JOINT FAO/WHO FOOD STANDARDS PROGRAMME
CODEX ALIMENTARIUS COMMISSION

Food Import and Export Inspection
and Certification Systems

Third Edition

ISBN 978-92-5-105841-1

PDF 1,2Mb

World Health Organization (WHO)
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Rome 2007

ABSTRACT

Official and officially recognized inspection and certification systems are fundamentally important and very widely used means of food control systems. The confidence of consumers in the safety and quality of their food supply depends in part on their perception as to the effectiveness of these systems as food control measures. A substantial part of the worldwide trade in food depends upon the use of inspection and certification systems. Following the FAO/WHO Conference on Food Standards, Chemicals in Food and Food Trade in 1991, the Codex Alimentarius Commission undertook the development of guidance documents for governments and other interested parties on Food Import and Export Inspection and Certification Systems.

This third edition includes texts adopted by the Codex Alimentarius Commission up to 2007.

The Codex Alimentarius Commission is an intergovernmental body with over 170 members, within the framework of the Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme established by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations and the World Health Organization (WHO). The main result of the Commission's work is the Codex Alimentarius, a collection of internationally adopted food standards, guidelines, codes of practice and other recommendations, with the objective of protecting the health of consumers and ensuring fair practices in the food trade.

The designations employed and the presentation of material in this information product do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) concerning the legal or development status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. The mention of specific companies or products of manufacturers, whether or not these have been patented, does not imply that these have been endorsed or recommended by FAO in preference to others of a similar nature that are not mentioned.

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