6. The Commission received reports concerning the Third and Fourth Sessions of the Coordinating Committee for Europe held in May 1966 (Vienna) and November 1966 (Rome). These Reports were considered by the Codex Alimentarius Commission and immediately follow in extenso paragraph 6 of this Report.
The Commission noted the report of Professor O. Högl, Chairman of the Codex Committee on Natural Mineral Waters and confirmed under Rule IX.10 that the Codex Committee on Natural Mineral Waters should continue to be under the chairmanship of the Government of Switzerland.
The Commission noted the report of Dr. E. Forschbach, Chairman of the Codex Committee on Dietetic Foods and agreed with the recommendation of the Committee that the “Guidelines for the Elaboration of Standards on Dietetic Foods” contained in an Annex to the Report of the First Session should be sent by the Secretariat of the Commission to governments for their comments. The Commission also recommended that these guidelines should be brought to the attention of the next sessions of the Codex Committees on Food Labelling and Food Additives. The Commission requested those countries which had undertaken work assignments for the next session of the Committee to submit their documents well in advance of the meeting to enable the Secretariat of the Committee to prepare the working papers for distribution to the participants well in advance of the meeting. The Commission decided that the Codex Committee on Dietetic Foods should be authorized to elaborate world-wide standards but that where it was not found possible by the Committee to reach agreement on a world-wide standard it would retain its authority to proceed with the elaboration of regional standards. The Commission also expressed its appreciation of the Federal Republic of Germany's willingness to accept responsibility for the Codex Committee on Dietetic Foods with its revised mandate concerning world-wide standards. The Commission confirmed under Rule IX.10 that the Codex Committee on Dietetic Foods should continue to be under the chairmanship of the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany. The Second Session of this Committee with its enlarged membership would be held in November 1967.
The Commission considered the work on the standard for honey and a number of Members of the Commission who are not Members of the European region expressed the desire that the Commission should return to the decision taken at its First Session to elaborate a standard for honey on a world-wide basis. Figures on trade in honey were quoted, indicating that the trade was world-wide and that countries in the European region were large importers of honey of different types produced in other regions. The Commission, however, agreed that the Coordinating Committee for Europe should continue its work on the honey standard on a regional basis at this time. The Commission asked that the Coordinating Committee for Europe should recommend at its next session whether the standard for honey should be developed on a regional or world-wide basis. Some Members of the Commission wished for extra time to find out whether the analytical figures on various criteria for honey produced in their countries would meet the proposed requirements in the standard. The Commission also emphasized that in redrafting the standard comments from governments of all Member Countries of FAO and WHO should be taken into account. It was suggested that the differences, if any, in criteria between European and other honeys should be pointed out by the Coordinating Committee in its report to the Commission. The Commission was informed that it was hoped to hold the next meeting of the Coordinating Committee, with honey as the main subject on the agenda. This meeting could probably take place in September 1967 in Vienna and would, subject to confirmation to the Director-General of FAO be financed entirely by the Austrian Government. In view of the fact that the methods of analysis for honey after the proposed meeting in September would need to be considered by the Codex Committee on Methods of Analysis and Sampling in October 1967, there would be little time before the next session of the Commission. The Secretariats of the Committees involved were requested to expedite the distribution of the honey working papers as much as possible. The Commission, in the light of the foregoing, considered that it would probably not be necessary to hold a session of the Coordinating Committee in conjunction with the Commission's next session but that a session of the Committee should be held later in 1968.
Vienna, 24–27 May 1966
INTRODUCTION
1. The Third Session of the Coordinating Committee for Europe was held 24–27 May 1966 in Vienna by courtesy of the Government of Austria. The meeting was opened by Mr. Soronics, State Secretary in the Ministry for Social Affairs. Apologies were received from the Coordinator for Europe, Minister a. D. Dr. H. Frenzel, who was temporarily indisposed. Dr. Frenzel's deputy, Dr. R. Wildner, presided as Chairman of the meeting. The meeting was attended by delegates and observers from the following countries of the European region: Austria, Belgium, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, France, Federal Republic of Germany, Hungary, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom, Yugoslavia, and observers from the following non-European countries: Cuba, New Zealand and United States of America. Observers from four international organizations were also present. Representatives of FAO and WHO were the joint secretaries of the meeting.
