Codex Committee on Food Additives and Contaminants (33rd Session)

• Agreed to revise the discussion paper on the application of risk analysis principles for food additives and contaminants for circulation, comment and further consideration at its next meeting;
• Agreed to the following action in regard to the further elaboration of the GSFA:
  • agreed to revise the discussion paper on the relationship between codex commodity standards and the GSFA, including consideration of the food category system, for circulation, comment and further consideration at its next meeting;
  • agreed to revisions to the food category system of the GSFA, and;
  • forwarded 7 food additives in Table 1 and amendments to Table 3 of the GSFA to the commission for final adoption; forwarded all remaining food additive provision in Table 1 of the GSFA to the Commission for preliminary adoption.
• Agreed to elaborate a discussion paper on processing aids and food additive carriers in the context of the GSFA for circulation, comment and further consideration at its next meeting;
• Forwarded the draft revised codex general standard for irradiated foods to the commission for preliminary adoption;
• Agreed to revise the recommended international code of practice for the operation of irradiation facilities used for the treatment of foods for circulation, comment and further consideration at its next session;
• Forwarded 59 specifications for food additives and 262 specifications for flavouring agents to the commission for adoption as codex advisory specifications;
• Forwarded amendments to the international numbering system to the commission for final adoption;
• Endorsed food additive and/or contaminant provisions arising from the codex committees on milk and milk products, cocoa products and chocolate, soups and broths, processed fruits and vegetables, natural mineral waters and fish and fishery products;
• Agreed to revise the methodology and principles for exposure assessment in the context of the codex general standard for contaminants and toxins in foods for circulation, comment and further consideration at its next meeting;
• Forwarded the draft maximum level for aflatoxin M1 in milk to the commission for final adoption;
• Forwarded the draft maximum level for ochratoxin A in cereals and cereal products to the commission for final adoption;
• Forwarded the draft revised sampling plan for peanuts to the commission for final adoption;
• Agreed to revise the proposed draft codes of practice for the prevention of patulin contamination in apple juice and apple juice ingredients in other beverages and for the prevention of mycotoxin contamination in cereals, including annexes on ochratoxin A, zearlenone, fumonisin and tricothecenes, for circulation, comment and further consideration at its next meeting;
• Forwarded the draft code of practice for source directed measures to reduce contamination of food with chemicals to the commission for final adoption;
• Forwarded a draft guideline level for cadmium to the commission for final adoption, proposed draft maximum levels for cadmium to the commission for preliminary adoption and returned proposed draft maximum levels for cadmium for additional comment and further consideration at its next meeting;
• Forwarded a draft maximum level for lead to the Commission for final adoption and returned proposed draft maximum levels for lead for additional comment and further consideration at its next meeting;
• Agreed to revise the position papers on dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs and on chloropropanols for circulation, comment and further consideration at its next meeting;
• Agreed to revise the proposed draft code of practice for source directed measures to reduce dioxin contamination of foods for circulation, comment and further consideration at its next meeting;
• Agreed to continue the consideration of amendments to the priority list of food additives and contaminants requiring evaluation by JECFA at its next meeting;
• Agreed to continue the consideration of methods of analysis for the determination of food additives and contaminants in foods at its next meeting;
• Forwarded revisions to the codex standard for food grade salt (packaging, transportation and storage) to the commission for final adoption, and;
• Agreed to consider at its next meeting discussion papers on deoxynivalenol and the use of active chlorine as well as a maximum limit for aflatoxin B1 in pistachios.