To celebrate World Food Safety Day (WFSD) the Codex Contact Point of Kuwait based in the Public Authority for Food and Nutrition (PAFN) has developed a video. In line with the 2020 WFSD theme of Food safety, everyone’s business the short film brings together the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the Ministry of Health, the Public Authority of Agricultural affairs and fisheries, PAFN itself - which is responsible for developing the national food safety policy, food laboratories, farmers, food business [...]

The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed how large numbers of workers throughout the food industry supply chain are indeed operating on the frontline. They are vital to ensuring we all have enough to eat but potentially more at risk from the virus than those under lockdown unless hygiene and sanitation measures at their place of work are of the highest standard and clear instructions and guidelines for employees, regarding how to operate during the pandemic, are in place. Italy was one of [...]

The Government of Suriname is planning to run a food safety awareness campaign, calling upon decision makers, the private sector, civil society, and consumers to take action to keep food safe. The campaign will highlight the benefits of strengthening its food control system, in particular areas related to coverage of oversight and coordination. This initiative links up to the ongoing EU-funded FAO project called Suriname Agriculture Market Access Project. The campaign will start on 1 June and end on 7 June 2020, which is World Food [...]

For World Food Safety Day 2020, the Aftropic Cocoa Processing Company will highlight the importance of food safety among staff with a series of initiatives. The facility, based in Accra, Ghana, will: Launch 10 golden rules on food safety; Feature a pep talk at the beginning of every shift of workers (12 max), who will observe social distancing and wear masks; Post the WHO/FAO World Food Safety Day posters on the facility to create more awareness; and Share chocolate with every worker at lunch.     [...]

For the celebration of this second World Food Safety Day, FAO and WHO have decided to raise awareness about the importance of the provision of safe food in markets through the International Food Safety Authorities Network (INFOSAN). In this context, the INFOSAN Secretariat organized in May three webinars (English, French and Spanish) for the members of the network to present the topic detailing what everyone can do to improve food safety in markets. The webinars were attended by 245 INFOSAN members and [...]

China National Centre for Food Safety Risk Assessment (CFSA) will celebrate the second World Food Safety Day (WFSD) in various publicity campaigns on 7 June 2020. The major initiatives planned for the Day include online interactive games, popular science animation videos, popular science lecture videos, popular science picture books and flyers that depict a food safety topic or issue. These initiatives will focus on raising awareness towards food safety among consumers and implementing "food safety, everybody’s business" as the theme of [...]

The current COVID-19 crisis has created an unprecedented change in how we think about and approach work, leisure, and life in general. Technologies are playing a crucial role in keeping our society functional in a time of lockdowns and quarantines. Codex Members and Observers had to adapt quickly to the new environment, implementing the use of online tools to actively participate in Codex work and ensure consumer health. The Codex Secretariat has held training sessions in different regions and regularly showcases [...]

The Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) is in full gear, promoting this year's World Food Safety Day campaign among its community as a key moment to raise awareness and urge action. GFSI’s own plans to observe World Food Safety Day: 5 days, 5 videos, 5 calls to action!  In the week leading up to 7 June, GFSI will post a brief video every day, each addressing one of  the 5  calls to action. They invite your engagement throughout the campaign for World Food Safety Day [...]

Raj Rajasekar, Senior Programme Manager, Ministry for Primary Industries - New Zealand. The Executive Committee informal virtual meeting held on 12 May 2020 provided a timely opportunity to reflect on the impact of the current pandemic on the work of Codex and some of the strategic challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. COVID-19 has spread rapidly across the world since the beginning of the year has had a huge impact on the work of Codex and many other multilateral institutions. The [...]

If you review the history of Codex committees since 1963 there are occasional gaps in the meeting schedule and most of these in the early years of Codex as the programme gradually developed and expanded. Some committees do not meet every year and so the average number of sessions through the 1970s, 80s, 90s and up to the present day has grown from less than 10 in any calendar year up to 20 in 2019. What then to make of the [...]