The latest edition of the Codex Alimentarius Commission Procedural Manual has been published online. This publication defines Codex’s Rules of Procedure, the procedures for the elaboration of the Codex Alimentarius, and the guidelines for the operation of Codex committees. It also sets a precedent for Codex’s other written materials. “This latest version underscores our commitment to continuous improvement, ensuring the Codex Procedural Manual remains a consistent and reliable guide for our work” said Sarah Cahill, Codex Secretary. “As usual, discussions regarding the Codex [...]

A consultation meeting, held on 12 March, has heard a report on the progress of the FAO-implemented Action to support implementation of Codex AMR texts (ACT) project over the last year. In the meeting, the ACT project team detailed to representatives from the project donor, the Republic of Korea, the activities and achievements that took place in 2024. The project aims at improving monitoring and surveillance, governance and awareness of foodborne AMR and is being implemented in Bolivia (Plurinational State [...]

The theme for this year’s World Food Safety Day celebrations has been unveiled! It is – Food safety: science in action. The theme recognizes the key role played by science in ensuring the credibility and accuracy of food safety guidance and advice used by governments, food businesses and consumers alike. However, the theme goes further, by reminding us that food can only be safe if the guidance and advice is put into action. For this reason, the World Food Safety Day slogan [...]

Stand by for the 7 March launch of World Food Safety Day 2025! The World Food Safety Day team is working to launch a “Get started Toolkit” which will be available in all six United Nations languages (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish) and will provide information about this year’s theme, and the posters, social media cards and other assets you will be able to use to organize, participate in and promote World Food Safety Day activities this year. As [...]

The 23rd session of the Codex Committee on Fresh Fruits and Vegetables (CCFFV) has concluded in Mexico City, with the much-anticipated proposed standard for fresh dates finally agreed after ten years of discussion. The proposed text will be forwarded to the next Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) meeting for adoption. Chairperson, Andrea Genoveva Solano Rendon, hailed the successes of the week-long meeting: “We have had the opportunity of debating, of discussing and progressing standards that will rule the trade of one of [...]

The 23rd session of the Codex Committee on Fresh Fruits and Vegetables (CCFFV) has opened in Mexico City, with a warm welcome from Mexico’s Minister of the Economy and Under Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, and opening remarks from the Codex Vice Chairperson, Codex Secretary and CCFFV Chairperson. In his opening remarks, Marcelo Luis Ebrard Casaubon, Minister of the Economy, pointed to the multilateral nature of Codex work. With 80 nations represented at the meeting this week, [...]

A recent surveillance study of foodborne antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Cambodia has revealed an urgent need for stricter regulations on antimicrobial use in the country’s livestock sector. Carried out under the FAO-implemented and Republic of Korea-funded Action to support implementation of Codex AMR texts (ACT) project, the study also underscores the importance of routine AMR monitoring, and the adoption of targeted interventions, such as improved biosecurity measures and vaccination programmes, to reduce the need of antibiotics and mitigate the spread [...]

In December 2024, the Codex Trust Fund (CTF), in collaboration with the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) of the Republic of Korea, organized the third joint training on good Codex practices. A total of ten trainees from five CTF beneficiary countries (Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Rwanda and Senegal) participated in the training, which focused on: Korea’s inter-governmental cooperation for participating in Codex meetings, and introduction to work experiences Guide to the Codex standards development process relating to traditional Korean [...]

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has launched a comprehensive and practical toolbox designed to help those assessing the risks of veterinary drug residues in food. 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.    Join us for the launch of the JECFA Toolbox on Thursday, 27 February [...]

The World Trade Organization’s Agreement on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (the SPS Agreement) references the texts developed by three standards setting bodies, as the reference standards for plant and animal health and food safety in international trade. Those three bodies are the Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex), the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) and the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH). These bodies are known collectively as the three sisters. When implemented, the standards set by the three sisters help to ensure [...]