The 88th session of the Codex Executive Committee, held in Rome 14–18 July, has concluded with the adoption of the report, following three days of wide-ranging discussions. The Committee agreed to recommend the next session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission the adoption of a number of texts, including the standard for fresh dates, a landmark text that many countries are eagerly anticipating. With the critical review ensuring that proposals for new work and draft standards submitted to the Commission for adoption continue [...]

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 [...]

 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 [...]

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 [...]

The winners of the World Food Safety Day 2025 poster competition are hereby announced! Congratulations to all who submitted their artwork! FAO and WHO experts agonized over the judging as there were many very good submissions, from young people as young as 5 years old, to mature students at university. “I was really pleased to see that so many young people have engaged with World Food Safety Day messaging and understood the fundamentals of food safety: that it is not something [...]

As we celebrate the International Year of Cooperatives this year, 5 July brings an additional cause for global celebration: the International Day of Cooperatives. This year's special theme for the day is “Cooperatives: Driving Inclusive and Sustainable Solutions for a Better World.” As people-first businesses, cooperatives are community-rooted and create livelihoods and fairer, more resilient societies. While they are driven by the ambition to privilege people over profit, in the case of food cooperatives, their success depends, like any food business, [...]

A new "Test Methods for Special Dietary Foods" website has been launched by the International Special Dietary Foods Industries (ISDI), supported by AOAC International and the International Dairy Federation. This platform serves as a comprehensive and authoritative guide to analytical methods for nutrients in special dietary foods, aiming to enhance food safety, quality, and global testing harmonization. It helps authorities, laboratories, and industry professionals find reliable, internationally recognized test methods, acting as an updated reference reflecting global consensus. Jean Christophe Kremer, ISDI [...]

As many of this year’s global World Food Safety Day campaigns come to an end, FAO and WHO are celebrating with a joint Social Media Talk Show! Join us to learn about how we can ensure we are accessing accurate food safety information online. In the Rome studio, moderator Giuseppe di Chiera, Food Standards Development and Communication Specialist with the Codex Alimentarius Secretariat, will be joined by Lourdes Orlando, Professional Officer with FAO’s Agrifood Systems and Food Safety Division, and Irene [...]