Toxins, Pathogens, and Foods: Challenges and Opportunities for Public Health. Epilogue to the Proceedings of the 12th International Symposium of the Joint Expert Panel on Toxic Microorganisms, United States– Japan Program on Development and Utilization of Natural Resources

摘要

The Joint Panel on Toxic Microorganisms (the Panel) is one of the original seven established in 1964 and is currently one of 18 operating under the United States-Japan Cooperative Program on Development and Utilization of Natural Resources (UJNR). The early history of the UJNR Program and the Panel has been reported by Hesseltine (Hesseltine CW, UJNR Panel on Toxic Microorganisms, In: Microbial Toxins in Foods and Feeds, Ed. AE Poland et. al. Plenum Press, New York, 1990, pp. 1-15). The scientifc discussions and other activities of the frst meeting (1966) and frst symposium (1968) were focused on botulism. With the discovery of a?atoxin as a serious food and feed safety concern, mycotoxins became an increasingly important concern of the Panel. Areas of interest have continually expanded and now include bacterial pathogens, viruses, phycotoxins, mycotoxins, and other microbiological issues that adversely a?ect consumer health, food and feed quality, food industry economics, and international trade.