The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has published the summary report of the Food Safety Foresight Framework Meeting, which took place from 1–3 April 2025 at FAO headquarters in Rome. Sixteen experts from Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, North America, and Oceania participated in the meeting, from governments, the private sector, international organizations, universities and research institutes, as well as two colleagues from the UN World Food Programme. The summary report includes the executive summary [...]

The 44th session of the Codex Committee on Methods of Analysis and Sampling (CCMAS44) will be held in a virtual format from 5 to 8 May, with report adoption on 14 May. While time zone differences remain a logistical hurdle, the virtual setting opens doors for broader participation from Members, Observers and overall experts worldwide. We recently spoke with Attila Nagy to gain insights into the agenda of CCMAS44, including the review of methods of analysis and sampling plans in [...]

New food sources and production systems (NFPS) are emerging worldwide, in response to changing agrifood systems, potentially altering the food landscape in the next 5 to 25 years. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Food Safety Foresight Programme conducted a multi-phase foresight exercise to explore potential food safety implications related to the growing NFPS space. Through expert consultations and a structured methodology combining a two-part Delphi survey and mind mapping, the exercise identified 44 emerging innovations across [...]

The 11th session of the newly re-activated Codex Committee on Cereals, Pulses and Legumes has got underway by correspondence in order to start work on a group standard for whole millet grains. The new work was agreed in November 2024, at the 47th session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC47), following a proposal from India. CAC47 agreed that millets are an essential source of nutrition, are widely traded and consumed in some regions, and are an important food for infants and [...]

On 7 April 2025, the World Health Organization (WHO) launches its "Healthy Beginnings, Hopeful Futures" campaign for World Health Day, spotlighting maternal and newborn health, with a sharp focus on nutrition. This year’s initiative urges governments, health communities, and stakeholders to intensify efforts to end preventable maternal and newborn deaths while prioritizing women’s long-term well-being. The campaign aligns with global health goals, emphasizing the critical role of nutrition in early life—a focus shared by Codex. Healthy beginnings rely on access to safe, [...]

In the world of international food standards, a key committee is preparing for a significant task: establishing a group standard for whole millet grains. Ken Lowery, United States of America, a long-serving delegates within the Codex Alimentarius Commission, steps into the chair's role for CCCPL11, bringing nearly two decades of experience to the table. As the committee shifts to working through correspondence, we interviewed Ken to learn more about the challenges and opportunities of this new working method, the agenda of [...]

On 27 February 2025, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) officially launched the JECFA Toolbox for Veterinary Drug Residues Risk Assessment. FAO hosted a launch event on Zoom, attracting over 150 attendees from 50 countries (see the summary report for more details).   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. The key output of [...]

The World Food Safety Day teams at FAO and WHO are organizing a webinar for 7 April, where they will outline the theme for this year’s World Food Safety Day celebrations and showcase the materials that have been made available for event organizers this year. Taking part will be FAO’s Director, Division of Agrifood Systems and Food Safety, Corinna Hawkes, who will explain the thinking behind this year’s theme, “Food safety: science in action”. FAO’s Markus Lipp and WHO’s Moez Sanaa [...]

The 55th session of the Codex Committee on Food Additives (CCFA) has concluded in Seoul, Republic of Korea, with the adoption of the report and an acknowledgement of the spirit of compromise and collaboration that underscored fruitful discussions. Concluding this first co-hosted session of the food additives committee, co-Chairperson, Professor Hae-Jung Yoon of the Republic of Korea said: “As we conclude this session, I’d like to extend my appreciation to everyone for their dedication, expertise and constructive discussions. Your commitment to [...]

The 55th session of the Codex Committee on Food Additives (CCFA) has opened in Seoul, Republic of Korea, where the week-long meeting will be co-hosted by China and the Republic of Korea, 24–28 March. The Committee’s Chairperson, Dr Fan Yongxian, noted, in welcoming guests and delegates, that there were more than 250 people from more than 55 countries and 28 observer organizations attending the meeting. He noted, too, that this session is “pretty special for Codex because it is the first [...]