Codex Alimentarius

US Public Meeting on the Codex Committee on Food Additives

2012-02-03T07:04:00.001-08:00

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are sponsoring a public meeting to provide information and receive public comments on agenda items that will be discussed at the 44th Session of the Codex Committee on Food Additives (CCFA) of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex), which will be held in Hangzhou, China March 12–16, 2012.

DATES: The public meeting is scheduled for Monday, February 13, 2012, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The public meeting will be held in the Harvey Wiley Federal Building, 5100 Paint Branch Parkway, College Park, MD 20740.

Documents related to the 44th Session of the CCFA are accessible via http:// www.codexalimentarius.org.

The U.S. Delegate to the 44th Session of the CCFA, Dennis Keefe, and FDA, invite interested U.S. parties to submit their comments electronically to the following email address: cfsan- ccfa@fda.hhs.gov.

Registration: Attendees may register electronically at the same email address provided above by February 8, 2012.

The 44th Codex Committee on Food Additives (CCFA)

2012-01-03T06:48:00.001-08:00

The 44^th Codex Committee on Food Additives (CCFA) will meet in Hangzhou, China, March 12-16, 2011.

A Federal Register Notice announcing the U.S. Public Meeting for the 44^th CCFA should publish soon. In the meantime, the following is provided for your information. The Public Meeting will be held on February 13, 2012, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in Rooms 1A-001 and 1A-002, FDA, Harvey Wiley Federal Building, 5100 Paint Branch Parkway, College Park, MD 20740. Documents related to the 44^th CCFA are accessible at: http://www.codexalimentarius.org/meetings-reports/en/. Specific information regarding registration for the Public Meeting will be provided in the Federal Register Notice. However, please note that early registration is encouraged because it will expedite entry into the building and its parking area. If you require parking, please include the vehicle make and tag number when you register. Because the meeting will be held in a Federal building, you should also bring photo identification and plan for adequate time to pass through security screening systems. Attendees that are not able to attend the meeting in person, but wish to participate may do so by teleconference, and should request the call-in number and conference code when they register for the Public Meeting. For further information about the Public Meeting contact: Jannavi R. Srinivasan, Ph.D, Telephone: (240) 402–1199, Fax: (301) 436–2965, e-mail: jannavi.srinivasan@fda.hhs.gov

US Public Meeting to Address Agenda Items for 43rd Session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission on Food Hygiene

2011-11-12T07:50:00.001-08:00

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Office of Food Safety, in conjunction with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), is holding a public meeting to provide information and receive public comments on agenda items, as well as to draft U.S. positions to be discussed at the 43rd Session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission Committee on Food Hygiene (CCFH), to be held in Miami, Fla., Dec. 5-9. More information is available here.

Summer Academy in Global Food Law

2011-03-17T09:19:00.000-07:00

The third Summer Academy in Global Food Law & Policy will take place at Como Lake - Italy, July 25-29, 2011, at the beautiful Villa La Collina. A distinguished faculty from relevant food organizations (WTO, Codex, EFSA, EU Commission), industry (Coca Cola) as well as academia (Michigan, Bocconi, HEC Paris) will be animating cutting-edge discussions on the latest developments in global food governance, from food private standards to health claims, from US Food Modernization Act to novel food regulation.

Among the those presenting are four faculty from the Institute for Food Laws and Regulations (IFLR) at Michigan State University: Neal Fortin, Professor at MSU and IFLR Director along with IFLR guest instructors Alberto Alemmano, Associate Professor of Law at HEC Paris, Gretchen Stanton, Senior Counsellor at WTO, and Raymond O'Rourke, Barrister, Ireland.

For more information on the program and the faculty, please find the brochure here and more information here and here. Please don't hesitate to contact Nikola Bock (bock@lexxion.de) for more information.

Public Meeting to Review US Positions of Codex Committee on Food Additives

2011-02-03T17:41:00.001-08:00

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Office of Food Safety and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will sponsor a public meeting in advance of the 43rd Session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission's Committee on Food Additives (CCFA). The public meeting will be held to provide information and solicit public comments on the draft U.S. positions for items being discussed at the Codex session.

