Codex Report (ALINORM 09/32/41), 23 – 27 March 2009

CODEX – Committee on Contaminants in Foods (3 rd Session), Rotterdam, The Netherlands

The Third Session of the Codex Committee on Contaminants in Foods reached the following conclusions:

Matters for consideration by the Codex Alimentarius Commission

Draft and Proposed draft Standards and Related Texts at Steps 8 or 5/8 of the Procedure

The Committee agreed to forward:

• Proposed Draft Revision to the Preamble of the GSCTF at Step 5/8 (para. 45 and Appendix III);
• Draft Code of Practice for the Reduction of Acrylamide in Foods at Step 8 (para. 64 and Appendix IV);
• Draft Code of Practice for the Reduction of Contamination of Food with Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAH) from Smoking and Direct Drying Processes at Step 8 (para. 67 and Appendix V);
• Proposed Draft Code of Practice for the Prevention and Reduction of Ochratoxin A Contamination in Coffee at Step 5/8 (para. 95 and Appendix VI).

Other matters for adoption

The Committee agreed to forward the:

• Amendments to Paragraph 10, Sample Preparation in the Sampling Plans for Aflatoxin Contamination in Ready-to-Eat Treenuts and Treenuts Destined for Further Processing: Almonds, Hazelnuts and Pistachios (para.20 and Appendix II);

Proposals for new work

• The Committee agreed to submit to the Codex Alimentarius Commission, through the Executive Committee, the proposal for the following new work on:
• “Maximum Levels for Fumonisins in Maize and Maize-Products and Associated Sampling Plans” (para. 101 and Appendix VII);
• a “Code of Practice for the Reduction of Ethyl Carbamate in Stone Fruit Distillates” (para. 115 and Appendix VIII);
• a “revision of the Code of Practice for the Prevention and Reduction of Aflatoxin in Tree Nuts (additional measures for Brazil nuts)” (para. 123 and Appendix IX); and
• “Maximum Levels for Melamine in Food and Feed” (para. 126 and Appendix X).

Matters of Interest to the Codex Alimentarius Commission

The Committee agreed:

• not to consider methods of analysis and sampling for certain chemical substances in the Standard for Natural Mineral Waters in view of discussions in the CCMAS (para.8);
• to return the Proposed Draft Maximum Levels for Total Aflatoxins in Brazil Nuts for redrafting, comments and consideration by the next session of the Committee (para. 78).