This strengthening of cooperation took place at a meeting of the Food Safety Cooperation Forum in Shanghai on Tuesday, according to an APEC statement released Thursday.
"Food safety has a direct daily impact on people’s lives, and standards and conformity assessments are the invisible infrastructure that allows for this safety and builds consumer trust across borders," said Li Pengcheng, Chair of the APEC Sub-Committee on Standards and Conformance.
He highlighted the role of digital tools, including electronic certificate verification systems, in enabling smooth food trade.
He also called on member economies to implement environmentally friendly and sustainable practices across their food safety systems to benefit producers, traders, and consumers throughout the region.
Opening the forum, the Vice Minister of the General Administration of Customs of China, Wang Jun, underscored the importance of food safety cooperation as the baseline of people’s wellbeing and the cornerstone of international trade.
Vice Minister Wang called on economies to embrace new technologies and innovation while aligning food safety standards and mutual recognition frameworks to make trade smoother and food safer for all.
He added that this can only be achieved through a shared regional approach to food safety.
Nearly half of the world's population lives in the Asia-Pacific region, making it a critical global hub for food production, processing, and trade. Through consistent collaboration, APEC is now taking the lead in food safety innovations.
From plant-based formulations and cell-cultivated meat to precision fermented products and new ingredients, food innovation is accelerating, prompting the urgent need for agile and science-based regulations to minimize evolving food risks.
Across the sessions, participants converged on the need for stronger regional collaboration, identifying rapid response systems for foodborne outbreaks, harmonized pesticide limits in food, and senior-friendly food standards as key areas for collective action.
Insights from international delegates, including representatives from the FAO and the Codex Alimentarius Commission, underscored the increasingly interconnected and complex nature of food supply chains, where a single food safety incident can quickly spread across the region.
Ensuring agile food safety regulations are in place is foundational to food security for communities in APEC, according to the statement.
"Food safety has always been an important issue of common concern across the Asia-Pacific region," said Li Jinsong, Chair of the APEC Food Safety Cooperation Forum.
"It is vital for the health and wellbeing of APEC’s communities and businesses and is foundational to the resilience of our regional trade."
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Reporter: Katriana
Editor: Arie Novarina
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