ASEAN Ensures Standard And Quality Of Prepared Food

JAKARTA, Nov 16 (Antara) - ASEAN organized the 23rd meeting of the ASEAN Consultative Committee on Standards and Quality Prepared Foodstuff Product Working Group at the ASEAN Secretariat here on Nov 10 - Nov 11, to enhance food safety in the region. Foodborne diseases can hamper socio-economic development since they drain health care systems and harm national economies, tourism and trade, the ASEAN Secretariat said in a statement on its official website on Tuesday. During the two-day meeting, the working group finalized the ASEAN principles and criteria to establish the maximum levels for various contaminants and toxins in food and feed. These will form the basis in developing the same document on food contaminants. They also initiated the development of ASEAN Common Food Control Requirements on Food Contact Materials and affirmed that it would continue to monitor the activities of ASEAN Food Reference Laboratories. Further, the working group finalized the draft of the mutual recognition arrangement on Inspection and Certification System for Food Hygiene, targeted to be endorsed in 2017.