Pesticide residue committee concludes session, paving the way for new international standards

The Codex Committee on Pesticide Residues (CCPR) wrapped up its 56th session in Santiago, Chile. The Committee Chairperson, Dr. Weili Shan, extended his gratitude to the delegates as well as to Chile for co-hosting the meeting. He further praised the dedication of the EWGs Chairs to "facilitate discussions and to prepare working documents promptly," which made a "significant contribution to the Session."

“I would like to thank China and the delegates for the trust and support they have given me in this role”, said Eduardo Aylwin, co-Chair of the meeting. “It has been an honour for my country and ACHIPIA, and of course, for me”.

Sarah Cahill, Codex Secretary, echoed the words of thanks expressed by the Chairpersons and added “As this was my first CCPR, I wanted to get a feel for the meeting's personality, and I was struck by its intense, collaborative nature and the incredible energy dedicated to moving our work forward by everyone in the plenary and behind the scenes".

The committee is now set to send new MRLs to the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) for adoption, along with amendments to the Codex Procedural Manual relevant to the work of CCPR. Additionally, it has completed its work on the Guidelines for monitoring the purity and stability of reference materials and related stock solutions of pesticides during prolonged storage, started in 2021, which have been also submitted to CAC for adoption at Step 8. This document represents a crucial step towards developing comprehensive harmonized guidance enabling the laboratories to monitor the stability and purity of the pesticide RMs and their stock solutions during prolonged storage. These Guidelines aim to guide the laboratories in monitoring the stability and purity of reference materials for their possible use beyond their expiry dates and for continued use of stock solutions that retain their stability and purity.

“The outcomes of this Session highlight once again the unwavering commitment of Codex, its Members and Observers, to using scientific evidence and international collaboration to reach the same goal: protect consumer health and facilitate fair practices in the food trade", concluded Victor Rivera, Coordinator of International and Regulatory Affairs, ACHIPIA.

CCPR also recognized Dr Warren Hughes, New Zealand, for his dedicated service, honouring his more than 30-year contribution to the committee's work.

Looking ahead, CCPR reiterated the importance of enhancing coordination between CCPR and JMPR and identified some steps to be taken to improve efficiency in the establishment of science based MRLs for pesticides.

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CCPR56 webpage

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