Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives Releases 101st Meeting Summary

GENEVA, Switzerland – The Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) released its summary report following its 101st meeting, held in Geneva, Switzerland, Oct. 15-21. The meeting evaluated the safety risks posed by certain contaminants, specifically inorganic and organic arsenic species.

Previously assessed at the 72nd JECFA meeting and earlier sessions, arsenic is on the priority list of contaminants for evaluation by JECFA. At the current session, the committee re-evaluated the food safety risks of various small and complex organic and inorganic arsenic species, incorporating updated toxicological, occurrence and dietary exposure data available since the last review.

“As a joint FAO/WHO international scientific expert committee, JECFA plays a crucial role in evaluating the safety of food additives, contaminants, natural toxins and veterinary drug residues in food — advancing food safety globally," said Vittorio Fattori, food safety officer, Agrifood Systems and Food Safety Division (ESF), FAO. "The 101st meeting marked a significant step forward in addressing the food safety challenges posed by arsenic, ensuring that updated scientific data are reflected in our risk assessments." 

The JECFA meeting also highlighted the growing role of New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) in food safety assessment.

The summary and conclusions of the 101st JECFA meeting are now publicly available. The full meeting report will be published in the WHO Technical Report Series No. 1061. Toxicological and dietary exposure monographs on the arsenic species considered by the Committee in this session will be published as WHO Food Additives Series No. 92.