Foodlaw-Reading
Dr David Jukes, The University of Reading, UK
|
|
Codex News item, 9 September 2016
The Codex Processed Fruits and Vegetables Committee will be meeting in Washington DC for its 28th session from 12th-16th September.
This Codex commodity committee (CCPFV) has a mandate to elaborate worldwide standards and related texts for all types of processed fruits and vegetables, including canned, dried and frozen products as well as fruit and vegetable juices and nectars.
The meeting will be focusing on completing the revision of the the Standard for Canned Pineapple which will become one of the annexes to the Standard for Certain Canned Fruits. It will also complete the revision of the standards for seven quick frozen vegetables which will become annexes to the Standard for Quick Frozen Vegetables. Delegates will also work on determining next steps for completing the committee’s standards revision work.
Revising and updating standards
Chairperson Richard Boyd is Chief of the Contract Services Branch in the Specialty Crops Inspection Division of the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service. He spoke about progress the committee has made. "During its early years from 1964 to 1986, the committee elaborated a wide range of standards. In 1986, it had finished its work and adjourned Sine Die. In 1998, the committee reconvened with a mandate to revise and update the existing standards to reflect current commercial practices and make them simpler for adoption by national authorities. Since 1998, the committee has prioritized its revision work and made significant progress in revising and updating standards, holding nine sessions and completing revisions for 28 standards for canned fruits and vegetables and quick frozen vegetables, as well as developing new standards for eight products.
Unique opportunity
For delegates attending a session for the first time Boyd spoke of the "unique opportunity to work collaboratively to develop international standards". He said "the success of a committee depends greatly on the ability of delegations to work together to identify underlying interests and seek common ground. I encourage first-time delegates to seek out and build relationships with other delegations, including those which may have more experience with the Codex process. Boyd also encouraged first-time delegates, and all delegates, "to use their creativity as they navigate the challenges that inevitably arise as delegations bring a multitude of interests and points of view to the standards development process".
For the documents relating to the meeting, see: CCPFV28 working documents
