The 88th session of the Codex Executive Committee (CCEXEC) has started in Rome, Italy. FAO’s Deputy Director-General, Godfrey Magwenzi, welcomed delegates to the meeting, noting the vital work carried out by the Codex Alimentarius Commission and its subsidiary bodies. He remarked on the importance the FAO membership places on Codex work, as underlined at the recent 44th FAO Conference, which concluded just over a week ago. “The Conference reaffirmed that standards setting, based on science and evidence, is at the [...]

The 88th Session of the Executive Committee of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CCEXEC88) will take place at FAO Headquarters in Rome 14–18 July 2025. As Allan Azegele, Chairperson of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, prepares to lead his very first Codex meeting, we spoke with him ahead of the session to understand his initial thoughts, the challenges he anticipates, and his vision for guiding the discussions that lie ahead. Allan, thanks for your time. As you prepare to chair a Codex meeting [...]

On 18 July 2025, the Codex Secretariat will host a webinar to further present the new “Codex Electronic Working Groups Handbook”, a resource offering practical guidance for establishing, managing, and participating in Electronic Working Groups (EWGs). Tailored for Codex Contact Points, government officials, academics, and representatives from IGOs and NGOs, the webinar will focus on the handbook and explore EWGs’ critical role in Codex standards development. With interpretation available in English, French, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese and Russian, participants will gain [...]

Baku, Azerbaijan In connection with World Food Safety Day on 7 June, an international conference was held in Baku, Azerbaijan, under the theme “Food Safety: Science in Action.” The event was jointly organized by the Food Safety Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan (AFSA), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Partnership and Liaison Office in Azerbaijan, and Azerbaijan Diplomatic Academy (ADA) University. The conference brought together representatives of government institutions, international organizations, and experts from scientific and educational [...]

 Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia  A risk communication workshop under the Republic of Korea-funded “One Health for Food Safety” (1H4FS) project was held in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia 4–6 July. The workshop brought together representatives from the Lao People's Democratic Republic, Mongolia, the United Republic of Tanzania and Viet Nam, to strengthen national capacities in risk analysis for food safety. A total of 40 participants from 15 different agencies took part in the event. The workshop was officially opened by T. Jambaltseren, State Secretary of the Ministry [...]

OSOA FOODS, a Nigerian food processing consultancy, celebrated World Food Safety Day 26 June in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare Abuja, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Lagos State Ministry of Health, Lagos State Ministry of Environment and Water Resources, Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture and Food Systems, Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency, Lagos State Safety Commission, Lagos State Waste Management Agency (LAWMA), Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency, Small and [...]

A Japanese restaurant company, Zensho, took part in World Food Safety Day for the third consecutive year. The company organized various events to provide its employees with the opportunity to practice food safety with the theme "Science in action." An internal video was created to reaffirm that actions such as handwashing contribute to food safety. A bulletin board promoted World Food Safety Day participation, which included a food safety quiz. In addition, a meeting was held with food safety officers. As [...]

The Egyptian Codex Committee, operating under the Egyptian Organization for Standardization and Quality (EOS), celebrated World Food Safety Day on 8 July 2025. The event was held under the theme: "Food Safety: Science in Action" and took place alongside the 388th meeting of the Egyptian Codex Committee. Dr Khaled Soufi, Chairman of the Egyptian Organization for Standardization and Quality (EOS) and Egyptian Codex, and President-elect of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) for 2026, emphasized that the celebration reflects the Committee’s active role in supporting national food [...]

Codex has published its Use and impact of the Code of practice for the prevention and reduction of mycotoxin contamination in cereals (CXC 51–2003) in Brazil (CoP), the first in-depth case study to be carried out as part of the development of a monitoring framework on the use and impact of Codex texts. The case study is a qualitative approach to the monitoring of Codex standards and complements the quantitative survey approach that has been established since 2022. These approaches, together [...]

Jakarta, Indonesia The National Standardization Agency of Indonesia (BSN) acting as the Codex Contact Point of Indonesia, is advocating for a science-based approach to ensure food safety. "Effective food safety regulations should be based on strong scientific principles," stated Y. Kristianto Widiwardono, Acting Chairman of BSN, during the 2025 World Food Safety Day webinar on Tuesday 17 June 2025. "This science-based approach allows for the formulation of objective and measurable policies that align with the level of risk faced by consumers." The [...]