46. In view of the complexity of the work concerning the elaboration of methods of analysis and sampling and in view of the work-load falling on the Codex Committee on Methods of Analysis and Sampling, the Executive Committee at its Twelfth Session agreed to recommend to the Commission that methods of analysis and sampling for the determination of pesticide residues in food and methods of analysis for the verification of the criteria of purity and identity contained in Codex food additive specifications should not be referred to the Codex Committee on Methods of Analysis and Sampling for endorsement. It also recommended that microbiological methods for the verification of hygiene provisions in Codex Standards should be the responsibility of the Codex Committee on Food Hygiene.
47. The Executive Committee at its Thirteenth Session examined a proposal for the amendment of the Guidelines drawn up by the Secretariat on the basis of the above recommendations and also on the basis of the views expressed by the Codex Committee on Pesticide Residues (paragraph 90 of ALINORM 69/24) and the Codex Committee on Methods of Analysis and Sampling (paragraphs 90–94 of ALINORM 69/23) in this regard, and made certain amendments to it shown in paragraphs 3–6 of its report (see Appendix II to this Report).
48. The Executive Committee considered that the proposal relating to methods of analysis and sampling for microbiological purposes needed to be clarified. It was agreed that the criterion for determining whether the Codex Committee on Food Hygiene or the Codex Committee on Methods of Analysis and Sampling would be responsible for the endorsement or the elaboration of the method should be the intended purpose of the method.
49. The Commission agreed that it would be desirable to include in the Terms of Reference of the Codex Committee on Food Hygiene a reference to the relationship between the Committee and the FAO/WHO Expert Committees in the field of food hygiene.
50. The Commission agreed to the new procedures contained in the proposed paragraph 13(c) of the Guidelines, and to the following text:
Subject to the provisions of sub-paragraph (v) below, when Codex Committees have included provisions on methods of analysis or sampling in a Codex commodity standard, these should be referred to the Codex committee on Methods of Analysis and Sampling at the most suitable time during Steps 3, 4 and 5 of the Procedure for the Elaboration of Codex Standards, which will ensure that Government comments on the methods of analysis and sampling are available to the Codex Committee on Methods of Analysis and Sampling. Such reference should not, however, be allowed to delay the progress of the standard to the subsequent steps of the Procedure. All provisions in respect of analysis and sampling will require to be endorsed by the Codex Committee on Methods of Analysis and Sampling except as specified in sub-paragraphs (iii), (iv) and (v) below. When commodity standards containing provisions on methods of analysis and sampling are sent to Governments for comments at Step 3, they should contain a statement that these provisions are subject to endorsement by the Codex Committee on Methods of Analysis and Sampling. When methods have been considered by the Codex Committee on Methods of Analysis and Sampling, they should be returned by it to the originating Committee with amendments, where appropriate. The Codex Committee on Methods of Analysis and Sampling should not circulate such methods to Governments for further comments. The originating Committee is responsible for carrying out the Steps of the Procedure. The same procedure will apply to methods of analysis for the determination of additives in food when such methods are included by the Codex Committee on Food Additives in lists or standards being elaborated by it.
When the Codex Committee on Methods of Analysis and Sampling itself elaborates methods of analysis and sampling which are of general application to foods, it is responsible for carrying out the steps of the Procedure.
Methods of analysis included in Codex Food Additives Standards, for the purpose of verifying the criteria of purity and identity of the food additive, need not be referred to the Codex Committee on Methods of Analysis and Sampling for endorsement. The Codex Committee on Food Additives is responsible for carrying out the Steps of the Procedure.
The methods for determining the levels of pesticide residues in food need not be referred to the Codex Committee on Methods of Analysis and Sampling for endorsement. The Codex Committee on Pesticide Residues is responsible for carrying out the Steps of the Procedure.
Notwithstanding the provisions of sub-paragraph (i) above, when Codex Committees have included provisions on microbiological methods of analysis and sampling for the purpose of verifying hygiene provisions, they should be referred to the Codex Committee on Food Hygiene at the most suitable time during Steps 3, 4 and 5 of the Procedure for the Elaboration of Codex Standards, which will ensure that government comments on the methods of analysis and sampling are available to the Codex Committee on Food Hygiene. The procedure to be followed will be as in sub-paragraph (i) above, substituting the Codex Committee on Food Hygiene for the Codex Committee on Methods of Analysis and Sampling. Microbiological methods of analysis and sampling elaborated by the Codex Committee on Food Hygiene for inclusion in Codex commodity standards for the purpose of verifying hygiene provisions need not be referred to the Codex Committee on Methods of Analysis and Sampling for endorsement.”
51. At its Twelfth Session, the Executive Committee noted that the amendment of the labelling section of the Format for Codex Commodity Standards by the Fifth Session of the Commission involved a consequential amendment to paragraph 13(a) of the Guidelines for Codex Committees. The amended paragraph 13(a) recommended by the Executive Committee to the Commission appears in paragraph 29 of its report (ALINORM 69/3). The Commission agreed to the text proposed by the Executive Committee, as shown below (see also paragraph 52 below):
“Food Labelling
(a) Codex Commodity Committees should prepare a section on labelling in each draft commodity standard and this section should contain all the labelling provisions of the standard. Provisions should be included either specifically or by reference to the appropriate paragraphs of the General Standard for the Labelling of Prepackaged Foods. All Codex Commodity standards should be referred to the Codex Committee on Food Labelling at Step 3 of the Procedure for the Elaboration of Codex Standards, though such reference should not be allowed to delay the progress of the standard to the subsequent steps of the Procedure. All labelling provisions will require to be endorsed by the Codex Committee on Food Labelling. When commodity standards are sent to governments for comment at Step 3, they should contain a statement that the labelling provisions are subject to endorsement by the Codex Committee on Food Labelling.”
52. The Commission agreed that paragraphs 13(a), 13(b) and 13(d) should also be amended so that reference of provisions requiring to be endorsed should be made at the most suitable time during Steps 3, 4 and 5 of the Procedure for the Elaboration of Codex Standards. It was further agreed to make a corresponding amendment to paragraph 13(e).
53. The Commission considered a recommendation by the Twelfth Session of the Executive Committee that in future Codex Committee reports should contain a summary indicating the status of work of the Codex Committee. The Commission considered an amendment to paragraph 11(a) of the Guidelines for Codex Committees recommended by the Executive Committee and agreed to the following text to be inserted at the end of paragraph 11(a) (iv):
“and, in any case, a section should be included at the end of the report showing clearly in summary form:
standards considered at the session and the steps they have reached;
standards at any step of the Procedure, the consideration of which has been postponed or which are held in abeyance and the steps which they have reached;
new standards proposed for consideration, the probable time of their consideration at Step 2 and the responsibility for drawing up the first draft.”
