The research group - the Health and Labour Science Research Grants, Research Program on Food Safety - Developing International Strategy for Food Safety Regulation based on International Food Standard-Setting Process in Japan –Japan – co-hosted by Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, the Consumer Affairs Agency, and Policy Alternatives Research Institute of the University of Tokyo held its fifth annual Codex-related symposium at the University of Tokyo since 2013. More people and food traveling [...]

Andean government representatives discussed on 7-8 March 2018 in Quito, Ecuador the challenges they face and the successes they celebrate in setting international standards used in trading plant products and food internationally. Contact points, representing members of the Codex Alimentarius and parties to the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC), shared their experiences while seeking ways to boost subregional cooperation during a workshop, convened by the Secretariats of the two UN organizations and Corporación IG-DE. Over the course of two days, standards [...]

The Codex Committee on Contaminants in Foods begins its twelfth session in Utrecht, The Netherlands on Monday 12th March. The committee is chaired by Dr Wieke Tas of the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature & Food Quality in The Netherlands. Environmental contaminants Q: The agenda starts with the industrial and environmental contaminants. What progress has been made on establishing maximum levels (MLs) for lead and for cadmium in chocolate and what needs to be done next to complete this work? A: There’s a difference between lead [...]

The FAO/WHO Regional Coordinating Committees (RCC) are to be held between September and October 2019. Tom Heilandt, Codex Secretary, announced the change in scheduling earlier this week. Why have the RCC meetings been moved? Tom: Following consultation with FAO and WHO, we feel there is an opportunity to enhance the RCC revitalization process by rescheduling these meetings more closely together in the Codex calendar. This will bring stronger alignment and sharper focus on regional matters and rationalize the Secretariat workload, which is complex [...]

For the first time Codex members and observers can participate remotely in the plenary discussion of a meeting, providing comments and inputs in real time thanks to the use of webinar technology. This is a milestone in the Codex approach to developing standards by ensuring broader and simultaneous participation. The new tool is in use this week in Santiago, Chile, where Codex members and observers are attending the Codex Committee on Food Import and Export Inspection and Certification Systems (CCFICS) [...]

The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) invited its members as well as representatives of various standards bodies - such as the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), International Social and Environmental Accreditation and Labelling Alliance (ISEAL) and the Codex Alimentarius Commission – along with NGOs and academia to the Palais des Nations in Geneva to explore the role of standards in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) during an international conference on 28-29 November 2017. [...]

The Codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses (CCNFSDU) studies specific nutritional problems, drafts general provisions concerning the nutritional aspects of all foods and develops standards for foods for special dietary uses. The 39th meeting is taking place this week in Berlin, Germany attended by over 350 delegates from nearly 70 countries and over 30 international observer organizations. Opening the meeting, Parliamentary State Secretary Dr. Maria Flachsbarth underlined the continuing importance of the work of the committee in protecting [...]

The new Codex website launches today with a clean, clear user experience and a range of new features. The website is the home for all Codex work. You will find dedicated thematic pages that highlight the broad scope of the Codex programme in areas such as contaminants, nutrition, antimicrobial resistance and biotechnology, allowing new visitors to begin to understand the work and impact of the food safety standards Codex develops. Six new regional web pages have been designed to promote specific Codex activities [...]

Thursday 23 November - Geneva I look forward to continuing to work together and strengthening the partnership between our organizations WTO Director-General Ambassador Roberto Azevêdo.   The Chairperson of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC), Guilherme Costa, met the World Trade Organization (WTO) Director General, Ambassador Roberto Azevêdo, in Geneva. Mr Costa is currently in Geneva attending a series of meetings. During the meeting with Ambassador Azevêdo, the Codex Chair informed him about the work which is being developed by the Codex Chairs and Vice-Chairs and [...]

The Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) is a global forum working to “transform scientific knowledge into innovative solutions for the benefit of people around the world.” They were established in 1939 and are an NGO observer to Codex. We spoke to Rosie Newsome who is Director of Science and Policy Initiatives. Question: Antibiotics have been used in food animals for more than 50 years to treat, prevent, or control infectious disease. What is the relation to antimicrobial resistance? IFT Response: The antibiotic [...]