On 22 March 2022, the Minister for food, agriculture and light industry of Mongolia issued a decree on the reorganization of the National Codex Committee. This legislation is acknowledgement by the Government of Mongolia of the role the Codex committee can play through its primary function of providing advice on the implications of a range of food standardization and safety issues. ‘’The Mongolian Government has obligations decreed under national security to ensure safe food production to protect the health of consumers,” [...]

The value of Thai food exports increased by nearly 25 percent in the three years to 2018 and some Thai food companies are reporting recent sales increases of between 20 and 30 percent. This is all because the Thai government has been vigorously promoting the Hygiene Analysis and Critical Control Points system (HACCP) in food establishments. HACCP involves identifying where food safety hazards can arise and adopting measures to mitigate them. A new case study published by Codex demonstrates the impact [...]

Over 400 delegates joined online for the opening session of the Codex Committee on Food Hygiene (CCFH52) which runs from 28 February to 9 March 2022, hosted by the United States of America from Washington DC. In opening remarks, Steve Wearne, Chairperson of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, applauded the committee’s “appetite for advancement of consensus-driven and science-based standards and texts, and the willingness to compromise where necessary in the interests of Codex and the people everywhere that our work will protect.” Codex [...]

At a meeting in Brussels on 21 February 2022, the European Union's Ministers of Agriculture confirmed the EU's commitment to the work of Codex, and underlined the need for sustainability considerations to be given greater prominence in the setting of food safety standards for international trade. In the conclusions approved at the Agriculture and Fisheries Council, Ministers recognised the central role of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) in facilitating the transition to sustainable food systems and reaffirmed the EU's determination [...]

An informal meeting held online on Wednesday 2 February 2022 began to explore how a Codex Executive sub-committee will approach their task to provide operational guidance on the statements of  principle in the Procedural Manual concerning the role of science in the Codex decision-making process and the extent to which other factors are taken into account. The statements being considered uphold science while recognizing the relevance of so-called “other factors” when setting standards in Codex. Examples of those factors include constraints, [...]

CCFFP35 set out to evaluate if the Standard for Canned Sardines and Sardine-Type Products (CXS 94-1981) can be amended to include the fish species S. lemuru (Bali Sardinella) in the list of Sardinella species. Working by correspondence since 20 September 2021, the work has progressed steadily with nearly 150 delegates signing up to participate on the platform also used for electronic working groups in Codex. So far the committee has agreed to select three species to be compared with Sardinella lemuru in a [...]

The Codex Committee on Fish and Fishery Products begins its 35th session on Monday 20 September 2021. Meeting for the first time by correspondence via the Codex online platform, CCFFP35 will evaluate if the Standard for Canned Sardines and Sardine-Type Products (CXS 94-1981) can be amended to include the fish species S. lemuru (Bali Sardinella) in the list of Sardinella species. Norway hosts the fish committee and Chairperson Vigdis Veum Møllersen spoke to the Codex Secretariat about the work ahead: Q: How [...]

Over 400 delegates gathered on line for the opening session of the Codex Committee on Food Additives (CCFA), hosted by China and being held virtually from 1 to 10 September 2021. The efforts of the Codex Secretariat, the hosts themselves and the experts from many different countries who lead specific areas of work in the committee have ensured that despite the global pandemic the 52nd session will have a very busy agenda. Mr Jinfeng Liu (pictured), speaking on behalf of the Vice [...]

Hakim Mufumbiro Codex Regional Coordinator for Africa Partner States in the EAC - East African Community (Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda) took part from 24 to 27 August 2021 in the 3rd extraordinary meeting of the EAC Codex Forum to specifically generate regional common positions in preparation to effectively participate in the 52nd Codex Committee on Food Additives, the 46th Codex Committee on Food Labelling and the 27th Codex Committee on Fats and Oils which are among the [...]

As the Codex Committee on Pesticide Residues (CCPR) continues virtually, we spoke to Xiongwu QIAO, Chairperson of CCPR. Professor QIAO is Counsellor of the Government of Province Shan, People’s Republic of China. Chairperson QIAO, thanks for your time. Let’s start with the million-dollar question. What are pesticides and how are they used?  Pesticide means any substance intended for preventing, destroying, attracting, repelling or controlling any pest including unwanted species of plants or animals during the production, storage, transport, distribution and processing of [...]