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codexalimentarius > Themes > Nutrition and Labelling

Nutrition and Labelling

With advancements in technology, it is possible today to produce food that caters to innumerable preferences and expectations. Confronted by so many options, consumers nowadays are often faced with the challenge of understanding exactly what they are buying and consuming. Food information, such as nutrients and ingredients, are more important than ever before in helping consumers make informed choices when buying food.

The role of Codex in Nutrition and Labelling

Codex provides guidance on the compositional requirements of foods so that they are nutritionally safe. Codex also provides guidance on general labelling of foods and the health or nutrient claims producers make on labels, with terms such as "low fat", "high fat" etc. Codex guidance ensures that consumers understand what they are buying and that "it is what it says it is". 

The Codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary uses (CCNFSDU) addresses a wide range of technical and regulatory issues for foods that can contribute to the prevention of nutritional deficiencies and diet-related non-communicable diseases. The Codex Committee on Food Labelling  (CCFL) sets standards and guidelines for nutrition information on food packages enabling consumers to make informed food choices. As fora in which member countries, leading industry associations and consumer organisations actively participate, the Nutrition and Labelling committees are important tools for influencing the food system and gaining global consensus on nutrition topics.

Related Codex Texts

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News

World Health Day: Codex addresses our right to quality information

Under the theme “My health, my right”, this year’s World Health Day is championing “the right of everyone, everywhere to have access to quality health services, education, and information.” From a Codex perspective, the theme touches on many aspects of food standards setting work. The Codex Alimentarius itself is an open access resource of all the science-based information developed into standards, guidelines and codes of practice that support countries to ensure food produced both domestically and for export is safe [...]
07 April 2024

CCNFSDU / willingness to complete work ensures follow-up formula text adopted

The Codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses (CCNFSDU) met virtually on 15 March 2023 to successfully adopt the report of the session, sending the “Standard for Follow-Up Formula for Older Infants and Product for Young Children” for final adoption by the Codex Alimentarius Commission in November this year. The Chairperson of CCNFSDU Anja Brönstrup, Germany, congratulated the committee on its work, the milestones achieved and the special willingness amongst delegates to complete topics some of which, such [...]
15 March 2023

Continent-wide webinar focuses on how improved food safety is essential to achieve nutrition targets and end malnutrition

By Lusibilo Witson MWAMAKAMBA WHO The African Union Commission (AUC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) held a successful webinar on 23rd February 2023 in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the World Food Programme (WFP) and the Codex Coordinating Committee for Africa (CCAFRICA). The webinar was held on the heels of the recently concluded African Union Year of Nutrition, 2022 and highlighted the inextricable links between food safety and nutrition to achieve optimal health [...]
14 March 2023

Much to celebrate at the Codex nutrition committee on women’s day

This International Women’s Day, 8 March 2023, the UN is calling on governments, activists and the private sector alike to power on in their efforts to make the digital world safer, more inclusive and more equitable. The Codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses (CCNFSDU), taking place in Duesseldorf, Germany from 7 to 10 March has much to celebrate with women the focus of a hugely successful start to the session. The first day of discussion saw the [...]
08 March 2023

CCNFSDU / Council for Responsible Nutrition symposium open to all Codex delegates

The Council for Responsible Nutrition, a Codex Observer organization, will hold an in-person symposium on 5 March 2023 in Düsseldorf, Germany, prior to the Codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses (CCNFSDU). Speakers include Lynnette Neufeld, Director of the Food and Nutrition Division in FAO. Topics that will be discussed include: Populations in crisis: A global overview of health challenges and policy efforts Between nutrient deficiency and chronic disease: How nutrition has evolved Adapting nutrition intervention studies to demonstrate health impact.   Learn [...]
10 February 2023

RUTF / New Codex guideline will protect vulnerable children

The agreement reached at the Codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses on a new guideline on Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Foods (RUTF) means there will now be an official document that can serve as a reference for national governments to use in their policies for nutritional treatment of childhood wasting, says Alison Fleet of UNICEF’s supply division. This guideline is expected to be used as a tool for regulation of RUTF products that are given to vulnerable populations, and [...]
03 December 2021

Key Facts

  • 793 million people suffer from chronic hunger.
  • 161 million children under the age of five are stunted.
  • 3.4 million people die each year due to overweight and obesity.
  • The cost of malnutrition is of about 3.5 trillion USD per year.

Nutrition and Food Systems

Boitshepo Giyose, Senior Nutrition Officer of the FAO Nutrition and Food Systems Division, explains the importance of nutrition and how it should be main streamed across all sectorial policies

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