ALINORM 04/27/12

JOINT FAO/WHO FOOD STANDARDS PROGRAMME
CODEX ALIMENTARIUS COMMISSION

Twenty-seventh Session
Geneva, Switzerland, 28 June – 3 July 2004

REPORT OF THE 36^th SESSION OF THE
CODEX COMMITTEE ON FOOD ADDITIVES AND CONTAMINANTS

Rotterdam, The Netherlands
22 - 26 March 2004

Note: This report includes Codex Circular Letter CL 2004/9-FAC

CX 4/30.2 CL 2004/9-FAC
April 2004

TO: - Codex Contact Points
- Interested International Organizations
FROM: Secretary, Codex Alimentarius Commission
Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme
Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, 00100 Rome, Italy
SUBJECT: DISTRIBUTION OF THE REPORT OF THE THIRTY-SIXTH SESSION OF THE CODEX COMMITTEE ON FOOD ADDITIVES AND CONTAMINANTS (ALINORM 04/27/12)
The report of the thirty-sixth Session of the Codex Committee on Food Additives and Contaminants will be considered by the 27^th Session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (Geneva, Switzerland, 28 June - 3 July 2004).
PART A: MATTERS FOR ADOPTION BY THE 27^TH SESSION OF THE CODEX ALIMENTARIUS COMMISSION
Draft and Proposed Draft Standards and Related Texts at Steps 8 or 5/8 of the Uniform Procedure, Respectively
1. Draft Risk Analysis Principles applied by the Codex Committee on Food Additives and Contaminants at Step 8 (para. 39 and Appendix II).
2. Draft Food Category System of the Codex General Standard for Food Additives at Step 8 (para. 68 and Appendix V).
3. Draft CCFAC Policy for Exposure Assessment of Contaminants and Toxins in Foods or Food Groups at Step 8 (para. 125 and Appendix XIV).
4. Draft Code of Practice for the Prevention and Reduction of Aflatoxin Contamination in Peanuts at Step 8 (para. 140 and Appendix XV).
5. Draft Code of Practice for the Prevention and Reduction of Lead Contamination in Foods at Step 8 (para. 168 and Appendix XVI).
6. Draft and proposed draft Revisions to Table 1 of the Codex General Standard for Food Additives at Steps 8 and 5/8 respectively (para. 81 and Appendix VI).
7. Specifications for the Identity and Purity of Food Additives (Category I) arising from the 61^st Meeting of the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) at Step 5/8 (para. 99 and Appendix XI)
8. Proposed draft Amendments to the International Numbering System for Food Additives at Step 5/8 (para. 103 and Appendix XII).
Governments wishing to propose amendments or to comment on the above texts should do so in writing in conformity with the Uniform Procedure for the Elaboration of Codex Standards and Related Texts (at Step 8 or 5/8) (Codex Alimentarius Commission Procedural Manual, Thirteenth Edition, pages 20 - 22) to the Secretary, Codex Alimentarius Commission, Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, 00100 Rome, Italy (telefax: +39.06.5705.4593; e-mail: [email protected] (preferably)) no later than 31 May 2004.
Proposed Draft Standards and Related Texts at Step 5 of the Uniform Procedure
9. Proposed draft Maximum Levels for Cadmium - rice, polished; wheat grain; potato; stem and root vegetables; leafy vegetables; and, other vegetables - (para. 182 and Appendix XXIII).