2. The provisional agenda was adopted by the Committee after some rearrangement of the order of items of business.
PROGRESS REPORT OF THE COORDINATOR FOR EUROPE
3. Dr. Wildner gave, on behalf of the Coordinator for Europe, a detailed progress report of the work of the various Codex Committees which had held meetings since the last session of the Coordinating Committee. The report indicated that significant progress had been made by most of the Codex Commodity Committees and that a number of draft standards had been issued to governments for detailed comment at Steps 3 and 6 of the Codex Alimentarius Commission's Procedure for the Elaboration of Standards. A draft provisional standard for margarine would shortly be sent to all Member States and Associate Members of FAO and WHO for comment in accordance with Step 6 of the Commission's Procedure for the Elaboration of Standards.
4. Dr. Wildner advised the Coordinating Committee of a number of future meetings of the Codex Committees which would be taking place before the Fourth Session of the Coordinating Committee. These were as follows:
Third Meeting of the Codex Committee on Food Hygiene,
31 May - 3 June 1966 at FAO Headquarters, Rome.
Third Meeting of the Codex Committee on Processed Fruit and Vegetables,
6 – 10 June 1966, FAO Headquarters, Rome.
Ninth Session of the Joint FAO/WHO Committee of Government Experts on
the Code of Principles concerning Milk and Milk Products,
20 – 25 June 1966, FAO Headquarters, Rome.
Second Meeting of the Codex Committee on Meat and Meat Products,
4 – 8 July 1966, at Kulmbach, Bavaria.
Second Meeting of the Codex Committee on Food Labelling,
25 – 29 July 1966, at Ottawa, Canada.
First Meeting of the Codex Committee on Fish and Fishery Products,
29 August - 2 September 1966, at Bergen, Norway.
EUROPEAN REPRESENTATION IN THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE CODEX ALIMENTARIUS COMMISSION
5. In accordance with the recommendation of the Codex Alimentarius Commission at its Third Session the Swiss and Austrian delegations submitted a proposal recommending that Europe should have two seats in the Executive Committee of the Codex Alimentarius Commission. (Document SP 10/8, 21st April 1966). In view of the large participation of European countries in the work of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, a second seat, to ensure the full and proper representation of their interests was proposed. The Committee fully considered this proposal, and also its possible implications in respect of the other regions represented in the Executive Committee. The majority of delegations agreed that Coordinators appointed for the Commission's regions should be ex officio members of the Executive Committee. The Austrian and Swiss delegations indicated their agreement to this alternative solution and formally withdrew their original proposal. The delegations of Denmark, the Netherlands, Poland and Sweden stated that as for the time being they were not in favour of an increase in the membership of the Executive Committee; they would prefer the Coordinators to participate in all the meetings of the Executive Committee without being formal members.
INTERNAL ORGANIZATION OF THE COORDINATING COMMITTEE
6. It was recalled that the item concerning the internal organization of the Coordinating Committee had been brought forward from the previous meetings of the Committee. The Coordinator for Europe at this time had no proposals to make as it had not been possible for him to consult with the Chairmen of the Codex Committees located in the region of Europe. A number of delegations expressed the view that Coordinators should be able to draw upon assistance of advisers from Member Countries in the region. Other delegations thought that it was premature to consider any formal arrangements in this respect until the Coordinator for Europe had been able to consult with the Chairmen of Codex Committees in the region. It was therefore agreed to defer consideration of this subject until the Fourth Session of the Coordinating Committee in November 1966. Meanwhile, Member Countries were invited to submit to the Coordinator any proposals they wish to make in this connection.