The public meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2011, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Harvey Wiley Federal Building Auditorium, FDA, 5100 Paint Branch Parkway, College Park, Md. More information is available here.

Food Labeling Workshop at MSU July 28-29

2010-04-30T13:16:00.001-07:00

Institute for Food Laws & Regulations

» Hurry, registration is limited

Food Labeling Workshop

July 28-29, 2010 · Lansing, Michigan

This workshop presents the FDA requirements for US food labeling. The workshop format and materials are designed to provide a user-friendly approach for those new to food labeling and also provide a thorough system and reference for those experienced with food label design and review. The workshop format allows time for questions. The focus is practical, and students are encouraged to bring problem labels for hands-on review.
For more information, click here.

Early bird discount (by May 14, 2008): $895

Register Online or

Download a Registration Form (PDF)

Free Bonus
Workshop participants will receive the Guide to U.S. Food Labeling Law (Vol. I) by Peter Barton Hutt, Esq. The Guide provides practical guidance and expert advice on FDA, FTC, and USDA labeling requirements in plain English. The Guide is an invaluable resource for regulatory officials, industry personnel, and anyone reviewing food labels.

The Instructors

Neal Fortin, is Professor and Director of the Institute for Food Laws & Regulations, Michigan State University. His law practice experience concentrated on food law, labeling, ingredient evaluation, advertising, legislation, and administrative law. Professor Fortin also has 20 years experience in food regulatory work with the state of Michigan, including being the primary drafter of Michigan Food Law of 2000. He has trained more than 1,500 people on the labeling law.

Constance Henry, U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

James E. Hoadley is a senior consultant with EAS Consultant Group. In Dr. Hoadley's 20-year FDA career he served ten years a Senior Regulatory Scientist in the Office of Nutritional Products, Labeling and Dietary Supplements (ONPLDS) with primary responsibilities in food label claim regulations. Dr. Hoadley has been directly involved in the scientific review and drafting of authorizing regulation, or denials, of nearly all health claim petitions received by CFSAN over the last decade. Dr. Hoadley has received the CFSAN Distinguished Career Service Award.

John Spink is the Director of the Packaging for Food and Product Protection Initiative at Michigan State University (MSU) and a faculty at the MSU School of Packaging. John developed and teaches the graduate classes “Packaging for Food Safety” and “Food Protection & Defense – Packaging Module”, and the “Future of Sustainability.”

IFLR Internet Courses

International Food Laws and Regulations
Food Regulation in the United States
Food Regulation in the European Union
Food Regulation in Latin America
Food Regulation in Canada
Codex Alimentarius (The Food Code)
IPPC (International Plant Protection Convention)
Food Regulation in Asia
New Summer Course Offering:
Animal Health, World Trade, and Food Safety (OIE)

Learn more about IFLR at:
www.IFLR.msu.edu or call (517) 355-8295

Email: IFLR@msu.edu Telephone: (517) 355-8295
Fax: (517) 432-1492 web: www.IFLR.msu.edu

Institute for Food Laws and Regulation
Michigan State University, 140 G.M. Trout Building, East Lansing, MI 48824

If you would like to be sure of receiving future IFLR announcements:
Subscribe to the IFLR mailing list

Request for Information and Comments on JECFA Priority List

2010-04-12T08:47:00.001-07:00

“Request for Information and Comments on Priority List of Compounds Proposed for Evaluation by JECFA.” is available at: ftp://ftp.fao.org/codex/Circular_Letters/CxCL2010/cl10_10e.pdf. The deadline for comments is 15 January 2011.

US Public meeting to address Codex Committee on Contaminants in Food

2010-03-24T06:16:00.001-07:00

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Office of Food Safety and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are sponsoring a public meeting to provide information and receive public comments on agenda items and draft U.S. positions that will be discussed at the 4th Session of the Codex Committee on Contaminants in Food (CCCF), to be held in Izmir, Turkey, April 26–30, 2010. The CCCF establishes and endorses permitted maximum levels for contaminants and naturally occurring toxicants in food and feed; prepares a priority list of contaminants and naturally occurring toxicants for risk assessment by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives; considers methods of analysis and sampling for the determination of contaminants and naturally occurring toxicants in food and feed; considers and elaborates standards or codes of practice for related subjects; and considers other matters assigned to it by the Commission in relation to contaminants and naturally occurring toxicants in food and feed. The public meeting will be held on March 29, 2010 in the Harvey Wiley Federal Building, 5100 Paint Branch Parkway, College Park, Md. Documents and agenda items related to the 4th Session of the CCCF will be accessible at the Codex Web site. More information on the meeting is available here.