10. Proposed draft Code of Practice for the Prevention and Reduction of Aflatoxin Contamination in Tree Nuts (para. 143 and Appendix XX).
11. Proposed draft Code of Practice for the Prevention and Reduction of Inorganic Tin Contamination in Canned Foods (para. 174 and Appendix XXI).
12. Proposed draft revised Guideline Levels for Radionuclides in Foods for Use in International Trade (para. 204 and Appendix XXII).
Governments wishing to propose amendments or to comment regarding the implications which the above texts or any provisions thereof may have for their economic interests should do so in writing in conformity with the Uniform Procedure for the Elaboration of Codex Standards and Related Texts (at Step 5) (Codex Alimentarius Commission Procedural Manual, Thirteenth Edition, pages 20 - 22) to the Secretary, Codex Alimentarius Commission, Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, 00100 Rome, Italy (telefax: +39.06.5705.4593; e-mail: [email protected] (preferably)) no later than 31 May 2004.
PART B: REQUEST FOR COMMENTS AND INFORMATION
Governments and international organizations wishing to submit comments on the following subject matter are invited to do so no later than 30 September 2004 as follows: Netherlands Codex Contact Point, Ministry of Agriculture, Nature Management and Fisheries, P.O. Box 20401, 2500 E.K., The Hague, The Netherlands (Telefax: +31.70.378.6141; E-mail: [email protected], with a copy to the Secretary, Codex Alimentarius Commission, Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme, Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, 00100 Rome, Italy (Telefax: +39.06.5705.4593; E-mail: [email protected] (preferably)).
13. Draft (Step 6) and proposed draft (Step 3) Food Additive Provisions in Table 1 of the Codex General Standard for Food Additives (para. 76 and Appendix IX).
14. Proposed draft Maximum Level for Total Aflatoxins in Processed and Unprocessed Almonds, Hazelnuts, and Pistachios at Step 3 (para. 155 and Appendix XXV).
15. Proposed draft Maximum Level for Cadmium in Molluscs (including Cephalopods) at Step 3 (para. 182 and Appendix XXIII).
16. Maximum Levels for 3-MCPD (Chloropropanol) in Acid-hydrolyzed Vegetable Proteins (acid-HVPs) and Acid-HVP containing Products (para. 193).
17. Food Additives considered by the 61^st JECFA Meeting in the context of the Codex General Standard for Food Additives - INS 961 Neotame and INS 1203 Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) - (para. 21 and Appendix XXVI).
18. International Numbering System (INS) for Food Additives (proposals for additions and/or amendments).
19. Deoxynivalenol (DON) Contamination in Cereals (para. 158).
20. Mycotoxin Contamination in Sorghum (para. 160).
21. Provisional List of Main Internationally Traded Fish Species - including proposals for maximum levels for lead in different fish species - (para. 164 and Appendix XIX).
22. Priority List of Food Additives, Contaminants, and Naturally Occurring Toxicants proposed for evaluation by JECFA (paras. 78, 211, and Appendix XXVII).