NATURAL MINERAL WATERS
7. Prof. O. Högl, Chairman of the Codex Committee on Natural Mineral Waters, in addition to the Report of the First Meeting of the Committee, (document SP 10/122) briefly explained that a drafting group consisting of Belgium, Czechoslovakia, France, the Federal Republic of Germany and Italy had been set up by the Committee to prepare a definition of natural mineral waters. The delegate of the Federal Republic of Germany was of the opinion that it was not necessary to appoint such groups, as these would involve representatives from some countries having to attend extra meetings. A number of delegations indicated that any definition of natural mineral waters should make a clear distinction between those used as table waters and those which have therapeutic properties. According to some delegations the mineral waters with therapeutic properties would not normally be regarded as food or drink coming within the scope of the Codex Alimentarius. The attention of the Coordinating Committee was drawn to the risks arising from the use of therapeutic mineral waters in the manufacture of soft drinks. The Coordinating Committee concluded that the Codex Committee on Natural Mineral Waters would have to elaborate complete proposals for natural mineral waters.
DIETETIC FOODS
8. Dr. h.c. Edmund Forschbach, Chairman of the Codex Committee on Dietetic Foods, in addition to the Report of the First Meeting of the Codex Committee, explained that the Committee had adopted with minor adjustments the definition of dietetic foods as proposed by the Codex Alimentarius Commission at its Third Session. The definition of dietetic foods should not contain any medical criterium but in the Committee's Report it was explained that the purpose of any dietetic foods and any claim in respect of it would have to be justified on medical grounds. It was agreed that the Report of the First Meeting of the Committee should be presented as a progress report to the next session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission.
DRAFT PROVISIONAL STANDARD FOR HONEY
9. The Coordinating Committee carried out a detailed examination of the draft provisional standard for honey which had been sent to governments for comment at Step 6 of the Commission's Procedure for the Elaboration of Standards. The Committee had before it the comments of a number of European and non-European governments. The draft provisional standard was examined point by point in the light of these comments and the text of the standard as revised by the Committee is contained in Annex I to this Report.
10. The Committee in examining the draft standard wished to draw attention to the following matters:
Item 3.3 Dirty Honey
This definition should appear in the draft standard since it refers to a product which is shipped in bulk. Such honey before entering the retail trade should be filtered or clarified.
Item 4.1(b) Moisture Content
The delegation of Austria advised the Committee that Austria could not agree to a moisture content of honey exceeding 20%.
Item 4.1 (d) Water Insoluble Solids Content
The delegations of the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg advised the Committee that their national legislation permitted a higher limit of 0.8% of water insoluble solids. The Committee requested these delegations to provide more information regarding this matter when the standard was considered by the Fourth Session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission in November 1966.
Item 4.1 (f) Acidity
The delegation of Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands advised the Committee that their national legislation permitted 5.0 ml of normal sodium hydroxide solution. The delegation of Austria advised that it was not in favour of mentioning a pH degree.
Items 4.1 (g) and (h) Diastase and Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF)
After having been informed by the delegation of the Federal Republic of Germany that further research on the significance of diastase and HMF was being undertaken, the Committee recommended that interested countries should further examine these matters and send their observations and findings to the Austrian Codex Contact Point in order that these may be sent to delegates in advance of the Fourth Session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission in November 1966.
Item 6 Methods of Analysis
The Coordinating Committee decided to refer the methods of analysis tentatively contained in the draft provisional standard for honey to the Codex Committee on Methods of Analysis and Sampling. It was requested that the Committee should as a matter of priority, give consideration to these proposed methods and draw attention in the invitation to countries of the probable need to include honey experts at its second meeting in September 1966. The Coordinating Committee considered that it was now urgently required to have firm recommendations on methods of analysis in view of the advanced stage of elaboration of the draft provisional standard for honey. The United Kingdom delegation undertook to send to the Secretariat the methods of analysis contained in the standard for honey.
