Enterobacter sakazakii and Salmonella in powdered infant formula: Meeting report, MRA Series 10

Microbiological Risk Assessment Series 10.
ISBN: 92-5-105574-2

In working to ensure the safety and availability of food for infants and young children – one of the more vulnerable groups in our society – the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) began addressing the issue of Enterobacter sakazakii and other microorganisms in powdered infant formula (PIF) in February 2004, through the implementation of a joint technical meeting (FAO/WHO, 2004). Follow-up activities included the provision of information and guidance on the risks associated with E. sakazakii and other microorganisms in PIF to Codex and member countries and the elaboration of a risk assessment tool to enable the evaluation of a range of intervention strategies. In 2005, the World Health Assembly (WHA) adopted a resolution requesting WHO, in collaboration with FAO, to develop international guidelines and educational messages regarding the preparation, storage and handling of PIF. In response to these developments, a second meeting was implemented from 16 to 20 January 2006. This focused specifically on E. sakazakii and Salmonella in PIF and addressed, in particular, a number of questions on these pathogens posed by the 37th Session of the Codex Committee on Food Hygiene (CCFH) (14-19 March 2005), the associated risk and means of evaluating control measures. This report documents the discussions and recommendations of that meeting.

This volume and others in this Microbiological Risk Assessment Series contain information that is useful to both risk assessors and risk managers, the Codex Alimentarius Commission, governments and food regulatory agencies, industries, care givers to infants and other people or institutions with an interest in the area of microorganisms in powdered infant formula, their impact on public health and food trade, and potential control strategies.