CODEX ALIMENTARIUS RASHID AHMAD KHAN (31) MANSOOAR ALI (30) B. SC. (HONS.) FOOD SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 8 TH SEMESTER (REG) IFSN UNIVERSITY OF SARGODHA

Table of Contents n Codex Alimentarius commission n Codex Alimentarius n Members n Basic Role n Structure and Contents of Codex Alimentarius n Codex Legal Tools n Management Organs of the Commission n Technical Organs of the Commission

Table of Contents n WTO Agreement and Codex n Scientific basis for codex work n Achievements of Codex Alimentarius n Transparency of Codex Alimentarius n Summary n References

Codex Alimentarius Commission n FAO in 1961 and WHO in 1963 passed the resolution to establish the codex Alimentarius commission n Subsidiary of Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), United Nations (UN) and World Health Organization (WHO) n Joint venture between FAO and WHO to formulate internationally accepted food safety standards

Codex Alimentarius Commission n The basic task of the Codex Alimentarius Commission is to prepare different types of food standards and to publish them in the Codex Alimentarius. n Establishing product standards and also general standards is the basic priority in the work of the commission.

Codex Alimentarius n Codex Alimentarius is a group of international food standards, adopted by the Codex Alimentarius Commission and uniformly presented n The term Codex Alimentarius is taken from the Latin term Codex Alimentarius, meaning Food Law or Legal Food Code. n The Codex Alimentarius standards cover all basic food types, raw, semi-processed and processed, that are intended for distribution to the costumers.

Members n Currently the Codex Alimentarius Commission has:  188 Codex Members n Pakistan is member since 1970

Basic Role n To protect the health of consumers n To ensure fairness and quality in trade n To promote coordination of all food standards

Structure and Contents of Codex Alimentarius n Codex Alimentarius is composed of 14 volumes distributed in 17 books n Each book (by group of products) contains:  standards, codes of practice, guidelines….

“Food” under the Codex: n “Any substance, whether processed, partly processed or raw, which is intended for human consumption and includes drink, chewing gum and any substance which has been used in the manufacture, preparation or treatment of food but does not include cosmetics, tobacco or substances used solely as drugs

Codex Legal Tools: n Codex Standards n Codes of Practices n Guidelines and Recommendations

Codex Standards n Food requirements intended to provide consumers with a sound, wholesome food product free from adulteration, correctly labeled and presented n Quantifies and specifies in acceptable form, exactly what is considered to be in compliance with regards to certain commodities n International acceptance is most importance consideration next to safety

Codex Standards n Prescribed format used to develop each standard. Must include:  Name  Scope  Description  Essential composition and quality factors  Food additives  Contaminants  Hygiene  Weights and measures  Labeling  Methods of analysis and sampling

Codes of Practice n Advisory text issued to all members to assist them in achieving purposes of Codex n Typically describe “hygiene” requirements n Considered “checklist” of requirements for enforcement authorities

Guidelines and Recommendations n Basic tool used to help member nations in elaboration of their standards to conform to Codex n Accepted worldwide n Very useful to developing countries n Commission can make guidelines  i.e. SPS Agreement guidelines

Management Organs of the Commission n The Executive Committee n The Regional Coordinating Committees n The Secretariat of the Commission

The Executive Committee n Chairperson n 3 Vice Chairpersons n 7 Regional Representatives (governments) n 6 Regional Coordinators (observers)

The Regional Coordinating Committees n 6 Regional Committees  Africa  Asia  Europe  Near East  Latin America & Caribbean  North America & Southwest Pacific n Coordinate activities relevant to the region  Regional Codex standards

The Secretariat of the Commission n Administrative support to the Commission n Link with Codex Contact Points n Co-ordination with the work of other organs n Located at Headquarters of FAO (Rome), Italy

Technical Organs of the Commission 11 General Subject Committees + 12 Commodity Committees + 1 Ad Hoc Inter-Governmental Task Forces

