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Foodsafetyisaffectedbythedecisionsofproducers,processors,distributors,foodserviceoperators,andconsumers,aswellasbygovernmentregulations.Indevelopedcountries,thedemandforhigherlevelsoffoodsafetyhasledtotheimplementationofregulatoryprogramsthataddressmoretypesofsafety-relatedattributes(suchasbovinespongiformencephalopathy(BSE),microbialpathogens,environmentalcontaminants,andanimaldrugandpesticideresidues)andimposestricterstandardsforthoseattributes.Theyalsofurtherprescribehowsafetyistobeassuredandcommunicated.Liabilitysystemsareanotherformofregulationthataffectwhobearsresponsibilitywhenfoodsafetybreaksdown.Theseregulatoryprogramsareintendedtoimprovepublichealthbycontrollingthequalityofthedomesticfoodsupplyandtheincreasingflowofimportedfoodproductsfromcountriesaroundtheworld.Commontotheadoptionofnewregulationsbydevelopedcountriesistheapplicationofriskanalysisprinciples.Undertheseprinciples,andinlinewiththeWorldTradeOrganization’s(WTO’s)AgreementontheApplicationofSanitaryandPhytosanitaryMeasures(SPSAgreement),countriesshouldbasetheirregulatoryactionsonscientificriskassessment.Inaddition,acountryshouldbeabletoclearlylinkitstargetedlevelofprotection,basedonascientificallyassessedrisklevel,toitsregulatorygoalsand,inturn,toitsstandardsandinspectionsystems.Finally,theriskmanagementoptionschosenshouldrestricttradeaslittleaspossible.Despitesimilaritiesinapproachamongdevelopedcountries,todatetheyhavemadeonlymixedprogresstowardaligningtheirregulatoryrequirements.Countriesarestrugglingwiththetaskofidentifyingkeyriskissuesandchoosingregulatoryprogramstocontrolthoserisks.Theyemphasizedifferentrisks,applydifferentlevelsofprecaution,andchoosedifferentregulatoryapproaches.Theregulatorysystemsofcountriesareamixofoldlawsandnewerregulationsthatfrequentlydonotapplyconsistentstandardsacrossproducts,risks,orcountriesoforigin.Finally,countriesmaybetemptedtousefoodsafetyregulationsasameansofprotectingdomesticindustriesfromforeigncompetition.Thesefeaturesoffoodsafetyregulationindevelopedcountrieshaveseveralimplicationsfordevelopingcountries.First,theydetermineaccesstogrowingmarketsforfoodexports,particularlyhigh-valuefreshcommoditiessuchasthosediscussedinotherbriefsinthiscollection.Whenstandardsdiffer,thiscancreateadditionalbarriersfordevelopingcountryexporters.Second,thesefeaturesdeterminetheissuesthatwillbeaddressedininternationalforums,suchastheCodexAlimentariusCommission.Third,theycreateexpectationsamongdeveloping-countryconsumersregardingacceptablelevelsofsafetyandsetexamplesforemergingregulationsindeveloping-countryfoodsystems.Thisbriefreviewsemergingregulatoryapproachesandtheimplicationsfordevelopingcountries.REGULATORYAPPROACHESCountriesregulatefoodsafetythroughtheuseofprocess,product(performance),orinformationstandards.Processstandardsspecifyhowtheproductshouldbeproduced.Forexample,GoodManufacturingPracticesspecifyin-plantdesign,sanitation,andoperationstandards.Product(performance)standardsrequirethatfinalproductshavespecificcharacteristics.Anexampleisthespecificationofamaximummicrobialpathogenloadforfreshmeatsandpoultry.Finally,informationstandardsspecifythetypesoflabelingorothercommunicationthatmustaccompanyproducts.Whilethesecategoriesprovideaneatbreakdown,inpracticemostcountriesuseacombinationofapproachestoregulateanyparticularfoodsafetyrisk.Forexample,specificationsforacceptablein-plantoperationsmaybebackedupwithfinalproducttestingtomonitorandverifythesuccessofsafetyassuranceprograms.Labelingthatinstructsfinalconsumersonproperfoodhandlingtechniquesmayfurtherbackupthesesystems.MAJORREGULATORYTRENDSINDEVELOPEDCOUNTRIES•Strongerpublichealthandconsumerwelfareemphasisindecisionsbyregulatoryagencies.Theincreasinguseoftheriskanalysisframeworkforregulatorydecision-makingfocusesattentionontheeffectivecontrolofpublichealthrisksastheultimategoalofregulations,ratherthanintermediatestepssuchasassuringthatacceptedpracticesareusedinproduction.Thisinturnleadstoafocusonthefoodsupplychain,onidentifyingwherehazardsareintroducedintoit,andondeterminingwherethosehazardscanbecontrolledmostcosteffectivelyinthechain.Thisapproachisreferredtoas“farmtotable”or“farmtofork”analysis.Whenthesupplychainextendsacrossinternationalborders,riskanalysismayencompassfarmorprocessingpracticesindevelopingcountries.•Adoptionofmorestringentsafetystandards,withabroaderscopeofstandards.Foodsafetystandardsarebecomingmorestringentindevelopedcountriesontwofronts.First,inmanycasesfoodsafetyattributesthatwerepreviouslyregulatedarebeingheldtomorepreciseandstringentstandards.Forexample,ratherthanassuringmeatproductsafetysimplythroughprocessstandards,thoseproductsmayberequiredtomeetspecificpathogenloadstandardsforE.coliorSalmonella.Similarly,tolerancesforaflatoxinmaybeloweredasmoreinformationandbettertestingbecomereadilyavailable.Second,thescopeofstandardsisbroadening,asnewrisksbecomeknown.Forexample,theEuropeanUnion,theUnitedStates,andothercountrieshaveinstitutedstrictfeedingrestrictionstoavoidthespreadofBSEincattle.Inaddition,theEuropeanUnionhasrecentlyestablishedaregulat