51. The Committee recalled that the mandate given by the 23rd Session of the Commission to the Committee on Sugars was to consider three groups of amendments proposed by the Delegation of Mauritius and other Member Countries on:
52. The Committee agreed to establish an Ad Hoc Working Group to be chaired by Dr Roger Wood, United Kingdom, to examine proposed methods of analysis for inclusion in the Standard for Sugars.
DEFINITION OF RAW CANE SUGAR AND SOFT SUGARS
53. The Committee agreed to insert the word “cane” before the word “molasses” in the definition of Raw Cane Sugar. However, it did not support any further proposed amendments. The Committee noted, however, additional proposals for the definition of Raw Cane Sugar.
54. The Committee accepted the proposal to remove the brackets from “plus invert sugar’ in the definition of Soft Brown Sugar and Soft White Sugar, but did not accept the proposal to insert “raw” before “sugar” in the definition of Soft Brown Sugar. The Delegation of Portugal, referring to the EU comments in CRD 3, indicated that soft sugars had been produced by refiners for many decades and that their products were indeed refined soft sugars and could not be described as “raw.” This view was supported by the Delegation of the US. The Delegation of Brazil expressed its reservation in this regard and its support for the proposal of Mauritius.
FOOD ADDITIVES AND CONTAMINANTS
Maximum Level of Sulphur Dioxide
55. The Committee debated the proposal for the reduction of sulphur dioxide level from 15mg/kg to 10mg/kg for white sugar, powdered sugar, dextrose anhydrous, dextrose monohydrate, powdered dextrose, fructose. The Delegation of the United States requested that the level of 15mg/kg should be maintained because of the use of sulphur dioxide in the processing of sugar from maize. The Delegation of Portugal indicated that such amount had no technological effect and that some consumers might have some problems at higher level. The Committee took note that the Codex Committee on Food Additives and Contaminants (CCFAC) was considering this issue on a horizontal basis. There was no consensus to recommend to the Commission to reduce the level of sulphur dioxide to 10 mg/kg.
Heavy Metals
56. The Committee noted that the levels of arsenic and lead would be considered by the CCFAC and therefore no action was required at this stage.
METHODS OF ANALYSIS FOR INCLUSION IN THE STANDARD
57. The Committee expressed its appreciation to the Chairman of the Ad Hoc Working Group, Dr Roger Wood who introduced the Report of the Ad Hoc Working Group (see Appendix IV to this report) for the work done and agreed to the proposed actions, subject to endorsement by the Codex Committee on Methods of Analysis and Sampling. Those actions were as follows:
Section 6.1.3: Polarisation in Powdered Sugar
58. ICUMSA (1994) GS 2/3-1 to be maintained, after filtration if necessary to remove any anti-caking agent (endorsed as Type II method). A footnote to include: “Care needs to be taken if anti-caking agents such as starch are present as the method may then not be appropriate.”
Section 6.8.1 Sulphur Dioxide in White Sugar, Plantation or Mill White Sugar, Soft White Sugar and Soft Brown Sugar, Powdered Sugar, Powdered Dextrose and Raw Cane Sugar
59. ICUMSA (1998) GS 2/3-35 / NMKL 135 /EN 1988-2 (1998) to be replaced by: ICUMSA (1998) GS 2/3-35 / NMKL 135 (1990) / EN 1988-2 (1998) (Type II method) and ICUMSA method (1998) GS2/7-33 (Type III method).
Section 6.10: Arsenic
60. AOAC 952.13 (Codex general method) or ICUMSA (1994) GS 2/3 - 25 to be replaced by: AOAC 952.13 (Codex general method) (Type II method), ICUMSA (1994) GS 2/3 - 25 (Type III method) and ICUMSA (1994) GS2/3-23 (Type III method).
Section 6.11 Lead
61. AOAC 997.15 - graphite furnace AA method (Type II method) or ICUMSA (1998) GS 2/3 - 24 (Type II method - identical to AOAC method) to be replaced by: AOAC 997.15 - graphite furnace AA method (Type II method) or ICUMSA (1998) GS 2/3 - 24 (Type II method - identical to AOAC method) and ICUMSA GS 2/1/3 - 27 (1994) (Type IV)
Section: Annex 2.2: Conductivity Ash In Fructose
62. ICUMSA (1994) GS 2/3 - 17 (Type I method) to be maintained.
Section: Annex 3: Invert Sugar Content
63. ICUMSA (1997) GS 2/3-5 (Type I method) to be maintained.
Section: Annex 3.2 Invert Sugar In Plantation Or Mill White Sugar (0.1% M/M)
64. ICUMSA (1994) GS 1/3/7 - 3 (Type I method) to be replaced by: ICUMSA GS 2-6 1998 (Type I method).
Section: Annex 7.1: Colour In White Sugar, Powdered Sugar, Plantation Or Mill White Sugar And Soft White Sugar
65. ICUMSA (1994) GS2/3-9 (Type I method) to be replaced by ICUMSA (1998)GS2-10 (Type I method)
STATUS OF THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE REVISED STANDARD FOR SUGARS
66. The Committee unanimously agreed to advance the proposed amendments to the Revised Standard for Sugars to the 24th Session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission with the recommendation that the amendments be adopted at Step 5/8 (See Appendix III of this report).