General Subject Committees n Codex Committee on Contaminants in Foods n Codex Committee on Food Additives n Codex Committee on Food Additives and Contaminants n Codex Committee on Food Hygiene n Codex Committee on Food Import and Export Inspection and Certification Systems n Codex Committee on Food Labelling

General Subject Committees (Cont.) n Codex Committee on General Principles n Codex Committee on Methods of Analysis and Sampling n Codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses n Codex Committee on Pesticide Residues n Codex Committee on Residues of Veterinary Drugs in Foods

Codex Commodity Committees n Codex Committee on Cocoa Products and Chocolate n Codex Committee on Cereals, Pulses and Legumes n Codex Committee on Fish and Fishery Products n Codex Committee on Fresh Fruits and Vegetables n Codex Committee on Fats and Oils n Codex Committee on Milk and Milk Products

Codex Commodity Committees (Cont.) n Codex Committee on Meat Hygiene n Codex Committee on Natural Mineral Waters n Codex Committee on Processed Fruits and Vegetables n Codex Committee on Sugars n Codex Committee on Spices and Culinary Herbs n Codex Committee on Vegetable Proteins

Ad Hoc Intergovernmental Codex Task Forces n Joint FAO/WHO Committee of Government Experts on the Code of Principles Concerning Milk and Milk Products

CODEX ALIMENTARIUS COMMISSION AND THE WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION

A reference in the WTO SPS agreement WTO SPS defines International standards, guidelines and recommendations: “for food safety, the standards, guidelines and recommendations established by the Codex Alimentarius Commission relating to food additives, veterinary drug and pesticide residues, contaminants, methods of analysis and sampling, and codes and guidelines of hygienic practice”; (Annex A,3.a)

WTO Agreement and Codex  Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (The SPS Agreement)  The SPS Agreement calls on countries to harmonize their national standards with “international standards, guidelines or recommendations ”(Article 3.1).  Codex Standards are defined as “international standards, guidelines or recommendations” for food safety (Annex A).

WTO Agreement and Codex (Cont.)  Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade (The TBT Agreement)  The TBT Agreement calls on countries to use relevant international standards when they exist (Article 2.4).

Codex Standards Product Definition Additives Contaminants Pesticide Residues Essential Characteristics Product Classification Labelling Traceability Pathogenic Microorganisms Packaging, Storage and Transportation TBT SPS Nutrition Weights & Measures Methods of Analysis and Sampling

Scientific basis for Codex work n Codex committees, when developing standards, apply risk analysis and rely on the independent scientific advice provided by expert bodies organized by FAO/WHO n These bodies also give direct advice to Member Governments n It also provides information on how countries can request, access and contribute data to this process n It is due to its scientific basis that Codex texts are considered by WTO as the international reference for food safety standards

FAO/WHO expert committees n Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) n Joint FAO/WHO Meeting on Pesticide Residues (JMPR) n Joint FAO/WHO Expert Meetings on Microbiological Risk Assessment (JEMRA)

Achievements of Codex Alimentarius  237 Food Standards  43 Codes of Practice  33 Guidelines  197 Pesticides evaluated  3274 Limits for pesticides residues  25 Guideline limits for contaminants  54 Veterinary drugs evaluated  289 Limits of veterinary drug residues

Transparency of Codex Alimentarius n Information for all the standards, regulations, guides and other recommendations are available on the web page: n

Summary n Codex Alimentarius is designed to ensure international acceptance in terms of quality and economic interest of consumer and to ensure fair trade practices n Standards based on scientific principles n Flexible so can be integrated into member’s National law

Summary n Impacted quality and safety of world food supply n Upgraded standards for manufacturing, processing, safety and quality throughout world n Increased international trade n Contributes to lowering of trade barriers n SPS Agreement encourage acceptance of Codex standards

Summary n Ensures that products complying with Codex standards can be bought and sold on the international market without compromising health or interests of consumers/Codex standards ensure product is safe internationally n Note: PSQCA (Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority) is the focal point of codex in Pakistan, which is working under Ministry of Science and Technology

REFERENCES n n Codex Alimentarius Commission, Procedural Manual, Twenty-fourth Edition, FAO and WHO, 2015.