Report of the Thirty-First Session of the Codex Committee on Food Additives and Contaminants

Table of Contents

The Hague, The Netherlands, 22-26 March 1999

codex alimentarius commission

FOOD AND AGRICULTURE	WORLD HEALTH
ORGANIZATION	ORGANIZATION
OF THE UNITED NATIONS

JOINT OFFICE: Viale delle Terme di Caracalla 00100 ROME Tel.: 57051 Telex: 625825-625853 FAO I E-mail: [email protected] Facsimile: 39 06 5705.4593

ALINORM 99/12A

JOINT FAO/WHO FOOD STANDARDS PROGRAMME

CODEX ALIMENTARIUS COMMISSION
Twenty-third Session
Rome, Italy, 28 June - 3 July 1999

NOTE: This report includes Codex Circular Letter CL 1999/4-FAC.

CORRIGENDUM

A. MATTERS FOR ADOPTION BY THE CODEX ALIMENTARIUS COMMISSION

Draft Standards and Related Texts at Step 8

1. Draft General Standard for Food Additives: Revised Table 1 (paras. 46 and 56, Appendix II)

2. Draft General Standard for Food Additives: Table 3 and Annex to Table 3 (paras. 52 and 56, Appendix III)

3. Draft Specifications for the Identity and Purity of Food Additives at Step 8 (paras. 65 and 68, Appendix VII)

Governments wishing to propose amendments or to comment on the above matters should do so in writing in conformity with the Guide to the Consideration of Standards at Step 8 (see Procedural Manual of the Codex Alimentarius Commission) to the Secretary, Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme, FAO, Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, 00100 Rome, Italy, before 30 May 1999.

Draft Standards and Related Texts at Step 5 of the Accelerated Procedure

4. Proposed Draft Amendment to the General Standard for Food Additives: Preamble - Footnote (paras. 33, 56, Appendix V) (see also section B.1 of the present CL)

For technical reasons and to avoid misinterpretation of the Standard, the Secretariat recommends that the Commission also consider adopting the amended Footnote to Section 1.1 of the Standard.

5. Draft Amendments to the Codex International Numbering System for Food Additives (para. 74, Appendix VIII)

Governments wishing to submit comments on all aspects of the Amendments, including possible implications for their economic interests should do so in writing to the Secretary, Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme, FAO, via delle Terme di Caracalla, 00100 Rome, Italy, before 30 May 1999

Endorsement of Maximum Levels for Additives and Contaminants

6. Section on Health Related Substances in the Codex Standard for Natural Mineral Waters (para. 91, Appendix VI).

Proposed Draft Standards and Related Texts at Step 5

7. Proposed Draft Annex A to the General Standard for Food Additives (Guidelines for the Estimation of Appropriate Levels of Use of Food Additives) (para. 58, Appendix IV)

8. Proposed Draft Maximum Levels for Tin (para. 131, Appendix IX)

9. Proposed Draft Maximum Level for Patulin (para.117, Appendix IX)

Governments wishing to submit comments regarding the implications which the proposed draft standards or any provisions thereof may have for their economic interests should do so in writing in conformity with the Uniform Procedure for the Elaboration of Codex Standards and Related Texts (at Step 5) to the Secretary, Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme, FAO, Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, 00100 Rome, Italy before 30 May 1999.

B. REQUEST FOR COMMENTS AND INFORMATION

Governments and interested international organizations wishing to submit comments on the following matters are invited to do so before 1 October 1999 as follows: Mr. E.F.F. Hecker, Chairman of the Committee, Ministry of Agriculture, Nature Management and Fisheries, P.O. Box 20401, 2500 EK The Hague, The Netherlands (telefax No. 31.70.378.6141), with a copy to the Secretary, Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme, FAO, Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, 00100 Rome, Italy.

1. Proposed Draft Amendments to the General Standard for Food Additives at Step 3 of the Accelerated Procedure: Preamble (paras. 33, 39, 56, Appendix V)

2. Proposed Draft Amendment to the General Standard for Food Additives at Step 3: Table 3 (paras. 12 and 56, Appendix XI)

The Committee agreed to ask for comments on the inclusion of the additives with an ADI "not specified" in Table 3 of the Standard (use according to GMP).

3. Proposed Draft Amendments to the Codex International Numbering System for Food Additives at Step 3 of the Accelerated Procedure (para. 55, Appendix VIII)

The Committee agreed to circulate INS Number 586 4-Hexylresorcinol and an amendment to the functions of Pectins, at Step 3 of the Accelerated Procedure for comments, subject to confirmation by the Commission.

4. Proposals for amendments to the Codex International Numbering System for Food Additives, including technological functions and functional classes/sub-classes (para. 76)

Governments are invited to submit proposals for amendments to the INS and comments on the updating of technological functions and functional classes/sub-classes.

5. Proposed Draft Maximum Levels for Ochratoxin A at Step 3 (para 109, Appendix IX)

6. Draft Guideline Level/Proposed Draft Maximum Levels for Cadmium (para. 136, Appendix X)

7. Food Additives and Contaminants Proposed for Evaluation by JECFA (para. 143, Appendix XII)

8. Methods of analysis for the determination of food additives and contaminants in foods

Governments are invited to present proposals for additional methods of analysis.

