actual or suspected threats to the safety or quality of food that could require intervention to protect consumers’ interests. Food Incidents Task Force ‘Preventing and Responding to Food Incidents’ – rev. April 2008 Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

4. Emergency, Incident, Event? US FDA - Emergency Response Plan 2005 Definition of an Emergency (not just food related): An unforeseen combination of circumstances, or the resulting state, that calls for immediate actions. The Regulatory Procedures Manual (RPM), Chapter 8 (http://www.fda.gov/ora/compliance_ref/rpm/pdf/ch8.pdf) Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

5. Emergency, Incident, Event? Australian Government-National Food Incident Response Protocol 2007 Definition of a food incident Food incident means any situation within the food supply chain where there is a risk, potential risk or perceived risk of illness or confirmed illness associated with the consumption of a food or foods. The foodborne hazard causing such illness may be microbiological, chemical, radiological, physical or unknown. The food incident can occur at any stage of the food supply chain, including activities at the primary production sector that have the potential to, or are perceived to, impact on the safety of the end food product. The food incident may or may not have attracted media or political interest. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

6. Definition will differ along national contexts We recognize that: • a situation ranges from minor incident to major crisis • a situation evolves over time • severity varies (ie mortality, morbidity) • international and trade implications vary Plan ensures the coordinated response to a potential or confirmed risk to public health through food

7. Nature of Emergencies • Emergencies of any description are characterised by: • Unpredictability • Confusion • Lack of Information • Lack of Time • Pressure to Act • Loss of Control Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

8. Recent Food Safety Emergencies • Melamine contamination of infant formula leading to • >294000 children ill, >50000 hospitalized, 6 deaths • Company officials charges with criminal offences, 2 executed • Prompted major review of food control systems • E.coli novel strain O104:H4bacteria – caused serious outbreak of foodborne illness (characterized by bloody diarrhoea, with high frequency of serious complications) - northern Germany in May to June 2011 – source possibly sprouts from imported fenugreek seeds • Dioxin crisis - well known • Radionuclide contamination of food items from Japan. A farmer destroys iceberg lettuce on a field in Germany, where most of the E. coli cases have occurred

10. Why do we need a response plan? • Planning for a food safety emergency will: • enable timely and coordinated response • minimize adverse impact on health and disruption to trade • meet international obligations • reduce the socio-economic and political impact of a large scale food incident Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

11. FAO Activities

12. FAO’s mission • “Ensuring sustainable food security for all” • FAO is the principal UN agency dealing with all aspects of food production, storage, transportation, processing and marketing and the development of agriculture and food based programmes to improve nutrition and rural and national economies.

13. FAO’s Food safety Capacity Building • Approximately 150 projects on food safety and quality being delivered ((national, regional, global) and 20 tools and guidelines finalized or in progress as of start 2010 • Broadly cover: • SPS/Codex capacity building • official food control systems (regulatory, risk-analysis and operational - e.g. inspection, laboratory capacity) • commodity issues (e.g. meat, seafood, fresh fruits and vegetables – safety, quality and value chains) • food safety emergency management • good food safety and agricultural practice guidelines

14. Guidance/ Tools – Some egs Risk-based food inspection manual (2008) FAO/WHO GLs for developing FSER plans (2010) Strengthening national food control systems: GLs to assess capacity building needs -2006 A training manual in food hygiene & HACCP systems (1998) On-farm mycotoxin control in food & feed grains – trg manual(2007) Principles & guidelines for incorporating microbiological risk assessment in development of food safety standards (2002) Hazard characterization for pathogens in food & water (2003) FAO food safety website: http://www.fao.org/ag/agn Codex web site: www.codexalimentarius.net Food safety portal: http://www.ipfsaph.org/En/default.jsp

15. CD Activities of FAO on Food Safety in Asia • Regional projects: Support to CB & Implementation of International Food Safety Standards in ASEAN Countries” • Country Projects: • Capacity Building for food inspection systems in Vietnam • Strengthening Vietnamese SPS capacity for trade – improving safety & Q of fresh vegetables through value chain approach • Improving food safety, quality, hygiene & food control in B’desh • Enhancement of laboratory capacity on food safety in primary production (Thailand) • Enhancing SPS Capacity of Nepalese Ginger Exports through PPP • Strengthening of Food Safety and Standards in Bhutan • Strengthening of National Codex Capacity in Mongolia • Others - retail sector (India), street foods, policy     

