The FAO/WHO Joint Meeting on Pesticide Residues (JMPR) is currently underway at the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment in Berlin, Germany. Dr Roland Solecki, Head of the Department of Pesticides Safety of the Federal Institute hosting the event, highlighted the importance of JMPR’s work in supporting the Codex Committee on Pesticide Residues (CCPR) with scientific advice. He also noted its valuable contribution to enhancing collaboration between national and international organizations to assess the risk of pesticide residues in foods. This is [...]

The two-day training workshop held in Delhi earlier this month focussed on enhancing the ability of 17 Asian countries to operate successfully in the Codex Alimentarius international standard-setting environment. Led by the Codex Alimentarius Secretariat, the sessions focussed on the electronic systems and tools including: the new Codex website; Online Commenting System (OCS); Digital platform for Electronic Working Groups (EWG) and other web-based tools, such as the platform to collect information on Member countries’ food safety control systems. 30 participants from [...]

Honduran officials of the Ministry of Economic Development, the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, the Ministry of Health, the Agency for Health Regulation and the Honduran Organization of Normalization joined the national Codex Contact Point and others in Tegucigalpa to announce the start of a Codex Trust Fund 2 project. On 18-19 July two events were held to launch the efforts to strengthen food safety and international trade: a launch event complete with the signing of an inter-institutional Letter of [...]

At a meeting attended by over 650 delegates from 121 Member countries and 84 observer organizations, more than 30 standards were adopted and will now be published in the Codex Alimentarius or “food code”. In his closing remarks on Friday Guilherme da Costa from Brazil, the chairperson of the Commission thanked delegates for the flexible and constructive approach to what is often “a delicate negotiation process but one that has global effects on food safety and fair practices in trade.” Some of [...]

Famous chef demonstrates the WHO Five Keys to Food Safety Heinz Beck, a well known three-star Michelin chef, gave Codex Members and Observers a glimpse of his approach to creating fine, safe cuisine. Cooking up a symphony of ‘vegetables of the heart’, Beck emphasized the importance of food hygiene and applying Codex standards in the kitchen. FAO Deputy Director-General Maria Helena Semedo introduced Beck, highlighting the principles to which he adheres: circular economy, zero food waste, tasty and healthy food, which help [...]

A side event about the FAO/WHO Scientific Advice Programmes Delegates gained a better understanding of how FAO and WHO provide scientific support for the development of Codex standards during a CAC41 side event. Panellists described how the requests for scientific advice for food safety and nutrition are managed, how the experts are selected and the way the topics are chosen for the risk assessments. The panel, comprised of FAO and WHO officers, also explained the links between the FAO/WHO Scientific Advice Programmes and the [...]

A side session explores the benefits of the WTO ePing system When trading products, governments establish requirements to accomplish policy objectives including the protection of human, animal and plant health, or protection of the environment. The World Trade Organization (WTO) SPS and TBT Agreements aim to ensure that these requirements do not create unnecessary obstacles to international trade. Under the WTO, Members are required to notify other Members before adopting new measures if these are likely to affect international trade and provide an opportunity [...]

The International Food Safety Authorities Network presented at CAC41 side session Increasing globalization of food trade heightens the risk of contaminated food spreading quickly around the globe. Through the International Food Safety Authorities Network (INFOSAN), WHO assists Member States in managing food safety risks, ensuring rapid sharing of information during food safety emergencies to stop the spread of contaminated food from one country to another. INFOSAN also facilitates the exchange of experiences and tested solutions to protect the health of consumers.  At a [...]

The Codex Alimentarius Commission ready to adopt new standards in its 41st session ‘Transformational opportunities’ was the overarching theme of the opening ceremony of the Codex Alimentarius Commission today. As the body responsible for all matters regarding the implementation of the Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme, led by Chairperson Guilherme da Costa, geared up to adopt new standards this week, they were reminded that Codex standards are central to the global agenda for sustainable development.  “One of the greatest challenges the world [...]

Executive Committee begins two days of deliberations in Rome The Executive Committee of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CCEXEC) brings together strategists and technical experts from the global Codex community who are meeting this week at FAO HQ in Rome. Embracing positive change Dr Renata Clarke, Head of the FAO Food Safety and Quality Unit in the Agriculture and Consumer Protection Department, in welcoming delegates, stated that her unit had been preparing to make better use of the food chain intelligence in FAO. “There [...]