Table of Contents

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

OPENING OF THE SESSION

ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA (Agenda item 1)

APPOINTMENT OF THE RAPPORTEUR (Agenda item 2)

MATTERS REFERRED FROM THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE CODEX ALIMENTARIUS COMMISSION AND OTHER CODEX COMMITTEES (Agenda item 3)

SUMMARY REPORT OF THE FIFTY-FIRST MEETING OF THE JOINT FAO/WHO EXPERT COMMITTEE ON FOOD ADDITIVES (Agenda item 4a)

ACTION REQUIRED AS A RESULT OF CHANGES IN ADI STATUS AND OTHER TOXICOLOGICAL RECOMMENDATIONS (Agenda item 4b)

DISCUSSION PAPER ON THE APPLICATION OF RISK ANALYSIS PRINCIPLES FOR FOOD ADDITIVES AND CONTAMINANTS (Agenda Item 5)

ENDORSEMENT AND/OR REVISION OF MAXIMUM LEVELS FOR FOOD ADDITIVES IN CODEX STANDARDS (Agenda Item 6)

CONSIDERATION OF THE CODEX GENERAL STANDARD FOR FOOD ADDITIVES

Report of the Working Group on the Codex General Standard for Food Additives
Proposed Draft Guidelines for the Development of Maximum Level of Use For Food Additives With Numerical Acceptable Daily Intakes (Annex A) (Agenda Item 7b)

DISCUSSION PAPER ON THE USE OF COLOURS IN FOODS (Agenda Item 8)

CONSIDERATION OF SPECIFICATIONS FOR THE IDENTITY AND PURITY OF FOOD ADDITIVES (Agenda Item 9)

PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE INTERNATIONAL NUMBERING SYSTEM, INCLUDING TECHNOLOGICAL FUNCTIONS AND FUNCTIONAL CLASSES/SUBCLASSES (Agenda Item 10)

ENDORSEMENT AND/OR REVISION OF MAXIMUM LEVELS FOR CONTAMINANTS IN CODEX STANDARDS (Agenda Item 11a)

COMMENTS ON SECTION 3.2 (HEALTH RELATED LIMITS FOR CERTAIN SUBSTANCES) OF THE CODEX STANDARD FOR NATURAL MINERAL WATER (Agenda Item 11b)

CODEX GENERAL STANDARD FOR CONTAMINANTS AND TOXINS (Agenda Item 12)

METHODOLOGY AND PRINCIPLES FOR EXPOSURE ASSESSMENT IN THE CODEX GENERAL STANDARD FOR CONTAMINANTS AND TOXINS IN FOODS (Agenda item 13)

MYCOTOXINS IN FOOD AND FEED

Position Paper on Ochratoxin A (Agenda item 14 a)
Position Paper on Zearalenone (Agenda Item 14b)
Position Paper on Patulin (Agenda Item 14 c)
Comments on the Proposed Draft Maximum Level for Patulin in Apple Juice and Apple Juice Ingredients in Ready Made Soft Drinks

INDUSTRIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINANTS IN FOODS

Comments on the Proposed Draft Code of Practice for Source Directed Measures to Reduce Contamination of Food with Chemicals (Agenda item 15a)
Draft Maximum Levels for Lead (Agenda item 15 b)
Comments on the Proposed Draft Maximum Levels for Tin (Agenda Item 15 c)
Discussion Paper on Cadmium (Agenda Item 15d)
Position Paper on Arsenic (Agenda Item 15e)
Discussion Paper on Dioxins (Agenda item 15f)
Proposals for the Priority Evaluation of Food Additives and Contaminants by JECFA (Agenda Item 16)

OTHER BUSINESS AND FUTURE WORK

Comments on Methods of Analysis for the Determination of Food Additives and Contaminants in Foods (Agenda Item 17a)
Comments on the Inventory of Processing Aids (Agenda Item 17b)
Comments on Packaging Provisions to Maintain the Stability of Iodised Salt in the Codex Standard for Food Grade Salt (Agenda Item 17 c)

FUTURE WORK

DATE AND PLACE OF NEXT SESSION (Agenda Item 18)

LIST OF APPENDICES

Appendix I: List of Participants - Liste des Participants - Lista de Participantes
Appendix II: Draft General Standard for Food Additives
Appendix III: Codex General Standard for Food Additives
Appendix IV: Proposed Draft Annex A to the General Standard for Food Additives
Appendix V: Proposed Draft Amendment to the Preamble of the General Standard for Food Additives
Appendix VI: Codex Standard for Natural Mineral Waters
Appendix VII: Draft Specifications for the Identity and Purity of Food Additives
Appendix VIII: Proposed Amendments to the International Numbering System for Food Additives
Appendix IX

Proposed Draft Maximum Level for Patulin
Proposed Draft Maximum Level for Tin
Proposed Draft Maximum Level for Ochratoxin A

Appendix X: Draft Maximum Level (Cereals) and Proposed Draft Maximum Levels for Cadmium
Appendix XI: Action Required as a Result of Changes in ADI Status or Other Toxicological Recommendations
Appendix XII: Food Additives and Contaminants Proposed for Evaluation by JECFA