The 49th session of the Codex Alimentarius Committee on Food Labelling (CCFL49) successfully addressed all the topics on its agenda, including two proposals for new work (on alcohol beverages labelling and on a definition for small packs). CCFL49 indeed finalized (i) new guidelines on precautionary allergen labelling (to reduce the overuse of “may contain”
Codex Alimentarius
CODEX ALIMENTARIUS – FOOD ADDITIVES: Main Outcome of the 56th session of the Codex Alimentarius Committee on Food Additives (CCFA), CCFA56

The 56th session of the Codex Alimentarius Committee on Food Additives (and on Flavorings, Enzymes, Yeasts, and Processing Aids) (i.e., CCFA56) successfully addressed all the topics on its agenda. Two historical features were achieved this year: (a) the finalization of a first-ever commodity standard developed by CCFA on baker’s yeasts, and (b) a novel approach…
CODEX ALIMENTARIUS COMMITTEE ON METHODS OF ANALYSIS AND SAMPLING: 45th session (CCMAS45) Main Outcome

The 45th session of the Codex Alimentarius Committee on Methods of Analysis and Sampling (CCMAS45) successfully addressed all topics on its agenda, with one more topic about adequate method of “analysis” of the presence of ‘microplastics’ in food grade salt, as raised by Korea. CCMAS45 endorsed methods of analysis from several commodity standards (e.g.…
CODEX ALIMENTARIUS – Main Outcome of the 29th session of the Committee on Fats and Oils (CCFO29)

The 29th session of the Codex Alimentarius Committee on Fats and Oils (CCFO29) addressed all the topics on its agenda. CCFO29 main discussions focused on options to include nutritional restrictions to limit the presence of industrially produced trans-fatty acids (iTFAs) in foods covered by three Codex standard (edible fats and oils not covered by individual…
CODEX ALIMENTARIUS – Main Outcome of the 55th session of the Committee on Food Hygiene (CCFH55)

The 55th session of the Codex Alimentarius Committee on Food Hygiene addressed all the topics on its agenda. In particular, it finalized revised guidelines on measures to (a) control of Campylobacter and Salmonella in chicken meat and (b) control of Listeria Monocytogenes in foods, including interesting discussions on ready-to-eat foods; and on (c) two revised…
CODEX ALIMENTARIUS COMMISSION: Main Outcome of the 48th session (CAC48)

The 48th session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission addressed all the topics on its agenda and covered three more topics as other businesses (e.g., high quality cassava flour and related products, cashew kernels, and food classifications based on the intensity of processing, so-called highly- or ultra-processed). CAC48 approved about eight hundred new or revised…
CODEX ALIMENTARIUS: Main Outcome of the 18th Committee Session on Contaminants in Food (CCCF18)

The 18th session of the Codex Alimentarius Committee on Contaminants in Foods (CCCF18) successfully addressed all the topics on its draft agenda and a few more under “other business”. Worth noting that CCCF18 approved two new international maximum limits (MLs) for the ‘heavy metal’ lead, in dried bark spice and in dried culinary herbs at…
CODEX ALIMENTARIUS: Main Outcome of the 34th Committee on General Principles (CCGP34)

The 34th session of the Codex Alimentarius Committee on General Principles (CCGP34) successfully addressed all topics on its agenda. CCGP34 endorsed several proposed key changes to the Procedural Manual of the Codex Alimentarius Commission relating to (a) the guidelines for Codex subsidiary bodies (Committees and Task Forces), (b) inconsistencies in language used in the main…
CODEX ALIMENTARIUS: Main Outcome of the 44th Committee on Methods of Analysis and Sampling (CCMAS44)

The 44th session of the Codex Alimentarius Committee on Methods of Analysis and Sampling (CCMAS44) successfully addressed all topics on its agenda. CCMAS44 endorsed methods of analysis from commodity standards and recommended approval of others e.g., on chocolate, chocolate products and other cocoa-based products, fruits juices and nectars, fish products, follow-up formulas, food grade salt.
CODEX ALIMENTARIUS: Main Outcome of the 23rd Committee on Fresh Fruits and Vegetables (CCFFV23)

End February, the Codex Alimentarius Committee on Fresh Fruits and Vegetables (CCFFV) concluded its work on two new Codex Alimentarius Standards on Fresh Dates and on Fresh Curry Leaves, at its 23rd session. CCFFV23 also advanced the alignment of two existing Codex standards on avocado and on asparagus with the proposed layout for all standards…