GMA's Transition Paper on CODEX to President Obama

2010-03-23T09:42:00.001-07:00

Recognizing the increased globalization of the food supply and declining consumer confidence, GMA has urged the Obama Administration to strengthen U.S. leadership in Codex Alimentarius and other international standard setting bodies in order to support harmonized international food regulatory policy based on science. The GMA Transition Paper on CODEX to President Obama is available at: http://bit.ly/alAexV

Codex Trust Fund in 2010

2010-02-02T12:14:00.001-08:00

Applications for support from the Codex Trust Fund in 2010 were received from 76 eligible countries. Resources available to
the Codex Trust Fund will allow over 300 participants to be supported in 2010 to attend Codex meetings, task forces and
working groups. Additional support will be made available for Codex training courses, and to enhance the technical and
scientific input that eligible countries are contributing to the Codex process. For more information please contact Catherine
Mulholland (Tel: +41 22 791 3080 - E-mail: codextrustfund@who.int ).
Codex Trust Fund website: www.who.int/foodsafety/codex/trustfund/en.

Learning the Lingo: MSU Workshop Series for Academic Writing

2010-01-25T11:35:00.000-08:00

Take part in The Michigan State University Writing Center's workshop series! The fall line-up includes:
MSU, the Writing Center, and You: An Introduction to Using the Writing Center (9/24) -Do you want to know more about the Writing Center before you decide to make an appointment? This session will tell you all you need to know about being a Writing Center client and how to be most successful in your sessions.

Grappling with the GRE: Preparing for the Writing Component of the GRE (10/8) - The GRE is stressful, but if you want to get into graduate school, you usually have to take it. This workshop will help you prepare for the written portion of the GRE by showing you what to expect and some strategies on how to excel (or at least survive).

I'm Awesome, Just Read My Personal Statement: A Workshop for Writing Personal Statements (10/22) -
Personal statements are very difficult for everyone to write. This session will help you determine how to approach your own personal statement by dissecting models and teaching strategies.

Plan, Research, Write, Repeat: A Workshop on Writing Processes (11/5) -
Knowledge of yourself as a writer is essential to successful academic writing. In this interactive workshop, contemplate and share your own writing processes and receive new ideas for ways to approach writing.

The Joys of Citation: An MLA/APA Workshop (11/12) - Learning how to use a citation style can be very confusing.The manuals can be difficult to read and websites can be hard to navigate. This session will help you learn how to decipher these citation styles.

All workshops are scheduled to take place on Thursdays from 4:00-6:00PM in The Writing Center, 300 Bessey Hall. To sign up for one or all of our workshops or if you have questions, please email Elena Adkins at adkinse1@msu.edu. To register for a workshop, please include the subject line "Workshop Series" and include your name as well as the name of the workshop in your message.

More information here: http://bit.ly/7rp1Q1

Public meeting date to discuss the U.S. positions on the agenda items for the 42nd session of the CCFA

2010-01-20T13:59:00.001-08:00

The public meeting date for the draft United States positions that will be discussed at the 42^nd session of the Codex Committee on Food Additives (CCFA) of the Codex Alimentarius Commission is is scheduled for February 8, 2010 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. in the Auditorium (1A003) of the Food and Drug Administration Harvey Wiley Federal Building, 5100 Paint Branch Parkway, College Park, MD 20740.

At public meeting, draft U.S. positions on the agenda items will be described and discussed, and attendees will have the opportunity to pose questions and offer comments. Written comments may also be offered at the meeting.

Those who wish to attend the February 8, 2010 public meeting should e-mail their intent to attend to the following e-mail address: cfsan-ccfa@fda.hhs.gov. Early registration is encouraged because it will expedite entry into the building and its parking area. Attendees that are not able to attend the meeting in-person but wish to participate may do so by phone. Those wishing to participate by phone should request the call-in number and conference code when they register for the meeting.