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS
The thirty-sixth Session of the Codex Committee on Food Additives and Contaminants
reached the following conclusions:
Matters for Adoption/Consideration by the
27^th Session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission:
Draft and Proposed draft Standards and Related Texts at Steps 8 or 5/8 of the Uniform Procedure, Respectively
The Committee forwarded:
• the draft Risk Analysis Principles applied by the Codex Committee on Food Additives and Contaminants to the Commission, through the Codex Committee on General Principles, for final adoption at Step 8 (para. 39 and Appendix II);
• the draft Food Category System of the Codex General Standard for Food Additives to the Commission for final adoption at Step 8 (para. 68 and Appendix V);
• the draft CCFAC Policy for Exposure Assessment of Contaminants and Toxins in Foods or Food Groups to the Commission, through the Codex Committee on General Principles, for final adoption at Step 8 (para. 129 and Appendix XIV);
• the draft Code of Practice for the Prevention and Reduction of Aflatoxin Contamination in Peanuts to the Commission for final adoption at Step 8 (para. 140 and Appendix XV);
• the draft Code of Practice for the Prevention and Reduction of Lead Contamination in Foods to the Commission for final adoption at Step 8 (para. 168 and Appendix XVI);
• draft and proposed draft revisions to Table 1 of the Codex General Standard for Food Additives to the Commission for final adoption at Step 8 and 5/8 (with recommendation to omit Steps 6 and 7) (para. 81 and Appendix VI);
• Specifications for the Identity and Purity of Food Additives (Category I) arising from the 61^st JECFA Meeting to the Commission for final adoption at Step 5/8 (with recommendation to omit Steps 6 and 7) (para. 99 and Appendix XI); and,
• proposed draft amendments to the International Numbering System (INS) of Food Additives to the Commission for final adoption at Step 5/8 (with recommendation to omit Steps 6 and 7) (para. 103 and Appendix XII).
Proposed Draft Standards and Related Texts at Step 5 of the Uniform Procedure
The Committee forwarded:
• proposed draft Maximum Levels for Cadmium (rice, polished; wheat grain; potato; stem and root vegetables; leafy vegetables; and, other vegetables) to the Commission for preliminary adoption at Step 5 (para. 182 and Appendix XXIII);
• proposed draft Code of Practice for the Prevention and Reduction of Aflatoxin Contamination in Tree Nuts to the Commission for preliminary adoption at Step 5 (para. 143 and Appendix XX);
• proposed draft Code of Practice for the Prevention and Reduction of Inorganic Tin Contamination in Canned Foods to the Commission for preliminary adoption at Step 5 (para. 174 and Appendix XXI); and,
• proposed draft revised Guideline Levels for Radionuclides in Foods for Use in International Trade to the Commission for preliminary adoption at Step 5 (para. 204 and Appendix XXII).
Proposals for New Work
The Committee agreed to:
• revise the Codex General Standard for Contaminants and Toxins in Foods as new work to be undertaken by the Committee (para. 126);
• develop proposed draft Sampling Plans for Almonds, Brazil Nuts, Hazelnuts and Pistachios as new work to be undertaken by the Committee (para. 149); and,
• establish proposed draft Maximum Levels 3-MCPD (Chloropropanol) in Acid-hydrolyzed Vegetable Proteins (acid-HVPs) and Acid-HVP Containing Products as new work to be undertaken by the Committee (para. 193).
Other Matters for Consideration by the Codex Alimentarius Commission
The Committee agreed to:
• amend certain Sections of the Codex General Standard for Food Additives (para. 80 and Appendix IV);
• amend certain Sections of the Codex General Standard for Contaminants and Toxins in Foods (para. 125 and Appendix XIII);
• revoke some food additive provisions of the Codex General Standard for Food Additives (para. 83 and Appendix VII);
• discontinue work on a number of draft (Step 6) and proposed draft (Step 3) food additive provisions of the Codex General Standard for Food Additives (para. 84 and Appendix VIII);
• discontinue work on the elaboration of a proposed draft Code of Practice for the Safe Use of Active Chlorine pending the outcome of a Joint FAO/WHO Expert Consultation to assess the risk/benefits of the use of active chlorine in food processing upon availability of funds (paras. 91 - 93);
• discontinue work on the establishment of Maximum Levels for Deoxynivalenol (DON) (para. 158);
• request the Commission to endorse recommendations for food contaminant provisions in Codex commodity standards vis-à-vis the Codex General Standard for Contaminants and Toxins in Foods (para. 124); and,
• request the Commission to amend paragraph 4 of the Critical Review vis-à-vis the maintenance of the Codex General Standard for Food Additives, the Codex General Standard for Contaminants and Toxins in Foods, and other related texts developed by the Committee (para. 150).
Matters of Interest to the Codex Alimentarius Commission
and/or Codex Committee and Task Forces
Food Additives
The Committee agreed to:
• request information on some food additives considered by the 61^st JECFA Meeting in the context of the Codex General Standard for Food Additives (GSFA) as a result of changes to existing acceptable daily intakes (ADIs) and/or the establishment of new ADIs namely: INS 961 Neotame and INS 1203 Polyvinyl alcohol (para. 21 and Appendix XXVI);
