Health standards: commodity-based approach

The OIE is undertaking work to facilitate trade in animal products (commodities) under the auspices of its Specialist Commissions (Scientific Commission, Terrestrial Code Commission, Laboratories Commission and Aquatic Animals Commission). The goal of this work is to refine existing standards and develop new standards that are simple to use and easy to understand and that facilitate safe trade in products derived from terrestrial and aquatic animals. Because of the differing animal health and food safety issues associated with these products, the approch taken is slightly different but the same principles apply.

Terrestrial animal products

The commodity-based approach has been progressively applied in the Terrestrial Code on a disease by disease basis. In September 2007, the Terrestrial Code Commission reviewed a paper prepared by an OIE expert for guidance of the OIE on how to improve import health standards for typical commodities using theTerrestrial Code.

Please see the paper «Devising import health measures for animal commodities»

The OIE has collaborated with the United Kingdom (DEFRA and DFID) in a range of initiatives to support enhanced global trade in terrestrial animal commodities, including developing relevant new scientific research programs.

The OIE convened an expert ad hoc Group on Trade in Terrestrial Animal Products (commodities), which held its first meeting in July 2008. The reports of the Group are attached to the relevant reports of the Terrestrial Code Commission. The Group met again in October 2009 to discuss and validate a technical report conducted by an OIE Reference Laboratory on the FMD risk factors associated with international trade in deboned beef.

Please see the OIE Reference Laboratory paper endorsed at the October 2009 meeting «Qualitative assessment of the commodity risk factors for spread of foot-and-mouth disease associated with international trade in deboned beef ».

Aquatic animal products

The OIE ad hoc Group on the Safety of Products Derived from Aquatic Animals met on five occasions (August 2008, February 2009, August 2009, February 2010 and August 2010). The reports of the Group are attached to the relevant reports of the Aquatic Animals Commission. The next meeting of this Group  will take place in January  2011.

The Group noted that there is increasing global production and trade in a diverse range of products of aquatic animal origin and that there are significant gaps in scientific knowledge regarding the effect of processing on the inactivation of aquatic disease agents.

The ad hoc Group developed criteria that could be used to assess the safety of aquatic commodities irrespective of the disease status of source populations (Chapter 5.3 of the Aquatic Code). The Group assessed the aquatic animal products listed in Articles X.X.3 and X.X.11./12. for taura syndrome, epizootic haemorrhagic necrosis and infection with Bonamia ostreae against these criteria. The revised list of aquatic animal products was adopted by the World Assembly of Delegates in May 2010.  The Group’s current work  includes the  assessment of aquatic animal products currently listed in all the disease specific chapters of the Aquatic Code against these criteria.

Contact : trade.dept@oie.int