The 43rd session of the Codex Committee on Methods of Analysis and Sampling concluded Saturday 18 May with the adoption of the report and… a recipe for an Asian soup.

The Committee had covered a lot of ground during the week, with the endorsement of methods of analysis for the Codex Committee on Spices and Culinary Herbs (CCSCH) and the Codex Committee on Fats and Oils (CCFO), with endorsement or proposed revocation of methods for olive oils and olive pomace oils, and, regarding the Codex Committee on Contaminants in Food (CCCF), endorsement of the sampling plan for methylmercury in fish.

The review of methods of analysis in the Recommended Methods of Analysis and Sampling (CXS 234-1999, known simply as “CXS 234”) for workable packages on cereals, pulses and legumes and on fish and fishery products was concluded and forwarded to the 47th Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC47) later this year. Work on the fruit juices workable package will continue. This has paved the way for work to now start on a cocoa products and chocolate workable package.

The Committee has been working on an information document to support the implementation of the revised General Guidelines on Sampling (CXG 50-2004), that will take the format of an e-book and sample plans apps. This work is not yet concluded, but made good progress.

Work on methods of analysis for precautionary allergen labelling will also continue, with the aim of making significant progress by the time of CCMAS44.

The Committee also agreed to continue with the endorsement of Type IV methods when there were Type I methods for the same commodity and provision on exceptional basis when there were justifiable and motivating reasons.

Referencing a now-traditional sharing of soup recipes in the Committee, Chairperson Attila Nagy said: “As I said many times during this week, we are a ‘soup committee’, so thanks to our friends in Asia we will have an Asian soup for this year!” He presented the ingredients and instructions on how to cook an Asian soup and then thanked the logistics and technical teams, by listing them as the ingredients for a successful plenary, including thanks also for the Codex Secretariat members and working group chairs.

Read more

CCMAS43 webpage