APEC FSCF PTIN
Food Safety Cooperation Forum Partnership Training Institute Network
Concerns about food safety in the Asia Pacific region have risen sharply, and spurred a high level, collective mandate from APEC Leaders to improve food safety standards and practices. In 2007, after the establishment of the APEC Food Safety Cooperation Forum (FSCF), APEC Leaders agreed on the need to develop a more robust approach to strengthening food safety standards and practices in the region, using scientific risk based approaches and without creating unnecessary impediments to trade. To this end, they called for increased capacity building to improve technical competence and understanding of food safety management among stakeholders in the supply chain, which include regulators, growers, packers, handlers, storage providers, processors, manufacturers, retailers and food service providers.
The Food Safety Cooperation Forum's Partnership Training Institute Network (FSCF PTIN) was created specifically to address the need to engage the food industry and academic food safety experts with the regulators, to strengthen capacity building in food safety.
FSCF PTIN Ongoing Work on Hand Hygiene
Hand hygiene improves food safety along the entire production and distribution chain. However, hand hygiene practices are inconsistent since there is no internationally recognized hand hygiene protocol. The FSCFPTIN is working to identify these gaps in protocol and to improve hand hygiene compliance.
Kimberly-Clark Professional (KCP), a global hygiene leader, conducted an FSCF PTIN project to test hand hygiene compliance in a food processing facility in an APEC economy. The study was developed to help guide food preparation facilities and workers on the most effective hand hygiene protocol with minimal cost and highly informed training. This project examined the use of behavioral science to drive change in hand hygiene habits and showed the necessity of cultivating work culture that emphasizes the importance of good hand hygiene habits.
As part of global efforts to see that food safety measures are developed in a science-based manner, APEC economies should take into account lessons from behavioral science as essential to driving an improvement in hand hygiene compliance. People can wash and dry their hands, but they must understand why they are washing and drying their hands.
Read the complete KCP report: Gap analysis of international food hygiene law, regulations, and standards as they relate to hand hygiene protocols
APEC delegates debate export certificates, role in facilitating trade
Read the article on VietnamPlus.
Streamlining/Reducing Export Certificate Requirements for Food Products in the APEC Region
In preparation for the APEC FSCF PTIN Export Certificate Workshop to be held in Hanoi, Viet Nam May 9-10, organizers have prepared a brochure on Streamlining/Reducing Export Certificate Requirements for Food Products in the APEC Region. The brochure highlights why it is important to address this issue and why APEC is an ideal forum for doing it. The current landscape of APEC certificate requirements is discussed based on a survey of APEC economy member requirements and the challenges associated with changes to regulatory systems and the burden on producers of meeting increasing certificate requirements is noted. The brochure outlines good practices for designing and implementing science-based certificate requirements and notes the importance of not requiring certificates for no or low risk products. An additional section gives links to additional resources developed by the APEC FSCF PTIN, APEC Wine Regulatory Forum, and other international standards and guidance.
Independent Review of APEC FSCF PTIN Food Safety Capacity Building Report
In preparation for its fifth in-person meeting in the Philippines in August 2015, the PTIN Steering Group commissioned an evaluation to examine the success of the PTIN's capacity building efforts to date, and solicit recommendations on possible metrics to more rigorously monitor and evaluate future work. The evaluation was conducted by US- APEC Technical Assistance to Advance Regional Integration (US-ATAARI). The evaluation’s conclusions recognized PTIN's ability to provide unique benefits to its members through the bringing together of a large range of economies and stakeholders. The report also identifies that PTIN’s trainings are being applied by the large majority of participants, resulting in improved practices and concrete policy changes by APEC economies. PTIN's relevancy, effectiveness, and value in terms of training, curricula development and networking are distinguished within this report. The areas where PTIN programs have had the greatest impact include the introduction of science-based methods, improved cooperation in food safety incident management, harmonization of food safety regulations and the development of replicable training materials.
Final Report
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Presentation
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The role and value of industry associations in policy and regulation
The 2015 Cebu FSCF PTIN Roundtable on Effective Industry/Regulator Cooperation emphasized the critical role that industry plays in developing food safety regulation. At that Roundtable, participants agreed to the value of having a document providing guidance on how associations can engage in policy development. Subsequently, the Grocery Manufacturers Association and Australian Food and Grocery Council developed the document: "Industry Associations: Their Role and Value in Policy & Regulation" as an information resource.
