(a) Report of the 23rd Session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission
(b) Feasibility of Elaborating a Codex Standard for Instant Noodles
6. The Committee noted the report made by the Secretariat on the major outcome of the 23rd Session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission[3].
7. The Delegation of India stated that there were discrepancies between the treatment of the levels of tin and lead in milk products at the 23rd Session of the Commission. It was clarified that there were no levels specified for tin in the Standards for milk products. Regarding the general maximum levels for tin and lead, India was requested to send its comments to the Codex Committee on Food Additives and Contaminants.
8. In response to the question on the follow-up to the adoption of the Asian Regional Guidelines for Codex Contact Points and National Codex Committees by the 23rd Session of the Commission, the Committee noted that all Codex recommendations were advisory in nature and that the text would be provided to countries when establishing Codex Contact Points and/or national Codex committees.
9. Regarding the ad hoc Intergovernmental Task Force on Foods Derived from Biotechnology, the Committee was informed that the First Session of the Task Force was scheduled for 14 - 17 March 2000 in Tokyo, Japan, and that a Circular Letter requesting Member countries’ views on the direction of the Task Force would soon be circulated. The Representative of WHO informed the Committee that FAO and WHO were planning to hold an expert consultation in this area to provide scientific advice to the Task Force.
10. The Committee was informed that the Commission, at the 23rd Session, noted the inquiry of the Delegation of Japan, supported by that of Indonesia, about the possibility of reopening the Codex Committee on Cereals, Pulses and Legumes to develop a standard for instant noodles. The Commission agreed that this Committee should first examine the feasibility of such a Standard[5]. The Committee considered whether it was appropriate to recommend the Executive Committee to initiate work on the elaboration of a worldwide standard for instant noodles; and if so, what type of products should be covered by that standard.
11. The Delegation of Japan, supplemented by that of the Republic of Korea, presented the paper. The Delegation stressed the need for a standard for instant noodles due to: the continuous and sharp increase of the production and trade; spread of instant noodle products from East and Southeast Asia to other parts of the world; and existing discrepancies among national standards for instant noodles. This view was strongly supported by many other delegations.
12. The Committee exchanged views on the name of the standard and products to be covered. It was generally of the opinion that the name of the standard should not include local specific names, such as “ramen”. Therefore the Committee agreed that the name of the standard should be “Codex Standard for Instant Noodles”.
13. Some delegations stated that the scope of the standard should be broad to make the standard flexible and to accommodate any future development of products of this type; and a wide range of ingredients should be allowed for use. Some other delegations were of the opinion that the standard should cover only those noodles prepared mainly from wheat flour and treated with alkaline agents to improve texture. The Committee noted that currently the elaboration of standards of general nature was preferred in Codex to that of standards with limited scope.
14. The Committee also exchanged views on what was the meaning of the term “instant” or how to distinguish “instant noodles” from other noodles including the Italian type pasta. With the assistance of an informal working group, consisting of China, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, the Republic of Korea, Singapore and Thailand and chaired by Indonesia, the Committee agreed that the process of pregelatinization is characteristic and prerequisite for “instant noodles”. Since it was clarified that not only instant wheat noodles but also instant rice noodles were pregelatinized, the Committee decided to include both types of noodles and agreed on the following product definition:
“Instant noodle is a product prepared from wheat flour or rice flour as the main ingredient, with or without the addition of other ingredients. It may be treated by alkaline agents. It is characterized by the use of pregelatinization process and dehydration either by frying or by other methods.”15. The Committee unanimously agreed to propose the elaboration of a Codex Worldwide Standard for Instant Noodles to cover those products specified above, subject to approval of the 47th Session of the Executive Committee. The Delegations of China, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Republic of Korea and Thailand expressed their willingness to undertake to draft a Propose Draft Standard for circulation for comment at Step 3. The Committee noted that the Executive Committee would decide to which Committee the work should be entrusted. The Committee welcomed any Member countries outside the Region that wished to join in the drafting.