11. After completing its detailed consideration of the draft provisional standard for honey the Committee decided that the standard should remain at Step 7 of the Commission's Procedure for the Elaboration of Standards. In view of the need to obtain further information on the items indicated above (10), delegations were requested to supply this information and any other comments to the Austrian Codex Contact Point before 15th August 1966, so that a paper could be prepared on these matters for consideration by the Coordinating Committee at its Fourth Session in November 1966. That meeting, it was hoped, would be able to complete the standard and make a recommendation to the Codex Alimentarius Commission whether the standard should be regarded as a European or world-wide standard at Step 8. The Secretariat of the Commission was requested to make available to all Members of the Commission copies of the draft provisional standard at Step 7 as well as this Report of the Coordinating Committee so that honey could be an item of the provisional agenda of the Commission's Fourth Session. Copies of all information which are to be supplied to the Austrian delegation before 15th August 1966, should also be sent to the Secretariat in Rome. The Austrian Delegation was requested to ensure that their paper should be available to the Secretariat for distribution to governments by the 15th September next.
EDIBLE ICES
12. The Coordinating Committee had before it a paper submitted by the Swedish delegation (document LSK 106 la - SP 10/8-3rd meeting) dealing with the subject of standards for all types of edible ices. The Committee also took note that the International Dairy Federation had submitted draft standards for ice-cream and milk ices for consideration by the Ninth Session of the Committee of Government Experts on the Code of Principles concerning Milk and Milk Products. A proposal was submitted to the Coordinating Committee suggesting that a subsidiary body of the Codex Alimentarius Commission be given responsibility to elaborate standards for all types of edible ices (milk and non-milk products). In view of the diverging views on edible ices and ice-cream it was recommended that this proposal should be referred to the Codex Alimentarius Commission for decision. Meanwhile the Committee of Government Experts on the Code of Principles on Milk and Milk Products should have at its Ninth Session the Swedish document and be invited to submit observations on the whole subject of edible ices to the next session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission. It was further noted that the Government of Sweden would be prepared to accept responsibility for a Codex Committee to elaborate standards for all types of edible ices should this be the wish of the Codex Alimentarius Commission.
OTHER BUSINESS
13. Broths and Soups
The Committee received a report from the delegation of Switzerland concerning the possibility of elaborating European standards for broths and soups. The Coordinating Committee decided to place this subject as an item on the provisional agenda of the Fourth Session of the Coordinating Committee in November next.
14. Canned Fruits
The delegation of Switzerland drew the attention of the Committee to the fact that most European countries had not found it necessary in their legislation to have standards as detailed as those which were being elaborated by the Codex Committee on Processed Fruit and Vegetables. The Secretariat informed the Committee that a number of European and non-European countries in commenting on these standards at Step 3 had made similar observations to those contained in the Swiss document. The Coordinating Committee throught that the Swiss proposals were of general interest to a number of countries and should be discussed at the Third Meeting of the Codex Committee on Processed Fruit and Vegetables meeting in Rome, 6–10 June 1966. The Swiss delegation undertook to submit their paper to the Secretariat so that it could be translated and placed before the Codex Committee on Processed Fruit and Vegetables.
DATE AND PLACE OF NEXT MEETING
15. The Committee was informed that the probable date of the next session of the Committee would be 8 November 1966 at FAO Headquarters in Rome.
ANNEX I
1. Definition of Honey
Honey means exclusively the sweet substance produced by honey bees from the nectar of blossoms or from secretions of or on living parts of plants, which they collect, transform and combine with specific substances and store in honey combs.
2. Description
Honey consists essentially of a concentrated solution of different sugars. Fructose remains for the most part in a state of solution. Besides glucose and fructose, honey contains sucrose, maltose, melezitose, oligosaccharides, dextrines, protein, enzymes, organic acids, pollen and other substances, and may include fungi, algae, yeasts and other solid particles resulting from the process of obtaining the honey. The colour of honey varies from water-white to brownish black. The consistency can be fluid, viscous or partly or entirely crystallised. The flavour and aroma various but usually derives from the plant source.
3. Subsidiary Definitions and Designations
3.1 According to source:
Blossom or nectar honey is the honey which comes mainly from nectaries of flowers and has an invert sugar content of more than 70%.
Honeydew Honey is honey which comes mainly from plant exudates and exudations on plants and has an invert sugar content of more than 60%. It may be fluid to viscous and of a light colour to brown or almost black in colour.