Industry Associations: Their Role and Value in Policy & Regulation
Grocery Manufacturers Association
Australian Food and Grocery Council
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HIGHLIGHTED EVENTS
Improving Food Safety in APEC
Building the capacity to detect, control and prevent foodborne pathogens has been at the core of APEC’s initiatives to improve food safety in the region.
Article Date: December 15, 2014
Article Link: Asia Food Journal
APEC FSCF PTIN Proficiency Testing of Veterinary Drug Residues in Food
Date: September 10-11, 2014
Location: Beijing, China
China led work on Proficiency Testing of Veterinary Drug Residues in Food. The focus was on an inter-laboratory proficiency testing (PT) program to determine veterinary drug multi-residues in animal origin products The goal was to further develop laboratory capabilities within APEC economies and improve the acceptability of test results with the result of providing solid evidence to facilitate animal origin products trade among these economies. Work was conducted in four stages over a nine month period that consisted of in-laboratory activities combined with two face-to-face events.
The following presentations were delivered at the culminating workshop that was held September 10-11, 2014, in Beijing, China.
- Agenda
- The Proficiency Testing of Determination of Veterinary Drug Multi-Residues in Chicken
- Analysis of Veterinary Drug Residues in China
- Monitoring of Residual Content of Antibiotics in Food
- FSIS Multi-Residue Methods for Veterinary Drugs
- Experience Share on Veterinary Drug Multi-Residue Analysis
- Agilent LCNS Products and the Application Strategies in Veterinary Drug Analysis
- Role of Proficiency Testing in Building Laboratory Capacity
Improving Food Safety in the Asia-Pacific Through the APEC Mulityear Food Safety Project
A small group of laboratory scientists from APEC economies carefully prepare 1.5 mL centrifuge tubes with a mix to detect Salmonella in food samples. As part of an ongoing Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) food safety project, these scientists received training on innovative rapid detection methods for Salmonella and other pathogens in food. Building the capacity to detect, control and prevent foodborne pathogens, like Salmonella, has been at the core of APEC's initiatives to improve food safety in the region.
For the full article, please see the APEC news bulletin:
www.apec.org/Press/Features/2014/0918_foodsafety.aspx
APEC Economies Strengthen Food Safety Cooperation in APEC High- Level Regulator Industry Dialogue on September 12, 2014
On September 12, 2014, in Beijing, China, high level regulators and industry representatives met to discuss emerging issues in food safety and opportunities for regulator/industry dialogue and cooperation. The outcomes of this discussion are outlined in the Beijing Statement and will provide further opportunities for APEC work on food safety capacity building.
CCTV News aired a report on the APEC High-Level Regulators Industry Dialogue on Food Safety which occurred on September 12, 2014:
english.cntv.cn/2014/09/12/VIDE1410507840364135.shtml
FSCF PTIN Aquaculture Modules Now Available
FSCF PTIN Aquaculture training modules are now available in English and Bhahasa. The aquaculture modules were piloted in Indonesia in June 2013 under the Global Food Safety Partnership in partnership with the Network of Aquaculture Centres in Asia Pacific (NACA). Training was implemented by a team of five experts and consisted of theory and practical sessions as well as plant visits. A total of 40 trainees participated and successfully completed the training program. About 20 came from seafood processing plants in Indonesia representing middle to senior level technical people with responsibility for food safety and HACCP implementation. Five came from aquaculture production sectors while another five came from government and academic sectors.
The freely available training course modules, developed by Michigan State University, originally for the APEC FSCF PTIN include:
Food Safety Practices for Aquaculture
Module 1: Introduction - Food Safety Issues in Aquaculture
Download: English Version | Bahasa Version
Module 2: Food Safety Hazards
Download: English Version | Bahasa Version
Module 3: Food Safety Practices for Aquaculture Production
Download: English Version | Bahasa Version
Module 4: Ensuring Food Safety during Post Harvest Handling and Processing
Download: English Version | Bahasa Version
Module 5: Food Safety Management Systems
Download: English Version | Bahasa Version