Trade restriction rationale for food safety implementation: Evidence from Southeast Asian Countries

Abstract

In response to the widespread use of food safety standards as a tool for restricting international trade, this study attempts to answer whether Southeast Asian countries follow this protectionist trend or not. It employs the political economy framework and focuses on the case of the implementation of maximum residue limits (MRLs) on 113 food products which these countries import from their trading partners. The study utilizes the logit model and marginal effects to find the determinants of MRLs implementation. The estimation includes both the sevencountries and the single-country models. As for the former, the result indicates that Southeast Asian countries simultaneously use MRLs both to raise people's quality of life via food safety implementation and to protect import-competing producers. On the other hand, each single-country model provides a clearer picture of the reasons for its enforcement of MRLs; one is with trade restriction motive, while the others are with welfare improving purpose. when Thailand and the United States negotiated on their FTA, she was part of the Thai negotiating team. Because of her long experience on international economic relations, when she entered the academic career, she continues to pursue her interest on this issue and expands it to cover such a new trade-related topic as standards. As Kasetsart University, her current work-place, is considered as the country's authority on agricultural matters, Wuthiya expands her horizon to include various topics relating to international trade in food and agriculture. PUBLIC INTEREST STATEMENTIn spite of their legitimate purpose of improving consumer welfare, food safety standards, especially maximum residue limits (MRLs) for chemical substances, have been used as trade protection measures. This paper examines the determining factors of the use of MRLs in Southeast Asian countries. Being able to identify their determinants could pave the way for an interpretation of the rationale for the MRLs implementation. This will show if it is to enhance consumer welfare through food safety enforcement or to create import barriers. The paper finds inconclusive reasons for the MRLs implementation in the region as a whole. These countries use MRLs both to improve people's well-being and to protect import-competing producers. In contrast, each nation seems to have its different reasons for the implementation of MRLs. The results of both the region and the each country should allow domestic and foreign stakeholders to respond more appropriately and minimize possibly unfavorable consequences.

Critical Evaluation of Two Qualitative Analytical Approaches for Multiclass Determination of Veterinary Drugs in Bovine Muscle Using UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap: The Wind of Change in Brazilian Monitoring

“…Pharmacologically active substances/marker residues from eight different groups were included in the analytical scope namely: antimicrobials from different classes [aminoglycosides (10), amphenicols (3), beta-lactams (14), lincosamides (2), macrolides (9) quinolones/ fluoroquinolones (10), sulfonamides (13), tetracyclines (4) and others (9)], growth promoter (3), anticoccidials (15), anti-inflammatory (16) (non-hormonal and steroidal), antiparasitic (23) and their metabolites (8), beta agonists (5), sedatives (6), and dyes (2) and their metabolites (2). Commercial analytical standards for the total of 154 substances searched were acquired from different manufacturers: Dr Ehrenstorfer (Augsburg, Germany), LGC Standards GmbH (Wesel, Germany), Toronto Research Chemicals (TRC Inc.) (North York, ON, Canada), Sigma-Aldrich (St. Louis, MO, USA) e Witega (Berlin, Germany).…”

“…This is because exposure to such residues represents a potential health risk, causing antimicrobial resistance [ 9 , 10 ] and allergic reactions [ 11 ]. In addition, they can trigger trade restrictions [ 12 , 13 , 14 ] and impacts on the environment [ 15 ]. As such, it is imperative to strictly control these residues in foods of animal origin, aiming at their safety throughout the production chain.…”