These Guidelines provide guidance for responding to food safety emergencies. They apply to situations where the competent authority becomes aware of a food safety emergency, and action must be undertaken to communicate the risks associated with the emergency. Due to trade globalization and increased import/export operations, it is possible that the management of a food safety emergency is the responsibility of more than one competent authority, and timely and coordinated collaboration among all relevant stakeholders, including food business operators and consumers, is required to ensure an effective response. The guidance also applies to feed5whenever the use of the feed may result in unsafe food. The Guidelines apply to a food safety emergency where the food safety hazard and food product has been specifically identified. They may also apply to situations where the food safety hazard has not been identified, but relevant scientific information suggests a link between consumption of a food and the appearance of serious health effects. The Guidelines apply to food safety emergencies associated with imported or exported food or food that may potentially be imported or exported. The Guidelines may also apply to such emergencies where feed for food producing animals is implicated6. The Guidelines do not apply to import rejections caused by failure to comply with importing country requirements. These situations are covered in the Guidelines for the Exchange of Information between Countries on Rejections of Imported Food (CAC/GL 25-1997).