Public Meeting To Address Agenda Items For the 3rd Session of the Codex Ad Hoc Intergovernmental Task Force on Antimicrobial Resistance

2009-09-16T12:01:00.001-07:00

USDA announced a public meeting to provide information and receive public comments on agenda items and draft U.S. positions that will be discussed at the 3rd Session of the Codex Ad Hoc Intergovernmental Task Force on antimicrobial resistance, which will be held in Jeju, Republic of Korea, Oct. 12 - 16, 2009. The public meeting is scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 24, 2009, from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m., Room 107-A, USDA, Jamie L. Whitten Federal Building, 1200 Independence Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20250. More information is available here. Documents and agenda items related to the 3rd Session of the Codex Ad Hoc Intergovernmental Task Force on antimicrobial resistance will be accessible here.

Can the multilateral institutions encourage unbiased outcomes?

2009-09-14T14:49:00.001-07:00

Lee Ann Jackson and Marion Jansen have written, “Risk assessment in the international food safety policy arena: Can the multilateral institutions encourage unbiased outcomes?” (Jan. 2009). The working paper describes how food safety related scientific evidence is generated and how it is used in the context of risk assessment for international standard-setting at Codex and in WTO trade disputes. The authors also discuss the processes leading to policy conclusions on the basis of scientific evidence. They discuss the interactions between private and public sector actors and between "scientific experts" and others. Finally, they provide suggestions on improving the interactions and the transparency of the process.

Public Meeting To Address Agenda Items For The 15th Session Of The Codex Committee On Fresh Fruits And Vegetables

2009-09-02T12:21:00.001-07:00

The USDA today announced a public meeting to provide information and receive public comments on agenda items and draft U.S. positions that will be discussed at the 15th Session of the Codex Committee on Fresh Fruits and Vegetables (CCFFV) of the Codex Alimentarius Commission. The public meeting will be held Thursday, Sept. 17, 2009, from 10 a.m. to noon, Room 2068, USDA South Building, 1400 Independence Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20250.

Documents and agenda items related to the 15th Session of the CCFFV, which is hosted by Mexico and will be held Oct. 19-23, 2009, in Mexico City, Mexico, will be accessible here. Interested parties may submit written comments at the public meeting, or by e-mail to Dorian LaFond, International Standards Coordinator, AMS, Fruit and Vegetable Programs, at Dorian.Lafond@usda.gov. For further information about the public meeting, contact Doreen Chen-Moulec, U.S. Codex Office, Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA, by e-mail at Doreen.Chen-Moulec@fsis.usda.gov or by phone at (202) 205-7760 or fax at (202) 720-3157.

New Master Degree in Food, Society, and International Food Governance

2009-07-20T07:45:00.000-07:00

The Institute for Food Laws & Regulations at Michigan State University announced a collaboration with the Open University of Catalonia on a new Master's degree in Food, Society, and International Food Governance. The program is designed for individuals interested in enhancing their understanding and analysis of agriculture and food policy, and increasing their understanding of the social, cultural and economic factors that influence and shape the development and enforcement of agriculture governance. This combination presents an opportunity to explore connections between the historical, political, scientific, strategic, and ethical considerations involved in the organization of food policy and agriculture internationally. The program trains students to identify and generate solutions for just and sustainable food systems.

In an agreement to be finalized, the UOC will recognize any two (2) of the MSU IFLR courses listed below (6 credits total) as equivalent to 15 ECTS (UOC credits). Thus, UOC would accept these credits as one fourth of the UOC Masters in Food, Society and International Food Governance. Students have the option of either enrolling in these courses through MSU's Lifelong Education Program first and applying the credits towards the UOC Master Degree, or students may enroll in the UOC program first.

The UOC would recognize the IFLR courses as follows:

Food Regulation in the United States

Food Regulation in the European Union

Food Regulation in Latin America

Food Regulation in Canada

Food Regulation in Asia

Courses may also be taken both for the Master degree and to satisfy the requirements for a Certificate from Michigan State University in International Food Law. Successful completion of four international food law courses required for the MSU certificate. Certificate holders may apply past MSU credits towards the new master's degree.

More information on the International Food Law Certificate Program is available here.

