Which recognized bodies provide scientific advice to Codex?
The scientific basis for Codex work is provided by FAO and WHO. Scientific advice is provided by FAO/WHO expert committees and ad hoc expert consultations.
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Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA);
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Joint FAO/WHO Meeting on Pesticide Residues (JMPR);
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Joint FAO/WHO Expert Meetings on Microbiological Risk Assessment (JEMRA);
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Joint FAO/WHO Expert Meetings on Nutrition (JEMNU).
The above expert bodies meet regularly to provide expert advice which is used by relevant Codex subsidiary bodies in elaborating standards on food additives, contaminants and toxins, residues of pesticides and veterinary drugs, and microbiological hazards in food. For emerging issues such as biotechnology, antimicrobial resistance in foodborne micro-organisms, FAO and WHO have convened ad hoc expert consultations.