Heather Honey means honey which comes from heather and has an invert sugar content of more than 70%.
Clover Honey - definition to be provided by the Netherlands to the Austrian Codex Contact Point by 15th August 1966.
3.2 According to mode of processing
Comb Honey is honey stored by bees in freshly built broodless combs and stored in the sealed cells in whole combs or parts of combs.
Drip Honey is honey obtained by allowing it to flow out of the decapped combs without recourse to any mechanical process.
Extracted Honey is honey obtained by centrifuging decapped broodless combs.
Pressed Honey is honey obtained by pressing broodless combs with or without the application of moderate heat not exceeding 45°C and without greatly altering the enzymes.
Overheated Honey is honey which has been heated to such an extent as to inactivate partially or completely the enzyme it contains.
3.3 Dirty Honey - Dirty honey means mouldy honey and honey containing insects, insects debris or eggs.
4. Composition
4.1 Compositional Criteria of Honey
| (a) | Invert sugar content | Not less than 60% |
| (b) | Moisture content | In general not more than 20% but the standard will be deemed to have been complied with if the moisture content does not exceed 22%. Heather and clover honey so described on the label should not have a moisture content of more than 23%. |
| (c) | Apparent sucrose content | Not more than (5%)* |
| Honeydew honey | Not more than (10%)* | |
| (d) | Water insoluble solids content: | |
| (i) for honey in general | Not more than 0.1% | |
| (ii) except that for pressed honey, so labelled | Not more than 0.3% | |
| (e) | Mineral content (ash) | |
Blossom honey | Between 0.08% and 0.4% | |
Honeydew honey | Not more than 1% | |
| (f) | Acidity | Not to require more than 4.0 ml of normal sodium hydroxide solution per 100 g honey for neutralization to pH 8.3 |
| (g) | Diastase figure on Gothe scale | Not less than … |
| (h) | Hydroxymethylfurfural content | Not more than … |
4.2 Additives and Additions None
4.3 Specific Prohibitions
5. Labelling
5.1 Honey shall be subject to the general provisions laid down by the Codex Committee on Food Labelling.
5.2 Subject to the provisions of paragraph 5.5 below, only products conforming to the standard may be labelled ‘honey’.
5.3 No honey may be designated by any of the designations in paragraph 3 unless it conforms to the appropriate description contained therein.
5.4 Honey may be designated according to colour, floral or plant source or geographical or topographical origin.
5.5 (a) Honey not complying with the requirements of paragraph 4.1(g),
4.1(h), 4.4(a) and 4.4(b) of this standard must, if offered
for sale, be labelled ‘industrial honey’ or ‘baking honey’.
(b) Overheated honey, if offered for sale, must be labelled
‘industrial honey’ or ‘baking honey’.
6. Methods of Analysis
6.1 The following methods of analysis should be used for determining the compositional criteria laid down in paragraph 4.1 above. They are subject to ratification by the Codex Committee on Methods of Analysis and Sampling.
Invert sugar content
Volumetric Copper Reduction. Official Methods of Analysis
of the A.O.A.C., 9th Edit. sec. 29.035 – 29.037.