US Public Meeting on Codex Agenda Items

2009-06-04T08:23:00.001-07:00

The Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety, U.S. Department of Agriculture is sponsoring a public meeting June 8 to provide information and receive public comments on agenda items and draft U.S. positions that will be discussed at the 32nd Session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, to be held in Rome, Italy, June 29-July 4, 2009.

Slow International Progress Toward Harmonized Audits

2009-06-03T18:44:00.001-07:00

EAS e News (June 2009) reports on the recent Food Safety Summit technical sessions on third-party audits and the slow process of harmonizing international audits. Because there is an overlap between the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) and the Codex Alimentarius Commission's general principles of food hygiene, GFSI's proponents hope to use the overlap to gain easier international acceptance of GFSI's criteria.

“According to Mark Overland, corporate certification manager for Cargill, who moderated the sessions, general acceptance of the GFSI in the United States would require three key elements: a public audit standard instead of the numerous proprietary standards that exist; accreditation of audit bodies to the international standard; and auditors that are qualified to the international standard. . . . Codex Chair Karen Hulebak expressed concern about any moves to expand the international use of proprietary standards for third-party auditing. . . .”

The whole article is available here.

JECFA 2008 "blue book" on food additives

2009-05-05T11:15:00.000-07:00

The Technical Report from JECFA's June 2008 meeting on various food additives has now been published and runs to 222 pages. Amongst the chemicals covered at this meeting were phytosterols, phytostanols and their esters, steviol glycosides and polydimethylsiloxane. A number of flavouring agents were also evaluated and revisions made to the specifications for several additives. WHO Technical Report Series 952.

Codex Committee on Contaminants in Food

2009-04-23T07:54:00.003-07:00

From the IFT Newsletter April 22, 2009:

The Third Session of the Codex Committee on Contaminants in Foods (CCCF) was held on March 23–27, 2009, at Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Four documents from the Committee will go forward to the Commission at Step 8 including:

· General Standards for Contaminants and Toxins in Foods; Code of Practice (COP) for the Reduction of Acrylamide in Food;

· COP for Reduction of Food Contamination with Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons from Smoking and Direct Drying Processes; and

· COP for the Prevention and Reduction of Ochratoxin A Contamination in Coffee.

Other contaminants discussed were total aflatoxins in Brazil nuts, fumonisins in corn and its products, benzene in soft drinks, cyanogenic glycosides, mycotoxins in sorghum, and ethyl carbamate in alcoholic beverages. Three substances (deoxynivalenol, furan, and perchlorate) from the Priority List of Contaminants and Naturally Occurring Toxicants were proposed for evaluation by the 72nd meeting of the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives in February 2010. Proposed new work for this committee includes revision of the COP for the Prevention and Reduction of Aflatoxins in Tree Nuts and establishing maximum levels of non-intentional melamine in food and feed and fumonisins in corn and corn products.

For further details please refer to the full reports available here.

Codex Committee on Food Additives

2009-04-23T07:54:00.001-07:00

From the IFT Newsletter April 22, 2009

The 41st Session of the Codex Committee on Food Additives (CCFA) was held in Shanghai, China on March 16–20, 2009. The committee was very productive with several documents moving forward for adoption by the 32nd Codex Alimentarius Commission including: food additive provisions for the General Standards for Food Additives (GSFA); amendments to the International Numbering System; and specifications for the Identity and Purity of Food Additives arising from the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) 68th meeting (i.e., 20 additives including carob bean and guar gum, phytosterols and steviol glycosides, and 105 flavorings). Several substances such as pullulan and flavorings (315 of them) were proposed for evaluation by JECFA. CCFA discontinued work on several provisions for a number of food additives such as acesulfame potassium, alitame annatto extracts, lycopenes, carotenoids, etc. (see report for full list) due to lack of technological justification for use. Category 16 (Composite Foods) of the GSFA was maintained for the time-being on the basis that products in the category may need additives. However, product examples and technological justification are needed for the category to stay on.

For further details please refer to the full reports available on the Codex website here.

