INTRODUCTION

1. The Seventh Meeting of the ASEAN Cocoa Club Technical Working Group on Food Safety (ACC TWGFS) was held on 6th May 2015 in The Berkeley Hotel-Pratunam, Bangkok, Thailand.
2. The Meeting was officially opened by Mrs. Peyanoot Naka, Assistant Director of Horticulture Research Institute, Department of Agriculture, Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Thailand.  She welcomed all delegates from the ASEAN Member States to Thailand.  The full text of her speech appears as ANNEX I. The Meeting was chaired by Dr. Sabariah Samsudin, Director of the Cocoa Downstream Technology Division, Malaysian Cocoa Board and co-chaired by Mrs. Peyanoot Naka, Assistant Director of Horticulture Research Institute, Department of Agriculture, Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Thailand.
3. The Meeting was attended by 22 members and observers from Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand, Viet Nam and Secretariat of the ACC TWGFS.  The list of delegates appears as ANNEX II.

AGENDA ITEM 1: OPENING REMARKS

4. The Chairperson of the ACC TWGFS, Dr. Sabariah Samsudin, Director of Cocoa Downstream Technology Division, Malaysian Cocoa Board (MCB) made an opening remarks of the 7th Meeting of the ACC TWGFS.  In her opening remarks, she urged the Working Group to intensify its efforts and plays more active role in harmonizing the food safety requirements from beans to bar for trade facilitation while ensuring the safety of the cocoa and cocoa products in the ASEAN region.  The full text of her speech appears as ANNEX III.

AGENDA ITEM 2: ELECTION OF VICE-CHAIRMAN

5. Mrs. Peyanoot Naka, Assistant Director of Horticulture Research Institute, Department of Agriculture, Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Thailand was unanimously elected as the Vice-Chairperson of the 7th Meeting of the ACC TWGFS.

AGENDA ITEM 3: ADOPTION OF AGENDA

6. The Meeting adopted the Agenda for the 7th Meeting of the ACC TWGFS which appears as ANNEX IV.

AGENDA ITEM 4: BUSINESS ARRANGEMENT

7. The Meeting was held in plenary.

AGENDA ITEM 5: REPORT ON THE CURRENT STATUS OF THE COUNTRY’S INITIATIVES RELATIVE TO FOOD SAFETY ON COCOA AND COCOA PRODUCTS AND RELATED ACTIVITIES

8. Indonesia reported that twenty one (21) pesticide residues namely ametryn, carbaryl, carbofuran, carbosulfan, chlorpyrifos, chlorpyrifos methyl, cyfluthrin, deltametrin, diazinon, dieldrin, ethion, fenitrothion, fenthion, imidacloprid, lambda-cyhalothrin, lindane, malathion, methidathion, permethrin, profenofos, and propoxur are not detected in cocoa beans (Limit of Quantification: 0.01 mg/kg).
9. Philippines reported on the two (2) training of trainers on the Philippine National Standards on Cacao Beans and Tablea held on 3-5 September 2014 and 13- 15 April 2015 in two (2) regions.  The trainer’s trainings were participated by the Department of Agriculture relevant agencies, agricultural technicians, cacao farmers and processors, and heads of the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) of the Department of Agriculture (DA).  Major issues related to food safety were also discussed in the training.  The full report appears as ANNEX V.
10. Indonesia informed the Meeting that in 2014, Indonesia issued Ministry of Agriculture Regulation No. 67/2014 on Quality Requirement and Marketing of Cocoa Bean.  This regulation sets the mechanism for monitoring and quality standard of cocoa bean.
11. The Chairperson informed the Meeting that Barry Callebaut has filed a patent for a process to grind cocoa shells into a powder fit for use as cocoa replacer, fat bloom inhibitor and ingredient in other foods.
12. The Philippines reported on the Food Safety Act of 2013 which was signed into law in 23 August 2013.  The implementing rules and regulations is awaiting publication this year.  The presentation appears as ANNEX VI.

AGENDA ITEM 6: STATUS REPORT ON THE FOOD SAFETY REQUIREMENTS IMPOSED BY IMPORTING COUNTRIES

13. Indonesia informed that there was no further update pertaining to the establishment of the maximum levels for cadmium in cocoa and chocolate products imposed by European Union (EU).
14. Indonesia also informed that Codex Committee on Contaminants in Foods (CCCF) has initiated a work on Maximum Levels for Cadmium in Chocolate and Cocoa-Derived  Products.   