• endorse food additive and processing aid provisions arising from the Codex Committee on Fish and Fishery Products, the Ad Hoc Codex Intergovernmental Task Force on Fruit and Vegetable Juices, and the Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex Standard for Chocolate and Chocolate Products) (paras. 42, 47-49, and Appendix III);
• request the Ad Hoc Codex Intergovernmental Task Force on Fruit and Vegetable Juices to clarify whether the technological function of polydimethylsiloxane was linked to a food additive use or a processing aid (para. 48);
• request the Ad Hoc Codex Intergovernmental Task Force on Fruit and Vegetable Juices to clarify whether “coconut water” should be regarded as a fruit juice and if so to include this product under Food Category 14.1.2.1 Fruit Juice of the GSFA Food Category System (para. 67);
• reconvene the ad hoc Working Group on the Codex General Standard for Food Additives under the Chairmanship of the United States prior to its next Session (para. 52);
• re-install the newly named Electronic Working Group under the Chairmanship of the United States to work through electronic means on a number of draft food additive provisions, to develop a rational and consistent proposal to address the proposed draft, draft, and adopted food additive provisions for phenolic antioxidants of the GSFA, and to present a report for consideration by the Committee well before its next Session (para. 70 and Appendix X);
• establish a working group under the direction of China to elaborate on the working principles agreed to by the Committee for the development of the GSFA and their possible improvements including the relationship between food additive provisions of the GSFA and those of commodity standards for consideration at its next Session (paras. 43, 59, and 60);
• request information on the use of draft (Step 6) and proposed draft (Step 3) food additive provisions to Table 1 of the Codex General Standard for Food Additives for consideration at its next Session (para. 76 and Appendix IX);
• include new proposed uses for food additives submitted in response to CL 2002/44-FAC and CL 2003/34-FAC in Table 1 of the Codex General Standard for Food Additives and to circulate them at Step 3 under a separate Circular Letter for consideration at its next Session (para. 77);
• discontinue the consideration of processing aids in the context of the Codex General Standard for Food Additives and update on a regular basis the Inventory of Processing Aids (IPA) (paras. 87 - 88);
• establish a working group under the direction of United Kingdom to further elaborate on a Discussion Paper on Carriers, including the use of food additives as “nutrient carriers”, for circulation, comments, and consideration at its next Session (para. 89);
• request relevant Codex Committees, including the Codex Committee on Food Hygiene, to: consider safety/benefits issues relevant to uses of active chlorine within their respective purviews, elaborate terms of reference for a possible Joint FAO/WHO Expert Consultation, and pose questions so that the Expert Consultation be comprehensive (para. 92);
• reconvene the ad hoc Working Group on Specifications prior to its next Session under the Chairmanship of the United States (para. 97);
• endorse recommendations in relation to new food additives to ensure that these were identified and designated by CCFAC and JECFA according to a common system of terminology (para. 106);
• establish a working group under the direction of the United Kingdom to prepare a document containing proposals on the harmonization of terms used by Codex and JECFA for circulation, comments, and consideration at its next Session (para. 107);
• establish a separate Working Group on the Harmonization of Terms used by Codex and JECFA to meet prior to its next Session to discuss the document produced by the above-mentioned working group and provide advice to the Committee in this respect (para. 107); and,
• entrust the establishment of functional classes that were not currently covered by the Class Names and International Numbering System for Food Additives, e.g. enzymes and propellant gases, to the Working Group on the International Numbering System for consideration at its next Session (para. 108); and,
• establish a working group under the direction of the United States to prepare a Discussion Paper on the Integration of Flavouring Agents in the Codex System for circulation, comments, and consideration at its next Session (para. 215).
Contaminants
The Committee agreed to:
• reconvene the Ad Hoc Working Group on Contaminants and Toxins under the Chairmanship of the European Community prior to its next Session (para. 114);
• endorse a number of recommendations in relation to the Codex General Standard for Contaminants and Toxins in Foods (GSCTF) e.g. to include Schedule I in the GSCTF, to exclude of quality-parameters from the GSCTF, to request Codex Committees the inclusion of maximum levels for quality-related parameters under the relevant Section(s) of commodity standards, to coordinate with the Codex Committee on Pesticide Residues the further development of the food categorization system to cover processed foods so that Schedule II can be included in the GSCTF, etc. (paras. 117 - 123); and,