USDA Public Meeting to Discuss CCRVDF Agenda

2009-04-17T11:37:00.001-07:00

The USDA will hold a public meeting to address agenda Items for the 18th Session of the Codex Committee on Residues of Veterinary Drugs in Foods (CCRVDF). The meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, April 29, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Room 107-A, Jamie Whitten Federal Building, 1400 Independence Ave., SW, Washington, D.C. Attendees must pre-register and present photo identification at the door. To pre-register, please send your name, organization, mailing address, phone number, and e-mail address to Jasmine Matthews by e-mail touscodex@fsis.usda.gov, by phone at (202) 690-1124 or by fax at (202) 720-3157. More information is available here.

Documents and agenda items related to the 18th Session of CCRVDF will be available on the Codex Alimentarius Web site at www.codexalimentarius.net/current.asp. The 18th Session of the Codex Committee on Residues of Veterinary Drugs in Foods (CCRVDF), to be held in Natal, Brazil, May 11-15, 2009.

Codex Committee on Food Additives Report Available

2009-03-27T13:01:00.003-07:00

The report of the Codex Committee on Food Additives session 41, Alinorm 099/32/12, is now available here.

The Report of the Codex Committee on Fats and Oils

2009-03-27T13:01:00.001-07:00

The report of the Codex Committee on on Fats and Oils session 21, Alinorm 09/32/17, is now available here.

Forthcoming Events

2009-02-03T12:25:00.001-08:00

5th Session Codex Regional Committee in Near East,
Tunis, Tunisia, 26-29 January 2009.

The provisional agenda and working documents for this and all other upcoming Codex meetings are available at: www.codexalimentarius.net/web/current.jsp

Codex Committee on Fats and Oils 21st Session,

Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia, 16-20 February 2009

The provisional agenda and working documents for this and all other upcoming Codex meetings are available from the following meetings page: www.codexalimentarius.net/web/current.jsp

Pre-Codex workshop on Risk Analysis applied to Mycotoxins , Accra, Ghana, 23 February 2009

FAO will organize a one-day pre-Codex workshop on Risk analysis applied to mycotoxins on 23 February 2009 in Accra, Ghana.

FAO/WHO Coordinating Committee for Africa 18th Session, Accra, Ghana, 24-27 February 2009

The provisional agenda and working documents for this and all other upcoming Codex meetings are available from the following meetings page: www.codexalimentarius.net/web/current.jsp

FAO Subregional Workshop on Food Safety Risk Analysis: A Guide for National Food Safety Authorities in Southern Africa, Botswana, February 2009

FAO is planning to hold a 4-day regional training workshop in Botswana in February 2009 to train approximately 20 experts from countries in Southern Africa (Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Botswana) about the principles and components of food safety risk analysis along with the regional case studies and to equip them with the skills necessary apply the framework in their own countries. For further details please contact food-quality@fao.org.

Joint FAO/WHO Expert Meeting on the Application of Nanotechnologies in the Food and Agriculture Sectors: Potential Food Safety Implications
Rome, Italy, 1-5 June 2009

Given the increased global interest in the use of nanotechnology and concerns on the potential food safety implications, FAO and WHO have recognized a need for scientific advice on any food safety implications that may arise from the use of nanotechnologies in the food and agriculture sectors. Therefore a joint FAO/WHO Expert Meeting on the Application of Nanotechnologies in the Food and Agriculture Sectors: Potential Food Safety Implications will be held from 1 to 5 June 2009 at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy. The scope and objectives, together with call for experts and information are available at: http://www.fao.org/ag/agn/agns/index_en.asp Deadline for application: 15 January 2009

Summary report of the 70th JECFA meeting, Geneva, Switzerland, 21-29 June 2008

2009-02-03T12:25:00.000-08:00

The 70th meeting of the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee for Food Additives (JECFA) took place at WHO headquarters, Geneva, from 21 to 29 October 2008. The Committee meeting was devoted to the evaluation of residues of veterinary drugs. The summary report of the 70th JECFA meeting has now been posted on the FAO JECFA website under: What's new at: http://www.fao.org/ag/agn/agns/jecfa_new_en.asp The direct link to the document is: http://www.fao.org/ag/agn/agns/files/jecfa70_final.pdf.

