“Not only was this session the first full Codex committee meeting held by correspondence, it also took place during the very challenging and unexpected COVID-19 pandemic.” reflected Richard Boyd, Chairperson of the Codex Committee on Processed Fruits and Vegetables (CCPFV) as he concluded the 29th Session of the CCPFV on July 29th 2020.  Having worked by correspondence from January to July 2020, the Committee proposed five standards for adoption by the Codex Alimentarius Commission. These include standards for dried fruits, [...]

The ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic has brought challenges to our way of living, interacting and working. The way we have worked internationally to date has been turned on its head. With the cancellation of almost all physical Codex meetings for 2020, it is now essential to look to new ways of continuing the work. The 79th session of the Executive Committee of the Codex Alimentarius Commission successfully met virtually between 13 and 20th July 202. In the current context, if [...]

La 79.a reunión del Comité Ejecutivo de la Comisión del Codex Alimentarius ha recomendado que los textos fundamentales del Codex sobre higiene de los alimentos y gestión de los alérgenos alimentarios, así como una serie de normas de producto regionales y mundiales, entre ellas, las relativas a los productos a base de kava, la salsa de ají (chiles), el kiwi, el ajo y el ñame, se remitieran para su aprobación en el próximo periodo de sesiones de la Comisión, el [...]

Bajo el nombre “Importancia de los métodos oficiales del Codex Alimentarius y su uso a nivel nacional e internacional”, se realizó ayer el seminario organizado por la Agencia Chilena para Calidad e Inocuidad Alimentaria (ACHIPIA), el Instituto Interamericano  de Cooperación para la Agricultura (IICA), el Instituto de Salud Pública (ISP), el Servicio Agrícola y Ganadero (SAG) y la empresa Granotec. El objetivo de la actividad consistió en demostrar la importancia  de los métodos oficializados y utilizados por el Codex Alimentarius [...]

To celebrate World Food Safety Day (WFSD) in 2020, the Sichuan Agricultural University made a video combining their education and research on food safety with the WFSD theme, introducing the importance of basic education on food safety. The knowledge would be leveraged to promote greater awareness of food safety among more people. The university students also published a video on WeChat to reach an even wider audience, and help spread the news about WSFD and raise public awareness of food safety. [...]

En un webinario realizado el 14 de julio de 2020, titulado “Joint Action on COVID-19: Boosting our Global Response” [La acción conjunta contra la COVID-19: cómo reforzar nuestra respuesta mundial] se presentaron las siete áreas principales de intervención planteadas por la FAO en respuesta a la crisis de la COVID-19 y transmitió claramente el mensaje de que no es posible continuar trabajando de la manera usual. Si continuamos como siempre, habrá una gran pérdida de vidas. El director general de la FAO, [...]

En un momento histórico para la Comisión del Codex Alimentarius, el Comité Ejecutivo del Codex (CCEXEC) inició su 79.a reunión en forma virtual, como consecuencia de la pandemia de COVID-19, aún en curso. A lo largo de siete días (del 13 al 20 de julio de 2020) y cuatro reuniones en línea, el comité examinará una serie de normas para decidir sobre su aprobación, así como propuestas de nuevos trabajos formuladas por los comités que pudieron reunirse antes de marzo [...]

The Ministry of Public Health of Qatar organized a series of initiatives in celebration of World Food Safety Day that made news headlines in June 2020. During a webinar a draft Arab food safety policy was presented. The Arab Food Safety Team of the General Secretariat of the League of Arab States had tasked Qatar with preparing the initial draft, which is ‘to provide the technical basis for joint coordination and standardization of procedures among the competent authorities in the [...]

In observance of World Food Safety Day, the Sociedad de Inteligencia Competitiva and Le Cordon Bleu University, both based in Peru, carried out awareness-raising activities in June 2020 to promote food safety, and enhance human development as well as the competitiveness of the country. The activities culminated on 24 June (Farmers’ Day) with a virtual forum called "Food Safety, Everyone’s Business", like the 2020 global campaign theme, for which more than 750 people registered including private sector representatives, researchers, government [...]

The National Drugs and Food Authority (BPOM) in Indonesia held a webinar on 10 June entitled "World Food Safety Day: Safe Food in Markets" to commemorate the 2nd anniversary of this UN Day. Those participating included key partners in food safety practice in Indonesia and the keynote address was given by FAO Representative in Indonesia, Stephen Rudgard. Read the full report on the FAO Indonesia website.