The challenges and opportunities posed by the emerging issues in agrifood systems identified by FAO’s foresight programme were outlined at a side event of the Codex Committee on Contaminants in Food in Utrecht on Tuesday 18 April. The role Codex might play in providing guidance on new foods and new food production systems was discussed by a panel that included Vittorio Fattori, FAO Food Safety Officer, Daniela Battaglia, FAO Animal Production Officer and Ong How Chee from the Singapore Food Agency, [...]

Each Codex Committee meeting in 2023 is being invited to mark the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the Codex Alimentarius Commission. Following events earlier this year in Fiji, the United States of America, Germany and China, on Monday 17 April 2023, the Codex Committee on Contaminants in Foods (CCCF) welcomed delegates attending the session to a reception at the meeting venue in Utrecht, Netherlands (Kingdom of the ). Sally Hoffer, Chairperson, in recalling the history and work of the Committee said [...]

Delegates gathered in Utrecht, Netherlands (Kingdom of the) on Monday 17 April 2023 to take part in working groups on a range of technical topics that will be on the agenda in the full plenary of the Codex Committee on Contaminants in Foods (CCCF16) which begins on Tuesday 18 April. Ahead of the session, the Codex Secretariat spoke to Brazil who led work on establishing maximum levels (MLs) for lead in certain food categories, beyond those already covered by the General [...]

In a high-level event on Saturday 25 March 2023, the Bangladesh Food Safety Authority (BFSA) announced the successful drafting of 11 200 food standards harmonized with Codex. These are expected to be gazette-notified before the end of the year. The announcement was made by chief guest, Bangladesh’s Cabinet Secretary, Md Mahbub Hossain, in an event that also heard remarks from special guests, Md Ismiel Hossain ndc, Secretary, Ministry of Food, and Ms Wahida Aktar, Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, and guests [...]

At an event held in Hong Kong, SAR, China to mark the Codex 60th anniversary celebrations during the Codex Committee on Food Additives meeting, Tom Heilandt, Codex Secretary spoke of the achievements that have given the world “a comprehensive system to ensure the safety and quality of the food we eat”. Read an extract of his remarks: Looking back to an amazing 60 years: Codex’ international science-based food standards, guidelines, and codes of practice have given the world a comprehensive system to [...]

The “Action to support implementation of Codex AMR Texts (ACT)” project was presented at the Herders Forum in Mongolia on 2 March 2023, where more than 400 herders, livestock specialists, and local governors discussed the government's policies for the development of the agricultural sector, livestock production and responsible and prudent use of antimicrobial drugs and food safety. “This was a good opportunity to present the ACT project and discuss the responsible and prudent use of antimicrobial drugs in livestock. Our survey, [...]

The Codex Secretariat has published the 28th edition of the Codex Alimentarius Procedural Manual on its website. This release not only incorporates the recent technical additions agreed by the Commission but presents the content in a new format and design in line with the Codex 60th anniversary overall rebranding of Codex texts, as well as with FAO and industry publishing standards. “The 28th edition of the Procedural Manual, with its new format and colourful layout, is a dazzling piece of work [...]

A group of food additives called beta-carotenes are used to add a yellow colour to foods like soft drinks, confectionary and cakes. At the Codex Committee on Food Additives meeting in Hong Kong, SAR, China from 27-31 March 2023, beta-cartones have been included on the priority list of additives with the mandate to evaluate the exposure to these food additives by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA). This request results from a concern that was raised in [...]

In a burst of colour and sound, taste and vision, the Centre for Food Safety, Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, Hong Kong SAR, China put on a show of local culture and entertainment on Monday 27 March, 2023 for delegates attending the Codex Committee on Food Additives (CCFA). Local artisans, youth performers and lion dancers were all on show to mark the 60th anniversary of the Codex Alimentarius Commission. With the presence of Mr. LEI Haichao, Vice Minister of the National Health [...]

FAO has now issued a brochure that describes its work on food safety. Safe food for everyone – FAO’s work on food safety: science, standards and good practices is available in two formats (pdf and digital) and six languages (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish). “FAO’s food safety priorities highlights the importance of Codex Alimentarius for food safety at a global scale and emphasizes that indeed Food safety is everyone’s business,” said Angeliki Vlachou, FAO Food Safety Officer, in unveiling [...]