Former WHO official urges takeover of Codex

2009-02-02T10:11:00.001-08:00

As reported in Food Chemical News by Stephen Clapp (steve.clapp@informa.com):

Gerald Moy, a newly retired UN World Health Organization official who says he’s now free to speak his mind, last week urged a takeover of the Codex Alimentarius by WHO as part of an effort to strengthen global food protection.

“The world needs an international food safety agency,” Moy told the annual winter meeting in Washington, D.C., of the Toxicology Forum, an organization of high-level scientists. “By and large, food standards work in Codex is finished, but the food safety work is ongoing.”

Comparing the proposed new international agency to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), Moy said it could be easily established under WHO rules with its own governing council and budget. The agency would exercise farm-to-fork oversight and hire a staff capable of multidisciplinary risk assessment. He said the new agency would provide risk assessment advice to individual governments and Codex, and would review risk assessment methodologies.

Established in 1963, the Codex Alimentarius Commission is an intergovernmental food standard-setting body with more than 170 member countries; it is jointly sponsored by WHO and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Moy said the proposed international food safety agency would take over the Codex secretariat, which is currently housed at FAO headquarters in Rome, and would liaise with FAO, WHO and other international bodies.

A questioner noted that Codex members complain about inadequate contributions from WHO to the Codex budget, which is mainly funded by FAO. “FAO is highly inefficient,” Moy responded. “WHO would do a much better job.

“The real future of Codex is in the health-oriented committees,” he continued, adding, “WHO is much more efficient. For example, we’d like to outsource translations. We’re ready to take over the health and safety aspects of Codex and provide a counterpart to organizations in other countries [such as EFSA].”

In opening remarks, Moy described the global food safety arena as “fragmented,” with WHO and FAO as the biggest players. “FAO has no health mandate and declining resources,” he said. “That leaves WHO.”

He acknowledged that WHO has a problem with food safety, because the agency mainly focuses on major diseases such as AIDS. “It’s hard to make food safety a priority,” he said, joking that WHO officials “don’t put people in jail” for food safety violations. However, the agency’s strengths include a mandate for standard-setting and a high degree of decentralization, he added.

Public Meeting for US stakeholders interested in the Codex Committee on Food Additives

2009-01-13T06:51:00.001-08:00

The public meeting for the US Delegation to the Codex Committee on Food Additives will be held on February 10 from 1 until 4 PM at the Wiley Building (5100 Paint Branch Parkway, College Park, MD). A Federal Register Notice announcing details of how to register for this meeting should publish soon.

Codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses - Delegate Report

2008-11-26T09:31:00.001-08:00

The U.S. delegate to the Codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses has issued a report of the 30th session, which met November 3-7, 2008 in Cape Town, South Africa.

You may view a copy of the report here.

US Public Meeting on Food Import and Export Inspection and Certification Systems

2008-10-24T05:33:00.001-07:00

The US Codex Office announced a public meeting to discuss agenda items coming before the 17th Session of the Codex Alimentarius Committee (CAC) on Food Import and Export Inspection and Certification Systems (CCFICS), to be held in Cebu, Philippines Nov. 24 - 28, 2008.

The public meeting will be held on Thursday, Nov. 6, 2008, from 2 to 4 p.m. in the South Agriculture Building, Room 0161, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C.

Agenda items to be discussed during the public meeting will include general matters referred to the committee by the Codex bodies. These include the proposed draft "Principles and Guidelines for the Conduct of Foreign On-Site Audits and Inspections," the proposed draft "Generic Model Health Certificate," the annex to the "Guidelines for Design, Production, Insurance and Use of Generic Official Certificates." Also on the agenda are discussion papers on the need for guidance for national food inspection systems, the need for further guidance on traceability and product tracing and the development of guidance on the prevention of international contamination of food. Other business and future work will be discussed as well. Documents and agenda items related to the 17th Session of the CCFICS are available at the Codex Web site at www.codexalimentarius.net/current.asp.

For further information concerning the 17th Session of the CCFICS, contact Mary Stanley, the U.S. Delegate to the CCFICS, by phone at (202) 720-0287 or by e-mail at Mary.Stanley@fsis.usda.gov. Individuals are invited to submit their comments electronically to the following e-mail address: Michael.Wehr@fda.hhs.gov.

