Experts meeting in Macau, China 8 to 12 April 2019, will be discussing a proposal to provide an international reference guideline for biopesticides. The project would establish criteria to identify pesticides that generally pose fewer risks than conventional pesticides and are considered by many national regulators exempt from the need to set maximum residue limits. This Codex guideline would help countries such as Chile, which is leading the work, as they and many other countries base their regulations on the Codex [...]

World Health Day celebrations on 7 April call for “Health for all – everyone, everywhere”, and we are reminded that the Codex vision of “safe, good food for everyone, everywhere” is a part of that agenda. But at least half of the people in the world do not receive the health services they need, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). “Contamination of foods is the cause of a significant disease burden, which is distributed all over the world”, said Kazuaki [...]

Last week, at its 51st session in Jinan China, the Codex Committee on Food Additives (CCFA) adopted the changes needed to harmonise provisions in the 13 Codex Standards for ripened cheeses (Cheddar, Danbo, Gouda, Havarti, Edam, Samso, Emmental, Tilsiter, Saint Paulin, Provolone, Camembert, Brie and Coulommiers), removing an international trade challenge for exports of ripened cheeses. This is an important decision that will have a positive impact on the dairy sector. One of the major challenges for manufacturers, importers and exporters [...]

The Codex Committee on Food Additives, gathered for its 51st session in Jinan, China, agreed on 27 March on the priority list of substances for Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) to evaluate. This list will be forwarded to the Codex Alimentarius Commission, which is expected to endorse. Plenary session of CCFA51 - Jinan, China Around 100 substances – flavours, enzymes, sweeteners, thickeners, emulsifiers, colorants and more – which were proposed by Codex Member countries, were put on the priority [...]

As the Codex food additives meeting continues in Jinan, China, we spoke to FAO Senior Food Safety Officer Markus Lipp about the need and use for additives in food and who decides if they are safe. What do food additives do? Food additives are substances that have a specific function. For example, they make the food safer by preventing microbiological spoilage, they can be used to colour food or make the flavour, smell, taste, even texture more appealing. Some additives are [...]

Seven Codex Alimentarius Members took the stage on Tuesday 26 March to share the ways they manage food additives at national level. Australia, Brazil, China, the European Union (EU), Japan, Kenya and the United States outlined their regulatory frameworks at a side event on the second day of the 51st session of the Codex Committee on Food Additives (CCFA). Keen to capture the detailed information on screen, CCFA delegates snapped photos and, following the presentations, engaged in dialogue with the six [...]

The Codex Committee on Food Additives (CCFA) began its 51st session on Monday in Jinan, China. Food additives are added to food to fulfil important technical functions related to the safety and quality of the products, but need to be used prudently in line with scientific risk assessments and maximum levels in order not to become a problem themselves. The Committee will look at a huge number of draft food additive provisions to be adopted by the Codex Alimentarius Commission in [...]

Bordeaux, France 16-17 March 2019 Chairing a Codex meeting requires a particular skill set. The experts chosen by host governments of committees need to be able to manage, lead, plan, negotiate and communicate effectively, all this in the intense environment of an international meeting attended by delegates from the 188 Codex Member countries and 229 observer organisations. The Codex Secretariat organises regular training courses for chairs and the 2019 session was particular timely as the current cycle of meetings will see eight [...]

The Joint FAO/WHO Expert Meeting on Microbiological Risk Assessment (JEMRA) began a week-long session on Monday 11 March 2019 to discuss consolidating and updating technical guidance documents that will allow for a more current and coordinated approach to assessing microbiological hazards in food. The information provided by risk assessments helps the food industry and governments better understand and control these hazards so that food is safe for consumers. Assessing the risks associated with microbiological hazards in foods, which can occur at [...]

Codex Committee on General Principles (CCGP) Delegates from nearly 60 countries are meeting in Bordeaux, France from 11 to 15 March 2019 to discuss the procedural and general matters referred by the Codex Alimentarius Commission. “The effectiveness of Codex as a whole depends on how this committee covers these crucial issues”, said Sandrine Gaudin, Adviser for European Affairs, Prime Minister’s Private Office, France. The CCGP is a powerful, cross-cutting tool and “it must be a laboratory of innovation serving the entire working [...]