COMMON LABELLING PROVISIONS OF MILK PRODUCT STANDARDS (Agenda Item 5)[5]

21. The CCFL at its 25th Session reviewed the food labelling provisions contained in several draft standards for milk products, but decided not to endorse these provisions, noting that a number of issues required further clarification.[6] The Codex Secretariat subsequently reviewed these provisions in the light of comments made at the CCFL and at the 22nd Session of the CAC. The Secretariat proposals were sent to Member governments for comment together with other matters requiring the attention of the Committee[7]. The present discussion paper was based on the comments received.[8]

LEADING PARAGRAPH

22. The Committee agreed to use a general paragraph which made reference to the General Standard for the Labelling of Pre-packaged Foods and the Draft General Standard for the Use of Dairy Terms.

ORIGIN OF MILK

23. The Committee agreed that there was no need to make a specific reference in most standards, since the provisions of the Draft General Standard for the Use of Dairy Terms would apply.

DECLARATION OF MILKFAT CONTENT

24. The Committee considered several options in relation to the declaration of milkfat content. In particular, it discussed whether or not the milkfat content should always be declared, or whether such a declaration should only be made in the case where the consumer would be deceived by its omission. It agreed that this question was one of a general nature and referred the matter to the CCFL for consideration. On this basis, the Committee was able to agree to a basic text to be used in all standards, with modifications as necessary in relation to the expression of the milkfat content. However, it was also agreed that fat declaration should be included in all standards for cheese products and cream.

25. The Committee noted that due to decisions of other Codex Committees, the term “low fat” should not be used outside the criteria laid down in the Codex Guidelines on Nutrition Claims.

LABELLING OF NON-RETAIL CONTAINERS

26. The Committee agreed to use a text provided by the IDF, on the understanding that this text would need to be evaluated and applied on a case-by-case basis. The Committee agreed to maintain a reference to storage instructions, as necessary, because this was required by the Recommended International Code of Practice – General Principles of Food Hygiene (CAC/RCP 1-1969, Rev.3-1997).

LABELLING ISSUES SPECIFIC TO INDIVIDUAL STANDARDS

27. The Committee agreed to the following proposals:

• In the Standard for Butter, the provisions concerning the labelling of non-retail containers would be placed in the same sequence as in other standards;

• In the Standards for Evaporated Milks, Sweetened Condensed Milks, and Milk Powders and Cream Powders, the requirement for the declaration in the ingredients list of the raw materials used for recombination or reconstitution would be deleted (evaporated and sweetened condensed milks only);

• In the Standard for Cheese, the Committee agreed that for labelling purposes the declaration of the Country of Origin referred to the country of production or last transformation of the product and not the country in which the cheese variety was first developed. The Committee decided that the individual cheese standards would be examined on a case-by-case basis regarding the application of the “country of origin” to ensure that the consumer would not be misled;

• Also in the Standard for Cheese, the Committee agreed that calcium chloride when used in cheese manufacture was a processing aid in accordance with the Codex definition for these substances. As such there should be no need to declare the addition of calcium chloride. The Committee requested the CCFAC to evaluate the inclusion of calcium chloride in the Codex Inventory of Processing Aids for this purpose.

• In the Standards for Cheese, Whey Cheese and Cheeses in Brine the Committee agreed to word the Section on The Name of the Food according to the text provided by the IDF.

28. In the Standard for Cheese, the Committee agreed that it was not necessary to apply the Date of Minimum Durability to non-retail packages of whole ripened firm, hard and extra-hard cheese which are not mould/soft-ripened and not intended to be purchased as such by the final consumer. Where the Date of Minimum Durability is not applied, the Date of Manufacture must be given. The Committee agreed to refer this labelling provision to the CCFL for endorsement.

Status of the Common Labelling Provisions of Milk Product Standards

29. The Committee agreed to refer these decisions to the CCFL for endorsement and to insert the provisions presented in Appendix III in the standards to be submitted to the CAC for adoption.