Codex Committee Report (ALINORM 09/32/26), 3 - 7 November 2008

CODEX – Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses (30th Session), Cape Town, South Africa

The 30th Session of the Codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses reached the following conclusions:

MATTERS FOR FINAL ADOPTION BY THE 32ND SESSION OF THE CODEX ALIMENTARIUS COMMISSION:

The Committee:

• agreed to forward to the Commission the Draft Table of Conditions for Nutrient Content (Part B Containing Provisions for Dietary Fibre) for adoption at Step 8 (ALINORM 09/32/26 para. 54 and Appendix II);
• agreed to forward to the Commission the Draft Advisory List of Nutrient Compounds for Use in Foods for Special Dietary Uses Intended for Infants and Young Children: Section D: Advisory List of Food Additives for Special Nutrient Forms: Provisions on Gum Arabic (Gum acacia) for adoption at Step 8 (ALINORM 09/32/26, para. 62 and Appendix III);
• agreed to forward to the Commission the Draft Nutritional Risk Analysis Principles and Guidelines for Application to the Work of the Committee on Nutrition and Foods for the Special Dietary Uses (ALINORM 09/32/26, para. 82 and Appendix IV);
• agreed to forward to the Commission the Proposed Draft Annex on Recommendations on the Scientific Substantiation of Health Claims to the Codex Guidelines for Use of Nutrition and Health for adoption at Step 5/8 with the recommendation to omit Steps 6 and 7 (ALINORM 09/32/26, para. 102 and Appendix V).

MATTERS OF INTEREST TO THE 32ND SESSION OF THE COMMISSION

The Committee:

• agreed to consider how to proceed with new work on the revision of General Principles for the Addition of Essential Nutrients to Foods (CAC/GL 9-1987); development of the separate Standard for Cereal Based-Foods for Underweight Children; revision of the Guidelines on Formulated Supplementary Foods for Older Infants and Young Children (CAC/GL 8-1991); and the development of Nutrient Reference Values (NRVs) associated with increased or decreased risk of noncommunicable diseases at the next session of the Committee (paras 123-154).

MATTERS REFERRED TO OTHER COMMITTEES

Codex Committee on Methods of Analysis and Sampling (CCMAS)

• The CCNFSDU refers some responses to the questions on several methods in the standard for Infant Formula and Formulas for Special Medical Purposes Intended for Infants and the List of methods for which advice of the CCMAS is sought (paras 17-21 and Appendix VI).

Codex Committee on Food Additives (CCFA)

• The Committee refers a level of 10 mg/kg of Gum Arabic (Gum acacia) to the CCFA for endorsement as a coating agent for inclusion in Section D Advisory List of Food Additives for Special Nutrient Forms in the Advisory List of Nutrient Compounds for Use in Foods for Special Dietary Use by Infants and Young Children (CAC/GL 10-1979) (paras 55-62 and Appendix III).

Codex Committee on Food Labelling (CCFL)

• The Committee refers the Draft Table (Provisions on Dietary Fibre including the definition of dietary fibre, Appendix II, para. 48) and the proposed draft Annex on Recommendations on the Scientific Substantiation of Health Claims to the Guidelines for Nutrition and Health Claims, para. 102, Appendix V) for information by the CCFL.

Codex Committee on General Principles (CCGP)

• The Committee refers the draft Nutritional Risk Analysis Principles and Guidelines for Application to the Work of the Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses to the CCGP for their review and endorsement (paras 82, Appendix IV).