Foodlaw-Reading
Dr David Jukes, The University of Reading, UK
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FAO News Item, 17 July 2017
Updates of decisions being taken at the ongoing 40th Session in Geneva, Switzerland
The United Nations food standards body Codex Alimentarius Commission is meeting in Geneva from 17 to 22 July 2017 to adopt food safety and quality standards. Charged with protecting consumer health and ensuring fair practices in the food trade, the Codex Alimentarius is a joint initiative of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO).
Maximum residue limits for veterinary drugs in animal products: ivermectin, lasalocid sodium and teflubenzuron
AGREED - 17 July 2017
The Codex Alimentarius Commission has adopted maximum residue limits for a range of drugs sometimes used in food-producing animals. The decision was based on an evaluation by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA).Maximum residue limits were set for medicines Ivermectin (used to kill parasites) in tissues from cattle, and Lasalocid sodium (used for a similar purpose) in tissues from birds (chicken, turkey, quail and pheasant). Also, maximum residue limits were set for the insecticide Teflubenzuron when used in salmon.
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Code of hygienic practice for fresh fruits and vegetables
AGREED - 17 July 2017
Production, handling and preparation of all foods involves various risks. These can be reduced by following good agricultural and hygienic practices to help control microbial, chemical and physical hazards. This, in turn, minimizes the likelihood of foodborne diseases affecting consumers or negatively impacting public health. Such risks apply equally to fresh fruits and vegetables. The Codex Alimentarius Commission has adopted revisions updating its risk-based Code of Hygienic Practice for Fresh Fruits and Vegetables (CAC/RCP 53-2003) to provide detailed guidance to stakeholders along fresh fruit and vegetable value chains - from producers through to final consumers. The aim is to minimize microbial hazards, avoid risks to health, and maximize the safety of these nutritious food products, which are also of major economic importance for many countries in global trade.
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Guidelines on nutrition labelling
AGREED - 17 July 2017
The Codex Alimentarius Commission adopted the Nutrient Reference Values (NRV) for vitamins D and E.Nutrition labelling is an important way of informing consumers on the nutrient content of foods, which can in turn help them make informed choices to support healthy diets. A five-year long process was undertaken to update the NRVs for use on food labels around the world, with the aim to ensure global consistency in how nutrients are declared on labels.
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Standards for cumin, thyme and black, white and green pepper
AGREED - 17 July 2017
The Codex Alimentarius Commission has adopted three commodity standards on spices and culinary herbs - for Cumin, Thyme and Black, White and Green (BWG) Pepper. Cumin, dried thyme and pepper are among the world's most widely used seasonings: the popularity of their signature flavours and aroma is so significant that they represent important commodities for many national economies and in the international food trade. The international standards set by the Commission, and developed by the Codex Committee on Spices and Culinary Herbs, define the quality characteristics needed to regulate technical aspects, such as tolerances for defects, permitted levels of food additives and labelling. This not only protects the health of consumers, but also sets a level playing field for producers and traders in the international markets.
Note: The standards are adopted subject to the endorsement of the labelling provisions by the Codex Committee on Food
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Standard for fish oils
AGREED - 17 July 2017
The Codex Alimentarius Commission has adopted the Standard for Fish Oils, which reflects the latest available scientific information on use of such oils. Fish oils are highly nutritious products extracted from a variety of species of fish caught in the wild or raised through aquaculture. In many cultures, fish oils are added to other foods, used in the preparation of different cuisines, and consumed on their own for their nutritional properties and distinctive quality characteristics. The Standard for Fish Oils is the result of a participatory standard-development process benefitting from the work of independent experts and national authorities collaborating under the Codex framework. Like all Codex texts, the new Standard for Fish Oils is freely available for use by all stakeholders in the global fish oil value chain, from producers through to consumers.
Note: The standards are adopted subject to the endorsement of the labelling provisions by the Codex Committee on Food
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Food additives
AGREED - 17 July 2017
The Codex Alimentarius Commission adopted a set of measures to safeguard the health of consumers from additives that are added to food to perform specific technological functions. They include preservatives used to keep food fresh for longer, antioxidants for stopping food from becoming rancid, stabilizers to help mix ingredients, and colours, flavours and sweeteners. The safety of such food additives is evaluated by the independent and international Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA), which provides safety assessments to the Codex Committee on Food Additives (CCFA).Actions agreed by the Commission included changes to the way food additives are addressed in Codex commodity standards, and the setting of maximum use levels for specific additives in various foods.
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Maximum level of lead in processed fruits and vegetables
AGREED - 17 July 2017
To protect against high exposures of lead, the Codex Alimentarius Commission has set new limits for lead contamination found in food. Lead is a chemical existing in the environment, including in the air and water, and can be absorbed by plants from soil. If humans are exposed to too much lead it is detrimental to their health. Infants and young children are particularly vulnerable to the toxic effects of lead. In an efforts to reduce exposure, the Commission set limits of no more than 0.1 mg of lead per kg of pulses (such as lentils and dried beans), 0.4mg/kg for jams, jellies and marmalades, and 0.05 mg/kg for preserved tomatoes, amongst other maximum levels for processed fruits and vegetables.
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Code of Practice for the prevention and reduction of arsenic contamination in rice
AGREED - 17 July 2017
The Codex Alimentarius Commission has adopted a code of practice for the prevention and reduction of arsenic contamination in rice. Arsenic is among a wide range of substances, whether occurring naturally in the environment or produced by human activity, that can accumulate in plants as they grow and, eventually, end up in our food. Such contaminants may be harmful to human health. Arsenic can become concentrated in rice, the major staple food for a large portion of the world's population. Health risks associated with high arsenic exposure, such as cancer and certain skin diseases are significant on a global scale. Arsenic exposure has also been associated with developmental effects, cardiovascular disease, neurotoxicity and diabetes. Contamination can also impact the availability of rice and, thereby, food security. Serving as a guide for managing the risks of arsenic contamination in rice, the code of practice lays out agricultural and source-directed measures that have proved effective and implementable worldwide to help rice producers avoid and reduce introduction or build-up of arsenic in their crops. Developed through a broad participatory process, involving countries from all income groupings, the code of practice is now available to rice farmers and other stakeholders to help produce and trade safe rice. It shows how to take appropriate measures regarding water, soil, agricultural and industrial contamination, thus protecting the health of consumers everywhere. Further development of the code is envisaged as more practices become available further down the food chain (e.g. processing and cooking measures).
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Maximum limits for pesticide residues in food
AGREED - 17 July 2017
The Codex Alimentarius Commission has adopted maximum residue limits for more than 25 different pesticides in various foods, including vegetables (avocados, cucumbers), fruits (grapes, pears), and animal products (milk, eggs, poultry).Pesticides are chemicals used to kill insects, weeds and other pests to prevent them from damaging crops. Even when used in accordance with best practices, low levels of residues of pesticides can end up in food. The maximum limits aim to ensure pesticide residues do not harm people's health, and are based on risk assessments from the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Meeting on Pesticide Residues (JMPR), Existing Codex standards for diazinon, glyphosate and malathion remain unchanged, taking into account the JMPR's recent re-evaluation of these pesticides.
