The Codex Guidelines for ready-to-use therapeutic foods, or RUTF, have been published in the revised format which is part of the drive in the Codex Secretariat to enhance the availability of all Codex standards, guidelines and codes of practice. By the implementation of a digital object identifier (doi) –which remains unique over the lifetime of a document, even when its location and other metadata may change – the Secretariat is aligning its texts to industry standards and taking advantage of [...]

To strengthen national food safety systems and promote the application of Codex standards, there will be a webinar on basic Codex texts on 7 December 2022, 10.00–12.00 (GMT-5). This is part of the webinar series for capacity building in the Latin American and Caribbean region. “For more than five decades Codex texts have contributed immensely to the safety and quality of the food we eat. Codex standards are used as a benchmark in international trade agreements, ensuring that trade can flow globally but not [...]

The 53rd session of the Codex Committee on Food Hygiene, hosted by the United States of America opened in San Diego, California on 27 November 2022, with over 200 participants from 63 countries registered to take part. The keynote address was given by Linda J Harris, Professor of Cooperative Extension in Microbial Food Safety, Food Science and Technology at the University of California, Davis. Linking the realities of water scarcity and foodborne outbreaks in the United States to the work of [...]

From 26 September to 1 October 2022, the Codex Trust Fund (CTF), in collaboration with the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) of the Republic of Korea, conducted a pilot training in Seoul focusing on good Codex practices and Korea’s experience in building their Codex system over the past decades. Fifteen participants from five CTF2 beneficiary countries (Bhutan, the Gambia, Maldives, Mauritius and Nepal) took part in the training which consisted of a combination of lectures covering key aspects of [...]

by Grenada Bureau of Standards The Grenada National Codex Contact Point based in the Grenada Bureau of Standards hosted a training session for National Codex Committee Members and other Codex Stakeholders. The session, held virtually on Wednesday 21 September 2022 was entitled “How to Review Codex Draft Standards”.It was facilitated by Codex Vice-Chairperson Diego Varela, Chile with forty-nine persons in attendance.  The participants came from the National Codex Committee, government ministries, private sector and consumer organizations.  Also participating were seven Contact Points [...]

To strengthen capacity for better and more effective participation in Codex work for selected Asian countries, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), organized a virtual regional workshop on “Enhancing Effective Participation in Codex Activities” from 20 to 22 September 2022. The workshop is part of a wider five-year programme sponsored by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan (MAFF) which enhances Capacity in Codex for Effective Participation and Contribution of Selected Countries in Asia. A [...]

In a preview webinar held on 22 September 2022 ahead of the 6th session of the Codex Committee on Spices and Culinary Herbs (CCSCH), taking place from 26 September to 3 October, Chairperson Dr M.R. Sudharsan, India, said the committee had learnt from its experience of operating virtually and many issues on standards being considered had been resolved by working groups meeting before the plenary sessions. “Now we are more focused, and hope delegates also have gained experience by attending [...]

The National Codex Committee of Nigeria, in collaboration with FAO Nigeria, under the sponsorship of the Codex Trust Fund, held a two-day regional workshop from 26to 27July 2022 in Lagos, Nigeria to create awareness on the importance of using Codex Standards for farmers, processors, small and medium enterprises, and to train local journalists on the reporting of Codex activities. With more than 65 participants in attendance, the general objective of the workshop was to spread information and awareness on Codex Alimentarius [...]

By Codex Contact Point, Kenya The Kenya Codex Contact Point at Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) in conjunction with the national Codex committee held an consultative workshop on 29 March 2022 with manufacturers, importers/exporters,  local traders, consumer organizations and the general public. The workshop aimed to create awareness amongst various stakeholders who are potential users of Codex standards and have a responsibility for safeguarding consumer health. The objectives of the workshop were to enlighten the participants on the use and importance of [...]

In line with the SPS Agreement, a new World trade Organization (WTO) publication on easing trade bottlenecks recommends land-locked developing countries (LLDCs) actively participate in the standard-setting processes  – under the Codex Alimentarius, the Organisation for Animal Health and the International Plant Protection Convention – to ensure that WTO sanitary and phytosanitary standards meet their needs. The WTO SPS Agreement sets out the basic rules for food safety and animal and plant health standards. SPS measures are technical in nature and [...]