The 49th session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) has concluded with adoption of some key texts or revisions of texts, the election of Spain as the new host country to the Codex Committee on Fish and Fishery Products (CCFFP), and discussion and agreement on new work and the report of the implementation of the Codex Alimentarius Commission strategic plan 2020–2025. Upon report adoption, there were short speeches of appreciation for the hard work done by colleagues in WHO, FAO and [...]

At a side event to the 49th session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission in Geneva, Switzerland, a panel of Codex Observers discussed what moderator Giuseppe Di Chiera described in his introduction as the “true measure of the success of Codex: the implementation of standards”.  The panel consisted of organizations from different food sectors and different parts of the world that encourage and benefit from the implementation of Codex standards, guidelines and codes of practice.   To kick things off, Christiane Wolff, Counsellor and [...]

The Codex Alimentarius Commission strategic plan 2026–2031 has been published in all six UN languages (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish) and is now available for download. The Strategic Plan, which was adopted by the 47th session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission sets out a clear, forward-looking framework to strengthen consumer health and fair practices in food trade through science-based standards. It outlines Codex’s vision for the next six years in a rapidly evolving global landscape. The publication also includes the [...]

The Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) has agreed at its 49th Session in Geneva this week to adopt groundbreaking guidelines on the use of food labelling known as “precautionary allergen labelling”. When used, these food labels, which can include warnings such as “may contain nuts”, alert the millions of food allergy sufferers around the world to food that can potentially cause them harm when it may contain a food allergen or traces of a food allergen. However, such warnings have become ubiquitous [...]

The FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) has started its 49th session in Geneva, Switzerland ahead of a week of discussions on the adoption of texts and revisions of texts, and other matters relevant to the ongoing work of the Commission and its subsidiary bodies. The Directors-General of both the parent organizations of CAC sent pre-recorded welcome messages. Referencing the difficult context in which the international community works for the greater good, Dr Tedros AdhanomGhebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) [...]

The 90th session of the Executive Committee of the Codex Alimentarius (CCEXEC) has concluded with the adoption of the report. This Session has paved the way for discussions at the 49th session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC49), which will convene in Geneva 6–10 July. CCEXEC90 undertook a critical review of the texts that have been forwarded to CAC49 for adoption, revision or revocation, and recommended adoption of all work forwarded.  The Committee additionally discussed the implementation report of the Codex Alimentarius [...]

In its 90th session this week, the Executive Committee of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CCEXEC) will discuss the texts and revisions of texts that have been forwarded to the Commission for adoption. Also on the CCEXEC90 agenda are issues including new work proposals, the implementation report of the Codex Alimentarius Commission Strategic Plan 2020–2025 and financial matters. In her opening remarks as the meeting gathered in Geneva, Switzerland, Luz de Regil, Director the Department of Nutrition and Food Safety, WHO, highlighted [...]

The 49th session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) is just around the corner and, with it, a swathe of new texts that are up for adoption, together with revisions of and amendments to existing Codex texts. CAC will meet in Geneva 6–10 July where its 189 Members and 246 Observer Organizations will discuss not only the adoption of work agreed in the seven committee meetings on the agenda, but also new work proposals, the status of work of the Joint [...]

On 8 June 2026, a Workshop on Food Additive Risk Assessment was held in Nanjing, China. The event was jointly organized by the China National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment (CFSA) and Nanjing Medical University, with support from the Shanghai Junshi Institute of Life Sciences. The workshop brought together leading experts in food safety risk assessment, including representatives from the Secretariat of the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) and seven senior JECFA experts. Participants exchanged views on [...]

On 8 June, FAO hosted a high-level hybrid event titled From standards to solutions: advancing a One Health approach through implementation of Codex AMR texts to reduce foodborne antimicrobial resistance. Held on the sidelines of FAO Council week and in honour of World Food Safety Day, the event explored how Codex texts can provide solutions to the global burden of foodborne antimicrobial resistance (AMR). In discussing the successes of the FAO-implemented and Republic of Korea-funded Action to support implementation of [...]