• entrust the elaboration of a document containing an overview of the situation regarding Codex decisions on contaminants and toxins to the Delegations of the Netherlands and Japan for consideration at each Session of the Committee (paras. 118 - 119).
Mycotoxins in Foods and Feeds
The Committee agreed to:
• reconsider the Maximum Level for Patulin in Apple Juice and Apple Juice Ingredients in Other Beverages at a future Session in the light of the outcome of a re-evaluation to be performed by JECFA in 4 years time and the implementation of the Code of Practice for the Prevention and Reduction of Patulin Contamination in Apple Juice and Apple Juice Ingredients (paras. 130 - 131);
• limit the draft Maximum Level for Ochratoxin A to raw wheat, barley, and rye, retain the draft Maximum Level at Step 7, and place it on the Priority List for Evaluation by JECFA in 2006 (paras. 133, 136 - 137, and Appendices XVII and XXVII)
• request Iran to prepare a revised Discussion Paper on Aflatoxin Contamination in Brazil Nuts for circulation, comments, and consideration at its next Session (para. 148);
• discontinue consideration of methods of analysis for the determination of aflatoxins in tree nuts (para. 151);
• request information on deoxynivalenol (DON) contamination in cereals for consideration at its next Session (para. 158); and,
• request information on mycotoxin contamination in sorghum for consideration at its next Session (para. 160).
Industrial and Environmental Contaminants in Foods
The Committee agreed to:
• retain the draft Maximum Level for Lead in Fish at Step 7 and to review the level at its next Session in the light of the result of the evaluation of the 53^rd JECFA Meeting (1999), a list of the main internationally traded fish species, and comments received in this regard (paras. 164-165 and Appendices XVIII and XIX);
• retain the proposed draft Maximum Level for Tin in Canned Beverages and Canned Foods other than Beverages at Step 4 and to reconsider the levels at a future Session in the light of the result of the 64^th JECFA re-evaluation in 2005 (para. 171 and Appendix XXIV);
• discontinue the work on developing maximum levels for cadmium in fruits; meat of cattle, pigs, sheep, and poultry; horse meat; herbs, fungi (edible); celeriac; soybeans (dry); and, peanuts as no levels were necessary because these foods were no major contributors to cadmium intake (para. 176);
• request comments at Step 3 on the proposed draft Maximum Level for Cadmium in Molluscs (including Cephalopods) for consideration at its next Session (para. 182 and Appendix XXIII);
• establish a working group under the direction of Germany to revise the proposed draft Code of Practice for Source Directed Measures to reduce Dioxin and Dioxin-like PCB Contamination of Foods for circulation, comments at Step 3, and further consideration at its next Session (para. 185);
• discontinue the consideration of the Position Paper on Dioxins and Dioxin-like PCBs and encourage Codex Members to submit data on dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs in foods to WHO GEMS/Food Database on the understanding that WHO would report back to the Committee on the data submitted within 3 years time with a view to its possible future consideration (paras. 188 - 189);
• establish a working group under the direction of the United Kingdom to prepare an updated Discussion Paper on Chloropropanols with proposals for maximum levels in relevant commodities including acid-HVPs and foods containing acid-HVP for circulation, comments, and consideration at its next Session (para. 194);
• forward terms of reference for the JECFA evaluation on acrylamide in 2005 while establishing a working group under the direction of the United Kingdom and the United States to prepare an updated Discussion Paper on Acrylamide for circulation, comments, and consideration at its next Session (paras. 197-198);
• establish a working group under the direction of Denmark to prepare a Discussion Paper to consider issues related to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) contamination in foods for circulation, comments, and consideration at its next Session (para. 217); and,
• establish a working group under the direction of the European Community, to prepare a Discussion Paper on the possible revision of the Guideline Level for Methylmercury in Fish including the examination of other possible management options for circulation, comments, and consideration at its next Session (para. 218).
Other General Issues
Priority List of Food Additives, Contaminants, and Naturally Occurring Toxicants proposed for Evaluation by JECFA
The Committee:
• noted that the proposed evaluation of the peroxide value (PV) for instant noodles was not a question of safety and should therefore not be proposed for evaluation by JECFA. Moreover, there were no data proving a positive correlation between peroxide values of foods and food toxicological parameters (para. 209); and,
• agreed to request comments for additions or amendments to the Priority List of Food Additives, Contaminants, and Naturally Occurring Toxicants for Evaluation by JECFA for consideration at its next Session (paras. 78, 211, and Appendix XXVII).

TABLE OF CONTENTS

LIST OF APPENDICES