In opening remarks to the 82nd session of the Executive Committee of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, taking place virtually from 20-24 June 2022, Maria-Helena Semedo, Deputy Director-General FAO recalled the vital role science-based analytical tools and normative work play in providing support to countries, especially in response to the worsening global food security situation due to the pandemic, disasters, conflict and climate change. Maria-Helena Semedo, Deputy Director-General FAO “The work you oversee here in the Executive Committee is a key part of [...]

By Brandi Robinson, Food and Drug Administration, United States of AmericaChairperson Codex Committee on Residues of Veterinary Drugs in Food (CCRVDF) Veterinarians have contributed to the development of Codex codes of practice, guidelines, and standards on many topics ranging from animal feeding to contaminants in feed, to residues of veterinary drugs in food, to antimicrobial resistance. With their expertise, veterinarians are integral to the ongoing work of the CCRVD which is charged with developing standards for veterinary drug residues found in food [...]

International Women’s Day 2022 calls for a world “free of bias, stereotypes and discrimination. A world that's diverse, equitable, and inclusive. A world where difference is valued and celebrated.” The Codex Committee on Food Hygiene (CFH52) will adopt its final report on Wednesday 9 March 2022. The food safety standards featured at this session include guidance on management of biological foodborne outbreaks; guidelines for the control of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) in a range of foods; an approach for the [...]

The Codex Committee on Food Hygiene has finished work on a new guideline on microbiological foodborne outbreaks which provides countries with a structured approach to preparedness and management for when an outbreak takes place. The contamination of food may occur at any stage, from primary production through to the consumer, causing illness and in some chronic cases serious health effects or death. An outbreak may be swiftly identified at a particular event or source but may also be much harder to [...]

by Nolene Naicker There were two main principles that guided me when I left school: I wanted to make a positive change in the world and wanted to work with people – something I am passionate about. I have family members who suffer with diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease. I wanted to do something that could make living with these challenges much easier. `Dietetics` - the science of using the right food to treat illnesses - seemed like the way to go. My [...]

This edition of the Codex podcast highlights how important data collection is for risk analysis. We talk to Dr Tim Barkham from Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore who was one of the expert contributors to a recent FAO publication on the risk to human health posed by a strain of Group B Streptococcus, GBS ST283. When, in 2015, over 140 people in Singapore fell ill, investigations led scientists to this bacterium, found in freshwater fish in and around Southeast Asia. The [...]

A new WHO Food Safety Community of Practice (COP) will help share knowledge and improve practice on food safety issues. The peer-to-peer online knowledge forum will serve professionals globally who want to improve food safety throughout the food value chain, who seek to deepen their knowledge and expertise in this area and who wish to exchange information and discuss ideas by interacting on an ongoing basis. The COP aims to expand learning potential, share diverse experiences and knowledge, encourage an understanding of [...]

The Codex Trust Fund (CTF) supports countries to build strong, solid and sustainable national capacity to engage in Codex work. The Codex Trust Fund Advisory Group annual meeting took place online on 16 December 2021, hosted for the first time by the newly-elected Chairperson of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, Steve Wearne, United Kingdom. The Advisory Group is part of the Codex governance mechanism and brings together FAO/WHO, donor countries other key stakeholders including the Codex Regional Coordinators. It serves as a forum [...]

The extended 44th session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC44) came to a close on 14 December 2021 with the adoption of the outstanding agenda items in the final report. The Commission operates with simultaneous interpretation in six languages to guarantee an equitable forum for all delegations and work was interrupted on 18 November when the period of interpretation scheduled could no longer be extended. The Codex Secretariat subsequently arranged for delegations to provide written comments on the report and [...]

"He always listens. He is open to reason and debate. He is open to thinking differently if the facts change". These the words of Chairperson-elect Steve Wearne on his predecessor Guilherme Da Costa in an interview held as CAC44 came to a close in November 2021. With a collective emphasis on listening and an awareness of the need to draw on the different views held within the Codex membership the "two chairs" underline the importance of collaboration and teamwork as Codex [...]