International Technical Meeting to Review Progress for a Coordinated Research Project (CRP) "Integrated Radiometric and Complementary Techniques for Mixed Contaminants and Residues in Foods", Gaborone, Botswana, 25‒29 March 2019

Risk management of contaminants and residues in food is largely based on health risk assessments on individual hazards although consumers may be exposed simultaneously to mixtures of such contaminants or residues as veterinary drug and pesticide residues, mycotoxins among others. Therefore, to better safeguard consumers, assessing the risk of exposure and subsequent management and communication should depend on scientific information from the mixed contaminants/residues. The practice of testing and monitoring these hazards as a group is lacking and requires research for reliable analytical methods hence the need for the CRP "Integrated Radiometric and Complementary Techniques for Mixed Contaminants and Residues in Foods" initiated in June 2017 with the overall objective: To enhance Member States' food and environmental safety control systems and risk assessment programmes through improvement of laboratory capabilities needed to gather reliable data on mixed contaminants or residues in foods as well as antimicrobial use pertaining to the development of antimicrobial resistance.