16. Some recent FAO publications

17. New publications from FAO/WHO on FSER FAO/WHO Guide for developing & improving national food recall systems – New!!!

18. Steps for Development of FSER Plan 3 preliminary steps Step 1: Obtain high-level support Step 2: Identify key partners Step 3: Establish a planning group 5 key elements : Step 4: Essential background info Step 5: Multi-Agency Coordination Group (MACG) Step 6: Incident identification & management Step 7: Post-incident review & evaluation Step 8: Communication

19. The Planning Group will: Lead the process of developing a Plan Determine the scope of the plan Oversee preparation of the plan Ensure appropriate review and consultation with key partners Seek approval Evaluate the plan periodically & ensure that a mechanism is in place to update the plan

20. Points to be covered in FSER Plan

21. Points to be covered in FSER Plan 1. Introduction – purpose, objectives, reference to regulations, terminology/ definitions (definition of Emergency) 2. Scope of the Plan - Country specific considerations – food inspection & foodborne disease surveillance, testing capacities, treatments available 3. Collection and review of all relevant regulations/ legislations 4. Any other national emergency plans – list these, relationship with this protocol 5. Roles and responsibilities

22. 6. MACG (Multi Agency Coordination Group) • General structure & composition - agencies involved; roles and responsibilities of each partner; MACG for different areas (any existing structure); • Notifying agency, Central notification point, Food incident contact officer, Lead agency, National food incident controller, Agency food incident controller, Communications controller • TORs of MACG • Communication strategy for MACG members • Operational & logistic arrangements (contact list of members, address, ph, e-mail)

23. 7. Incident identification Criteria for activating FSER; Identify possible information sources; Mechanisms for sharing information to be documented; Identify monitoring mechanism in multiple sectors – coordination mechanism Identify reference/ testing laboratories Identify documentation & evaluation mechanism (documents and records – where kept);

24. 8. Incident Management MACG is responsible for the overall management – state the same Identify who takes lead in food safety/ health related investigations Describe the process of flow of information to MACG and from MACG to others (daily information reports – develop a format), identify population at risk, duty roster may be made Identify risk management options (detention, seizure, recall, closure of businesses, disposal of food products removed from food chain) & reference their procedures Procedure to decide when to scale down, communication process Reference related documents, GLs, tools, check lists, templates A table of involved agencies & roles & responsibilities Process for maintaining central records

25. 9. Post incident review & evaluation Outline the process to conduct review of how incident was managed; Include reviewing process for response activities, communication methodologies, regulatory procedures to prevent production/ distribution of implicated foods, capacity & reporting of lab & inspection service, effectiveness of product withdrawal, identify gaps in lab testing/ regulatory procedures Sharing of corrective actions with policy makers

26. 10. Communication Document strategies for communication & information exchange (partners, media, public, international orgs) Document processes to address emergency alerts, intra agency communication, public messaging List of all contact details Models & templates - press releases, incident notification templates, recall/withdrawal notice templates Identify means of information dissemination (websites, newspapers, English language, public notices, SMS What to communicate – the risk, what consumer should do if consumed effected product Decide on spokesperson (from an agency) – one single person per event is preferable

27. FAO Support for Thailand FSER Plan • LOA signed July 2011 • Consultative meetings - process, action plan, support, consultation & direction: • Identify a consultative group with high-level to be a chair • Identify the existing emergency plan of MOPH (PHER)/ other agencies; • Identify key partners, describe role & responsibilities of each partner in FSER plan; • Draw a mapping of network and define their roles; • Preparation of multi-agency planning group • National workshop to develop the national (FSER plan). • Coordinate high level support, organise WS to develop FSER plan; • Identify the lead for coordinating (developing & maintenance) of plan; • Identify legal frameworks (national/ international); • Describe emergency, mechanism for alert, communication & resource mobilization; • Identify mechanism of coordination (international/ regional organizations, INFOSAN) • Record all results and prepare Thai FSER plan. • National seminarto disseminate national FSER plan to LG authorities • for provincial sectors relevant to FS to provide knowledge to implement FSER plan • Regional meeting for sharing the regional experience, ASEAN + Japan, others • Publication- Thai FSER plan

28. THANK YOU Any Questions?