In opening remarks to the Codex Committee on Pesticide Residues, taking place virtually for the first time, from 26 July to 3 August 2021, Zhang Taolin, Vice Minister, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, P.R. China, welcomed participants recalling how CCPR has developed the largest number of standards among all Codex committees. The committee “not only has a significant influence on the development of national pesticide residues standards, but also plays an increasingly important role in strengthening exchanges and cooperation [...]

A webinar held on 21 July 2021 gave countries an update on plans for the 44th Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC44) scheduled for November 2021 and the procedures currently being developed by the Codex Secretariat, together with FAO and WHO, that are expected to be presented to the Membership for endorsement similar to the approach taken for the first virtual CAC in 2020. Speaking at the event attended by over 150 participants, Codex Secretary Tom Heilandt said that before holding a virtual [...]

On July 20 the Republic of Korea signed an agreement with FAO placing food safety at the centre of their joint agenda. The first USD 10 million project under the framework arrangement will focus on the implementation and monitoring of Codex standards to support the containment and reduction of foodborne antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Jinseok Kim, Vice Minister of the Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, speaking at the virtual signing ceremony, emphasized the need for global collaboration. “It is our responsibility [...]

by Tom Heilandt Codex Secretary Like so many, I have now spent more than a year teleworking away from my office in Rome. Conversely, my meeting attendance has probably never been so high which has some benefits.  I have been able to advocate for and witness first hand so much more of our work but I have also been suffering from days overbooked by virtual meetings and the absence of “real” meetings. In addition, the insecurity of when we will be able to [...]

Hosted by the United States, the meeting is running from 12 to 16 July 2021 and has so far discussed several items from a full programme of business. The committee has heard concerns regarding carryover in feed and transfer from feed to food of unavoidable and unintended residues of approved veterinary drugs. Delegates concluded that the provisions in the current Code of Practice on Good Animal Feeding (CXC 54-2004) already provide sufficient advice to Codex Members on unintended carryover of [...]

More than 300 delegates gathered virtually for the opening of the 25th session of the Codex Committee on Residues of Veterinary Drugs in Foods (CCRVDF), hosted by the United States of America, which will run from 12 to 16 July 2021. Chairperson Kevin Greenlees welcomed the opportunity the virtual environment made allowing the committee to become more inclusive then ever with such high numbers of participants. CCRVDF will look at proposed draft maximum residue limits (MRLs) for various veterinary drugs, and [...]

The KAHER Institute of Physiotherapy, Belagavi, India, organized a “Virtual Awareness Programme-Panel Discussion” on the occasion of “World Food Safety Day" on 7 June 2021. In line with the theme for this year, ‘Safe food today for a healthy tomorrow’, the Literary and Education committee of the institute organized a virtual programme and had speakers such as Chef Vijay Bhaskar, Vice President, Indian Food Culinary Association, who spoke on the importance of this day and gave an overview of Food Quality [...]

On 15 June this year, for the second consecutive year, the Ivorian company, ICAF, which specializes in training, advice and auditing in the field of food quality and safety, convened an Africa Food Safety Forum for World Food Safety Day. The physical and virtual event held in Côte d’Ivoire’s capital, Abidjan, was aimed at sensitizing “all actors in the food chain (from farm to table) on the dangers relating to product health safety and their impact on the competitiveness of [...]

On the occasion of the World Food Safety Day and as a part of WHO “Health talks” organized in contribution to the Food Systems Summit, EatSafe/Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) hosted the virtual conversation “Interview Cruncher – Talking Food Safety.” Participants included Consumer Advocacy for Food Safety and Nutrition Initiative, Health Policy Watch, Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition and HealthSetGo. Bonnie McClafferty, Director for Food Safety at GAIN, hosted and moderated the conversation. She opened the webinar with an introduction on [...]

The strategic planning sub-committee of the Executive Committee of the Codex Alimentarius Commission met virtually on 1 July 2021. One of the tasks of the group is to consider how Codex can contribute to and achieve recognition for its key food standards work in the actions of its Members in relation to global and UN initiatives such as the UN Food Systems Summit. Over 50 participants attending online were briefed on proposals of relevance to the Codex mandate currently being considered [...]