Zimbabwe

Codex Contact Point

Government Analyst Laboratory, Ministry of Health and Child Care, P.O. Box CY 231, Causeway, Harare, Zimbabwe

Telephone:
+263 4 792026/7
+263 4 705261, +263 712 875 435,

Fax:
+263 4 705261

Email:
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]

Competent authorities

Name of authority:
FOOD STANDARDS ADVISORY BOARD FSAB
Mandate/competence:
-NATIONAL CODEX COMMITTEE
-FOOD CERTIFICATION AND REGISTRATION
-DRAFTING AND AMENDING OF FOOD LAWS AND REGULATIONS
-FOOD SAFETY RISK MANAGEMENT
-IMPORT AND EXPORT FOOD SAFETY AND QUALITY CERTIFICATION

Name of authority:
GOVERNMENT ANALYST LABORATORY
Mandate/competence:
NATIONAL FOOD SAFETY LABORATORY

Name of authority:
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH/PORT HEALTH
Mandate/competence:
ENFORCEMENT OF FOOD LAWS AND REGULATIONS
-IMPORT AND EXPORT BORDER CONTROL
-FOOD PREMISES INSPECTION

Name of authority:
VETERINARY DEPARTMENT/MINISTRY OF HEALTH
Mandate/competence:
-ANIMAL HEALTH CONTROL
-VETERINARY DIAGNOSTICS
-ABBATOIR INSPECTIONS

Name of authority:
PLANT QUARANTINE SERVICES
Mandate/competence:
-PLANT HEALTH
-FARM FEEDS AND REMEDIES REGISTRATION
-FARM FEEDS AND REMEDIES SAFETY AND QUALITY CONTROL
-

Name of authority:
MEDICINES CONTROL AUTHORITY
Mandate/competence:
VETERINARY DRUG REGISTRATION AND CONTROL

Name of authority:
NATIONAL BIOTECHNOLOGY AUTHORITY
Mandate/competence:
REGISTRATION AND CONTROL OF BIO AND EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES.
CONTROL OF GMO PLANTS AND FOODS.

Name of authority:
MUNICIPAL HEALTH AUTHORITIES
Mandate/competence:
ENFORCEMENT OF FOOD LAWS AND REGULATIONS
-FOOD PREMISES INSPECTION AND REGISTRATION IN MUNICIPALITIES

INFOSAN Emergency Contact Point

DIRECTOR-ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT
Ministry of Health and Child Care
P.O.Box CY1122
Causeway ,
Harare.
[email protected].

Food safety and consumer protection – laws and regulations

The current list of legislation, related to food safety and consumer protection in each country, is extracted from FAO's database on Food Legislation FAOLEX. While FAOLEX makes every effort to serve as a high quality, reliable source of information, no guarantee is given that the information provided in FAOLEX is correct, complete, and up-to-date.

The national Codex programme

National Codex consultative mechanism

The NCC is made up of all stakeholders in food safety. The Ministry of Health and Child Care's FSAB acts as the NCC. The Government Analyst Laboratory's Deputy Director-Food Control is the Secretary to the NCC and provides secretariat services to all 9 Technical Committees. The TCs are hosted by different government departments which members of the NCC. 16 members of the NCC are drawn from Ministries of Agriculture, Health, Industry and Commerce, Science and Technology, as well as National Standards Body (SAZ) Consumer Council of Zimbabwe(CCZ) National Farmers Unions, Law Society of Zimbabwe, Grocery Manufacturers Association, Retailers Association of Zimbabwe. Each of the 9 Technical Committees draws membership from the above organisations and other interested stakeholders. Each TC was assigned relevant CODEX sub-committees to mirror. Having discussed the relevant sub-committee issues they forward their decisions to the NCC for approval and endorsement.

Providers of scientific and technical input to national consultation on Codex

In the Nutrition TC, various stakeholders listed below have given input into the development of the CODEX Definition for Biofortification.
National Biotechnology Authority.
Government Analyst Laboratory
SIRDC- Scientific Industrial Research and Development's Food and Nutrition Council
FAO
Private Manufacturing companies
University of Zimbabwe

Risk Assessments and Scientific Data

National bodies providing risk assessment and scientific advice

The FSAB provides some limited risk assessment to other competent authorities such as the inspectorate(Port Health/Environmental Health and Municipal Health Authorities), Nutrition Dept.
The Universities e.g University of Zimbabwe also provide risk assessment data and information to the risk management institutions within the Ministry of Health and Child care.

Risk assessment, risk profiles, scientific opinions

Currently there are none available in public domain.

Official Laboratories

Official Laboratory:
Goverment Analyst Laboratory
Official Competence:
Major National Official Food Safety Laboratory for Zimbabwe.
Analytical Services-Food Safety and Quality surveillance.
Analysis of food and food products (locally manufactured, imported or for export) to determine suitability for consumption and for certification for import or export.
Analysis of drinking water(including bottled water) to determine suitability for drinking prior to certification and for routine monitoring.
Permanent member of FSAB, National Codex Committee, SPS and TBT Committees and Secretariat.

Review Food Laws and Regulations.
Product Analysis and Testing - Verify, Certify and Inform the Inspectorate, the Minister and Stakeholders.

Defends Certificate of Analysis in Courts of Law.
AMR surveillance in all foods tested.

Official Laboratory:
Central Veterinary Laboratory.
Official Competence:
Food testing services:
Food microbiology;
Food residue testing;
AMR surveillance in foods

Official Laboratory:
Research and Specialist Services Laboratory
Official Competence:
Tests agro-remedies for compliance with the Fertilizers, Farm Feeds and Remedies Act Chapter 18.12

Official Laboratory:
Local Health Authorities Laboratories
Official Competence:
Limited analysis of drinking water samples.

Official Laboratory:
National Biotechnology Laboratory
Official Competence:
Testing of foods to check for GM content.

Surveillance of foodborne diseases and monitoring of food contamination

National surveillance systems – foodborne disease in humans

The national Intergrated Disease Surveillance and Reporting System

National monitoring systems – foodborne hazards in the food chain

No stand alone centralised and coordinated system for collecting and monitoring food-borne hazards along the supply chain. Done as per individual institution.