AGENDA 7: REPORT ON THE ISSUES OF IMPORTANCE RELATED TO FOOD SAFETY

15. Indonesia reported on the monitoring of cadmium in cocoa bean and cocoa powder produced by Indonesia cocoa grinders.  The results for the monitoring of cadmium in cocoa bean and cocoa powder was not detected with Limit of Detection (LOD) of 0.0063 mg/kg and 0.13-0.59 mg/kg respectively.  The cadmium content for both products are compliant with the requirement of Indonesia National Standard of Cocoa Powder (Maximum Permitted Level: 1 mg/kg).
16. Malaysia informed the Meeting on the monitoring program of cadmium in cocoa beans from different regions of Malaysia; cocoa liquor and cocoa powder produced from Malaysian cocoa grinders.  The range value of cadmium content for cocoa beans, cocoa liquor and cocoa powder are 0.04 - 0.51 mg/kg; 0.03 - 0.31 mg/kg; and 0.06 - 0.60 mg/kg respectively.
17. Viet Nam informed the Meeting that the highest level of cadmium detected in cocoa beans is 0.75 mg/kg. 

AGENDA 8:  STATUS REPORT ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF DATABASE ON FOOD SAFETY

18. The ACC TWGFS Secretariat informed the Meeting on the current status of the uniform resource locator (URL) for the ASEAN Member States (AMS) food safety website which can be hyperlinked from the ACC TWGFS website.  It was noted that Indonesia, Lao PDR, Myanmar and Thailand yet to provide the URL for their food safety website.
19. Indonesia and Lao PDR will submit their URL and Thailand has informed the Meeting on their URL.
20. Malaysia informed the Meeting that nine (9) pesticide residues namely ametryn, chlorpyrifos, cypermethrin, cyproconazole, fluazifop-butyl, isazofos, metalaxyl, oxadixyl and quizalofop-ethyl were monitored on cocoa beans from different regions of Malaysia.  The above mentioned pesticide residues were not detected in the tested beans.  Malaysia also informed that Malaysia will upload the data into the ACC TWGFS website.
21. The chairperson reiterated the important of the AMS cooperation to upload the data on food safety requirements in the ACC TWGFS website.

AGENDA 9: KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERTISE SHARING ON TESTING METHODOLOGIES

22. Malaysia informed the Meeting that Malaysia will share the test method of cadmium to Philippines. 

AGENDA 10:  HARMONIZATION ON THE FOOD SAFETY REQUIREMENTS OF THE ASEAN MEMBER COUNTRIES

23. The Chairperson informed that the ASEAN Code of Practice for the Prevention and Reduction of Ochratoxin A (OTA) Contamination in Cocoa Beans was endorsed by the 17th Meeting of the National Focal Points for ASEAN Cocoa Club on Joint ASEAN Cooperation in Agriculture and Forest Products Promotion Scheme.  She also informed that any improvements on the Code of Practice can be discussed at the ACC Meeting.
24. The ACC TWGFS requested the ACC Secretariat to forward the ASEAN Code of Practice for the Prevention and Reduction of Ochratoxin A (OTA) Contamination in Cocoa Beans for endorsement by the Joint Committee on ASEAN Cooperation and Joint Approaches in Agriculture and Forest Products Promotion Scheme.
25. The Chairperson also informed that the work on personal hygiene is included in the ASEAN Good Agriculture Practices for Cocoa Production.

AGENDA 11: OTHER MATTERS

26. The Meeting agreed to have each country presentation on Food Safety Standard and Regulation related to cocoa and cocoa products in the next meeting as proposed by Philippines.
27. The Meeting agreed on sharing information of Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) pertaining to cocoa and cocoa products in ASEAN Consultative Committee on Standards and Quality Prepared Foodstuff Product Working Group (ACCSQ PFPWG).  Thailand agreed to lead this new initiative.

AGENDA 12: ADOPTION OF THE REPORT

28. The Meeting unanimously adopted the Report of the Seventh Meeting of the ASEAN Cocoa Club Technical Working Group on Food Safety (ACC TWGFS) held on 6th May 2015 in Bangkok, Thailand.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

29. The Chairperson of the ACC TWGFS expressed her gratitude and thanks to all delegates for their active participation in the Meeting.
30. The delegates from Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand, and Viet Nam expressed their sincere appreciation to the government of Thailand for the excellent arrangements made for the Meeting and the warm hospitality accorded to them.
31. The Meeting was held in the traditional spirit of ASEAN cordiality and solidarity.