The 23rd session of the Codex Committee on Fresh Fruits and Vegetables (CCFFV) has opened in Mexico City, with a warm welcome from Mexico’s Minister of the Economy and Under Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, and opening remarks from the Codex Vice Chairperson, Codex Secretary and CCFFV Chairperson. In his opening remarks, Marcelo Luis Ebrard Casaubon, Minister of the Economy, pointed to the multilateral nature of Codex work. With 80 nations represented at the meeting this week, [...]

Great progress was made in the fight against antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in the Plurinational State of Bolivia at the end of January, when officials and professionals met to agree on next steps for introducing e-prescriptions for veterinary antimicrobial drugs. The move is a bid to combat the threat of foodborne AMR in the country by restricting access to and overuse of some drugs, which are becoming ineffective against some bacterial, viral, fungal and parasitic organisms, causing a threat to life. The [...]

As part of the Codex Trust Fund project in Zimbabwe, FAO has carried out training to disseminate knowledge and build capacity, particularly in relation to the Codex standards-setting process. The four-day workshop took place 3–7 February 2025 and was attended by participants from both the public and private sectors. “The training is part of the Codex Trust Fund project, which seeks to rejuvenate Codex Alimentarius activities in Zimbabwe by expanding knowledge and understanding of Codex at national level among key policy [...]

Members and Observers from over 30 countries will meet in Mexico City, Mexico, from 25 February to 1 March 2025 to develop standards at the 23rd session of the Codex Committee on Fresh Fruits and Vegetables (CCFFV). Hosted by Mexico, this year the meeting will be chaired for the first time by Andrea Genoveva Solano Rendón, Head, Unidad de Normatividad, Competitividad y Competencia, Secretaría de Economía, Mexico.  Andrea, thank you for your time. As a first-time Chairperson of CCFFV, what are [...]

A recent surveillance study of foodborne antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Cambodia has revealed an urgent need for stricter regulations on antimicrobial use in the country’s livestock sector. Carried out under the FAO-implemented and Republic of Korea-funded Action to support implementation of Codex AMR texts (ACT) project, the study also underscores the importance of routine AMR monitoring, and the adoption of targeted interventions, such as improved biosecurity measures and vaccination programmes, to reduce the need of antibiotics and mitigate the spread [...]

In December 2024, the Codex Trust Fund (CTF), in collaboration with the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) of the Republic of Korea, organized the third joint training on good Codex practices. A total of ten trainees from five CTF beneficiary countries (Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Rwanda and Senegal) participated in the training, which focused on: Korea’s inter-governmental cooperation for participating in Codex meetings, and introduction to work experiences Guide to the Codex standards development process relating to traditional Korean [...]

The 17th meeting of the FAO/WHO Coordinating Committee for North America and the South West Pacific (CCNASWP) has successfully concluded in Nadi, Fiji. The meeting discussed a range of food safety issues, new work proposals for regional standards, Codex strategic plans and nominated a new Coordinator. Food safety concerns under discussion that are relevant to the region included foodborne illnesses caused by microbiological pathogens, food fraud and adulteration, contaminants in food from multiple sources, and food labelling and allergens. The region’s [...]

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has launched a comprehensive and practical toolbox designed to help those assessing the risks of veterinary drug residues in food. The JECFA Toolbox for Veterinary Drug Residues Risk Assessment describes the process used by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) when assessing the risks of veterinary drug residues in animal-derived food products consumed by humans.    Join us for the launch of the JECFA Toolbox on Thursday, 27 February [...]

The 17th session of the FAO/WHO Coordinating Committee for North America and the South West Pacific has commenced in Nadi, Fiji. The meeting was opened with a traditional Fijian welcome, after which the Honourable Vatimi Rayalu, Fiji’s Minister for Agriculture and Waterways, gave his opening remarks, together with representatives of FAO, WHO and the Codex Alimentarius. “Food safety is not just a regional concern, it is a global priority that represents one of the most pressing challenges in trade, public health [...]

The 25th session of the FAO/WHO Coordinating Committee for Africa has concluded, following in-depth discussions on topics of regional concern and on new work proposals, and with the nomination of the Gambia as the new Regional Coordinator. “I think we have been very accommodating to each other, to ensure we have been able to work swiftly through this session, to have documents that will be proceeding to the next stages,” said the Chairperson, Hakim Mufumbiro, upon adoption of the meeting report. [...]