COUNCIL OF EUROPE (PARTIAL AGREEMENT)
The Commission considered a report from the Council of Europe (Partial Agreement) dealing with the activities of the Sub-Committee on the Health Control of Foodstuffs and the Working Party on the Use of Poisonous Substances in Agriculture. The Sub-Committee on the Health Control of Foodstuffs had continued its studies of the principles to be followed by the food and public health authorities in the matter of food additives. Food additives which had been studied included antimicrobials, colours, antibiotics, synthetic hormones, emulsifiers, flavours, packaging materials and anti-oxidants.
The Working Party on the Use of Poisonous Substances in Agriculture had dealt with a number of pesticide residues in foodstuffs which were important items of international trade and also the labelling of agricultural pesticides. Because of the importance of the work of the Council of Europe in the fields of food additives and pesticide residues, the Commission requested that close liaison should continue to be maintained with that Organization.
STANDING COMMITTEE ON MICROBIOLOGICAL SPECIFICATIONS FOR FOODS OF THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF MICROBIOLOGICAL SOCIETIES
The Commission considered a report of the Standing Committee on Microbiological Specifications for Foods of International Association of Microbiological Societies.
The Commission noted with interest that it was the overall purpose of this Committee to appraise public health aspects of the microbiological contents of foods, particularly those of international interest, and to make appropriate recommendations to aid in establishing on an international basis analytical methods and guides to interpretation of the significance of microbiological data.
INTERNATIONAL VINE AND WINE OFFICE (O.I.V.)
In addition to a report on the activities of the International Vine and Wine Office in the field of food standardization, the Commission received a detailed account by the representative of O.I.V. on the many activities of the Organization. These activities included the standardization of table grapes; the issuance of definitions of ordinary wine, vintage wines and mistelles; and the drafting of an International Convention for the Unification of Methods of Wine Analysis and Evaluation.
The Commission noted with great satisfaction the work of this Organization, and requested that a close relationship with the International Vine and Wine Office should be maintained.
