Codex Report (REP11/CF) 21 - 25 March 2011

CODEX COMMITTEE - Report of the 5th Session of the Codex Committee on Contaminants in Foods, The Hague, The Netherlands

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

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

MATTERS FOR ADOPTION/CONSIDERATION BY THE 34TH SESSION OF THE CODEX ALIMENTARIUS COMMISSION

Proposed Draft Standards and Related Texts for Adoption

The Committee agreed to forward:

• Proposed Draft Code of Practice for the Prevention and Reduction of Ethyl Carbamate Contamination in Stone Fruit Distillates;
• Proposed Draft Maximum Levels for Melamine in Food (Liquid Infant Formula);

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 Arsenic in Rice;

Other matters

The Committee agreed to request:

• the removal of footnote 3 regarding 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 as these were considered quality parameters and did not require endorsement by CCCF.

Matters of Interest to the Codex Alimentarius Commission

The Committee:

• agreed to return the Proposed Draft Maximum Levels for DON and its acetylated derivatives in cereals and cereal-based products to Step 2 for redrafting, comments and consideration at its next session;
• agreed to return the Proposed Draft Maximum Level for Total Aflatoxin in Dried Figs to Step 2/3 for elaboration of a sampling plan for an ML of 10μg/kg, comments and consideration at its next session;
• agreed to defer discussion on editorial amendments to the GSCTFF to the next session;
• agreed to continue developing discussion papers on mycotoxins in sorghum, risk management options from different risk assessment outcomes, ochratoxin A in cocoa, and pyrrolizidine alkaloids in foods;
• 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;
• agreed to consider maximum levels for lead in various foods in the GSCTFF and the related Code of Practice for the Prevention and Reduction of Lead Contamination in Foods and the Code of Practice for Source Directed Measures to Reduce Contamination of Foods with Chemicals.