Moisture content
The refractive index is determined at 20°C (if determined
at a temperature from 20°C the result is corrected to 20°C)
and the moisture content is found by reference to the
following table:
| Refractive Index (20°C) | Moisture Content (%) | Refractive Index (20°C) | Moisture Content (%) | Refractive Index (20°C) | Moisture Content (%) |
| 1.5044 | 13.0 | 1.4961 | 16.2 | 1.4880 | 19.4 |
| 1.5038 | 13.2 | 1.4956 | 16.4 | 1.4875 | 19.6 |
| 1.5033 | 13.4 | 1.4951 | 16.6 | 1.4870 | 19.8 |
| 1.5028 | 13.6 | 1.4946 | 16.8 | 1.4865 | 20.0 |
| 1.5023 | 13.8 | 1.4940 | 17.0 | 1.4860 | 20.2 |
| 1.5018 | 14.0 | 1.4935 | 17.2 | 1.4855 | 20.4 |
| 1.5012 | 14.2 | 1.4930 | 17.4 | 1.4850 | 20.6 |
| 1.5007 | 14.4 | 1.4925 | 17.6 | 1.4845 | 20.8 |
| 1.5002 | 14.6 | 1.4920 | 17.8 | 1.4840 | 21.0 |
| 1.4997 | 14.8 | 1.4915 | 18.0 | 1.4835 | 21.2 |
| 1.4992 | 15.0 | 1.4910 | 18.2 | 1.4830 | 21.4 |
| 1.4987 | 15.2 | 1.4905 | 18.4 | 1.4825 | 21.6 |
| 1.4982 | 15.4 | 1.4900 | 18.6 | 1.9820 | 21.8 |
| 1.4976 | 15.6 | 1.4895 | 18.8 | 1.4815 | 22.0 |
| 1.4971 | 15.8 | 1.4890 | 19.0 | ||
| 1.4966 | 16.0 | 1.4885 | 19.2 |
Wedmore E.B. Bee World 36.197. 1955
Rome, 8 November 1966
INTRODUCTION
1. The Fourth Session of the Coordinating Committee for Europe was held on 8th November 1966 in Rome. The meeting was opened by Prof. Dr. M.J.L. Dols, Chairman of the Codex Alimentarius Commission and attended by members of the Coordinating Committee for Europe, with Members of the Codex Alimentarius Commission from other regions as observers. Due to the decease of the Coordinator for Europe, it was necessary for the Coordinating Committee to recommend to the Commission the appointment of a new Coordinator for Europe. Dr. R. Wildner of Austria was unanimously proposed as the new Coordinator for two years and was elected to act as temporary Chairman for the Fourth Session of the Coordinating Committee for Europe.
HONEY
2. Before the Committee were the Report of the Third Session of the Coordinating Committee for Europe, including a report on the standard for honey and a draft provisional standard for honey which presented the points on this standard adopted at the meeting. This document was sent to governments for comments, and the comments received up to the time of the meeting were also before the Committee. On the basis of some of these comments the Austrian delegation had prepared a revised draft standard, which the Committee agreed to consider after some discussion, with the note that this was not to set a precedent since the document had not been circulated two months prior to the meeting. After some discussion on the technical points in the document under consideration, the Committee agreed that the standard for honey should be reconsidered by the Coordinating Committee for Europe at its next session at Step 7 of the Procedure for the Elaboration of Regional Standards. The Committee at that time should also recommend whether the standard be developed as a regional or world-wide standard. It was agreed that all the documents under consideration at this meeting (mentioned above in this paragraph) should be sent out to governments for comment. The Austrian delegation should take into account as far as possible in redrafting the standard comments from governments of all Member Countries and should include these comments in the working paper for the next session of the Committee. The working document should be sent out well in advance of the meeting, so as to enable all countries interested in the standard to consult with their experts.
BROTHS AND SOUPS
3. The Committee, after receiving a brief verbal report from the delegation of Switzerland, decided not to recommend setting up a Codex Committee on this subject at this time. The subject would be re-examined at the next session of the Committee in the light of an outline paper on the broths and soups covering the international trade in these products, reviewing any draft standards of other organizations and including a justification for the establishment of a Codex Committee on Broths and Soups.
NATURAL MINERAL WATERS
4. Prof. O. Högl, Chairman of the Codex Committee on Natural Mineral Waters, gave a verbal report on the last session held in Berne in October 1966 of the drafting committee set up by the Codex Committee on Natural Mineral Waters, and stated that a second session of the drafting committee was expected to be held about the end of January 1967. The Commission was informed that, following the January 1967 meeting of the drafting committee, it was hoped to be able to submit a text for consideration by the Codex Committee at its next session.
DIETETIC FOODS
5. The Coordinating Committee noted the statement of the delegation of the Federal Republic of Germany that the annex to the Report of the First Meeting of the Codex Committee on Dietetic Foods was regarded by that Committee as a proposed draft provisional standard at Step 3, and that this matter would be referred to the Commission when the Report of the First Meeting was under consideration.
