29. The Committee recalled that the Executive Committee at its 43rd Session had approved the elaboration of a code of hygienic practice for aqueous coconut products as new work subject to consideration by the Codex Committee on Food Hygiene for advice on whether a specific code was required. The Committee at its last session briefly discussed the need for such a code. Some delegations supported the elaboration of a specific code of hygienic practice for aqueous coconut products but several others were of the opinion that there was no need for it as the products were well covered by the General Principles of Food Hygiene and the Code of Hygienic Practice for Low-Acid and Acidified Low-Acid Canned Foods. Due to the late availability of the document[10] the Committee at its last session decided to circulate the document to seek opinions on whether a specific code was necessary for aqueous coconut products[11].
30. The Committee agreed to propose to discontinue the work on the elaboration of the Code of Hygienic Practice for Aqueous Coconut Products as it was of the opinion that the hygienic aspects of aqueous coconut products were well covered by the above-mentioned Codex texts.
ELABORATION OF A STANDARD FOR PRODUCTS IN WHICH MILK COMPONENTS ARE SUBSTITUTED BY NON-MILK COMPONENTS (Agenda Item 6)[12]
31. The Committee was informed that the Commission at its 23rd Session noted the reservations of Malaysia and other countries in Southeast Asia and Egypt on the Draft General Standard for the Use of Dairy Terms in relation to restrictions of the use of dairy terms for those products in which the milk components had been wholly or partially substituted with non-milk components. While adopting the Draft General Standard as final text, the Commission requested the Codex Committee on Milk and Milk Products (CCMMP) to consider, as a matter of urgency, the necessity to elaborate a standard for these products, such as filled milk and derived products. Since these products appeared to be widespread in Asia, it also requested this Committee to consider this issue in parallel to the CCMMP[13]. While the Commission approved the initiation of work on this issue, it did not decide on the nature of a standard, worldwide or regional, the number of standards, or what products to be covered.
32. The Delegation of Thailand, supplemented by that of Malaysia, presented the paper. It was stated that filled milk and its products had a long history in Southeast Asia; they were important nutritional sources in developing countries; they provided greater choice to consumers; and offered greater market opportunities to milk components. These Delegations proposed that three Codex worldwide standards be elaborated to cover evaporated filled milks, sweetened and condensed filled milk and filled milk powder.
33. In response to the comments from China, it was clarified that the General Standard for the Use of Dairy Terms allowed the use of dairy terms for traditional products, such as coconut milk and peanut butter.
34. The Delegation of Japan requested that in order not to confuse or mislead those consumers not so familiar with filled milk products, additional word or phrases should appear on the label in accordance with Section 4.1.2 of the Codex General Standard for the Labelling of Prepackaged Foods to indicate that the product was not a milk product. The Delegation of India also stated that the label should carry information on the substitution and should indicate that the product was not milk. The Delegation of the Philippines pointed out that these products were prepared from skim milk and among milk components only milkfat was replaced by vegetable fat/oil.
35. Taking into consideration the international trade potential, the Committee agreed to report to the 47th Executive Committee that the following three worldwide standards should be elaborated:
- Codex Standard for Evaporated Filled Milk;The Delegations of Thailand and Malaysia offered to prepare the Proposed Draft Standards for comment at Step 3 pending approval of the Executive Committee.
- Codex Standard for Sweetened Condensed Filled Milks; and
- Codex Standard for Filled Milk Powders.
36. The Delegation of Malaysia, referring to the decision of the 2nd Session of the CCMMP that filled milk fell outside of the Terms of Reference of that Committee, noted that if the Executive Committee felt it necessary to establish an ad hoc intergovernmental task force to undertake the work, Malaysia would be willing to host the task force.
