26 – 30 April 2010

CODEX - 4th Session of the Codex Committee on Contaminants in Foods, Izmir, Turkey,

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

MATTERS FOR ADOPTION/CONSIDERATION BY THE 33RD SESSION OF THE CODEX ALIMENTARIUS COMMISSION

Proposed Draft Standards and Related Texts for Adoption

The Committee agreed to forward:

• Proposed Draft Maximum Levels for Melamine in Food (powdered infant formula and foods other than infant formula) and Feed (para. 68, Appendix IV);
• Proposed Draft Maximum Levels for Total Aflatoxins in Shelled, Ready-to-Eat Brazil Nuts and Shelled, Destined for Further Processing Brazil Nuts (including sampling plans) (para. 76, Appendix V);
• Proposed Draft Revision of the Code of Practice for the Prevention and Reduction of Aflatoxin in Tree Nuts (additional measures for Brazil nuts) (para. 85, Appendix VI);
• Proposed Maximum Level for Tin in Canned Food (excluding beverages) to various general standards for canned fruits and vegetables in the Codex Standard for Contaminants and Toxins in Food and Feed (paras. 18- 21, Appendix II);
• Editorial amendments to the Codex Standard for Contaminants and Toxins in Food and Feed (para. 121);
• endorsed the sections on contaminants in standards for milk and milk products as proposed by the Codex Committee on Milk and Milk Products (para. 9).

Proposals for New Work

The Committee agreed to submit to the Codex Alimentarius Commission, through the Executive Committee, the proposals for the following new work on:

• Maximum Levels for Deoxynivalenol (DON) and its Acetylated Derivatives in Cereals and Cereal-based Products (para. 110);
• Maximum Levels for Total Aflatoxins in Dried Figs (para. 114, Appendix IX).

Matters of Interest to the Codex Alimentarius Commission

The Committee:

• maintained the temporary endorsement of sections 3.2.17 (surface active agents), 3.2.18 (pesticides and PCBs), 3.2.19 (mineral oil) and 3.2.20 (polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons) in the Standard on Natural Mineral Waters and established a working group to determine more appropriate maximum levels for the substances listed in the aforesaid sections or specific identifed substances within these groups (paras. 9-17);
• retained the maximum level for lead in individual standards for canned fruits and vegetables pending the outcome of the JECFA evaluation on lead (paras. 18-22);
• agreed to return the Proposed Draft Code of Practice for the Prevention and Reduction of Ethyl Carbamate Contamination in Stone Fruit Distillates to Step 3 for comments and consideration at its next session (para. 54);
• agreed to return a Proposed Draft Maximum Level for Melamine in Food (liquid infant formula) to Step 3 for for comments and consideration at its next session (para. 68);
• retained Proposed Draft Maximum Levels for Fumonisins in Maize and Maize-Products and Associated Sampling Plans at Step 4 until further advice was provided by JECFA (para. 95);
• endorsed the Priority List of Contaminants and Naturally Occurring Toxicants for JECFA evaluation and agreed to re-convene the physical working group at its next session to review the Priority List (para. 102);
• agreed on a number of recommendations in relation to mitigation measures for acrylamide (para. 105).