With the adoption of the report of the 44th session of the Codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses (CCNFSDU), the Committee’s Chairperson congratulated delegates “on such a successful meeting.” She continued: “This was a very intense week of work; thank you for staying engaged to the very end, for all the work and the constructive discussions.”

Commenting on the achievements of the week, she said “I am happy that we took a great step forward on NRVs and finalized the guidelines and have new work on our agenda for CCNFSDU45.”

While no specific standards were up for discussion in this session, there was nonetheless a full and wide-ranging agenda that included, as often with this Committee, subjects relating to foods for infants and young children, which attract particular scrutiny and meticulous attention. There were two agenda items dealing with nutrient reference values (NRVs-R) for persons aged 6–36 months: consideration of the draft general principles for the establishment of NRVS-R for persons aged 6–36 months and piloting the draft general principles on the agreed-upon nutrients. The Committee agreed to forward the proposed general principles for the establishment of NRVS-R for persons aged 6–36 months to the Codex Alimentarius Commission for adoption in November (CAC47). It is proposed that these guidelines be included in a part B of annex 1 to the Guidelines on Nutrition Labelling (CXG 2-1985). The Committee further agreed to advance NRVs-R for vitamins A, B6, K and E, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, calcium, copper, iodine, potassium, zinc and protein to Step 8 for adoption by CAC47 and subsequent inclusion in the Guidelines on Nutrition Labelling. An electronic working group will further discuss a number of NRVs-R for other vitamins and minerals, including B12and magnesium, for consideration by CCNFSDU45.

Discussion took place on the technological justification for several food additives, since the Committee is responsible for evaluating the technological justification for using food additives in products covered by its standards. As such, the Committee concluded that there is no technological need for the use of guar gum (INS 412), distarch phosphate (INS 1412), phosphated distarch phosphate (INS 1413), acetylated distarch phosphate (INS 1414) and hydroxypropyl starch (INS 1440) in foods conforming to the Standard for Infant Formula and Formulas for Special Medical Purposes Intended for Infants (CXS 72-1981). The Committee, did, however, agree to the use of the food additives listed as nutrient carriers in the Advisory Lists of Nutrient Compounds for Use in Foods for Special Dietary Uses intended for Infants and Young Children (CXG 10-1979) under the Standard for Canned Baby Foods (CXS 73-1981).

The Committee discussed several proposals for new work. It was agreed that a proposal to start new work on harmonized probiotic guidelines for use in foods and food supplements could be reconsidered in the future once FAO and WHO have reviewed relevant documents, incorporating new scientific evidence on probiotics. However, the Committee did agree to forward to CAC47 a proposal to develop a standard for foods for older infants and young children.

Read more

CCNFSDU44 webpage