Foodlaw-Reading Dr David Jukes, The University of Reading, UK
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Food Law News - FAO / WHO / WTO / Codex - 2020

FAO News Item, 24 September 2020

CODEX - FAO Updates of decisions being taken at the ongoing 43rd Session

The United Nations food standards body Codex Alimentarius Commission is being held online from 24 to 26 September 2020 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).

Decisions taken at the 43rd session of the Commission will be published below as they are made.

Standard for fermented cooked cassava-based products

• ADOPTED- 24.09.2020
• Cassava balls or sticks are obtained from fresh cassava roots, peeled, cut, soaked in water for fermentation, pressed and dried before packaging and cooking. Cassava is common in African diets and makes up 40 percent of the roots and tubers market. This standard will contribute to the regularization of the sector making it possible to define the identity and quality characteristics of fermented cassava products.

Standard for fresh leaves of Gnetum spp.

• ADOPTED- 24.09.2020
• The leaves of Gnetum spp, a wild evergreen climber found in the rain forests, are commonly known and consumed as eru, okok, fumbua and okasi. Countries will be able to regulate the sale and export of these products by basing their national legislation on this standard that establishes the characteristics and expected quality of the product.

See also related news item:

• INT: 24 September 2020 CODEX - Virtual Commission opens with an emphasis on innovation