For further information about the public meeting, contact Edith Kennard, Staff Officer, U.S. Codex Office, FSIS, by phone at (202) 720-5261 or by e-mail at Edith.Kennard@fsis.usda.gov.

US Public Meeting on the Codex Committee on Food Hygiene

2008-09-25T08:16:00.000-07:00

A public meeting that has been scheduled for October 30 from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm in Room 1A001 of the Wiley Building, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, 5100 Paint Branch Parkway, College Park, MD, 20740. The meeting is to discuss the draft U.S. positions for the 40th Session of the Codex Committee on Food Hygiene. If you are interested in attending the public meeting, please pre-register by providing your name and affiliation to Ms. Tiffany Paulsin at Tiffany.Paulsin@fda.hhs.gov or 301-436-2380. The Wiley Building is directly across the street from the College Park Station on Metro’s Green Line. Visitor parking is available, but you should indicate you will be driving when you pre-register.

Codex Committee on Food Hygiene Meeting

2008-09-25T08:11:00.000-07:00

The Codex Committee on Food Hygiene will meet December 1-5, 2008, at the Marriott Hotel in Guatemala City, Guatemala. The agenda for the 40th Session and documents, as they become available, can be downloaded from the Codex website: http://www.codexalimentarius.net/web/current.jsp?lang=en. Items on the agenda include the following:

Matters Referred to the Committee on Food Hygiene from the Other Codex Bodies.
Progress Report on the Joint FAO/WHO Expert meetings on Microbiological Risk Assessment (JEMRA) and Related Matters.
Information from the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE).
Microbiological Criteria for Powdered Follow-up Formula and Formulas for Special Medical Purposes for Young Children (Annex to the Code of Hygienic Practice for Powdered Formulae for Infants and Young Children).
Proposed Draft Microbiological Criteria for Listeria monocytogenes in Ready-to-Eat Foods.
Proposed Draft Guidelines for the Control of Campylobacter and Salmonella spp. in Chicken Meat.
Proposed Draft Annex on Leafy Green Vegetables including Leafy Herbs to the Code of Hygienic Practice for Fresh Fruits & Vegetables.
Proposed Draft Code of Hygienic Practice for Vibrio spp. in Seafood.

Discussion of the New Work Proposals submitted to the Ad Hoc Working Group for Establishment of CCFH Work Priorities

Available documents can also be found on the U.S. Codex Office website: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/regulations_&_policies/Codex_Committee_Food_Hygiene/index.asp.

The U.S. Codex office invites your comments on the documents that will be considered during the 40th Session. You can contribute to the development of U.S. country comments in two ways. If you would like to participate in drafting U.S. comments on a particular agenda item, please email Rebecca Buckner (address below) as soon as possible regarding which items you are interested in working on and a conference call will be arranged with the agenda item leaders to discuss developing comments. Otherwise, please provide written comments on agenda items preferably by October 24, though we will accept them through November 14. Please provide your comments by FAX or email to:

Rebecca Buckner
Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
5100 Paint Branch Parkway, HFS-316
College Park, MD, 20740
Phone (301) 436-1486; FAX (301) 436-2668
Email: Rebecca.Buckner@fda.hhs.gov

Codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses

2008-08-29T03:35:00.001-07:00

The next Codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses (CCNFSDU) session will be held in South Africa from November 3 to 7, 2008. In addition, a working group will meet on November 1 to discuss agenda items on the Scientific Basis of Health Claims, Nutrient Reference Values, and any other matters related to the World Health Organization’s Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health which are under consideration by the CCNFSDU. The agenda for the upcoming session will be posted at the following web address, along with reference documents on each agenda item as they become available: http://www.codexalimentarius.net/web/current.jsp?lang=en.

CCNFSDU documents for certain agenda items are also available on the U.S. Codex Office Web site at:

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/regulations_&_policies/Codex_Committee_Nutrition/index.asp.

A Codex circular letter recently requested comments on the draft nutritional risk analysis principles and guidelines. U.S. interested parties are invited to submit comments to the CCNFSDU U.S. delegate for consideration in preparing U.S. comments by September 2, 2008. The mail-box for submission of these comments is CCNFSDU@fda.hhs.gov.

In addition, USDA and FDA are sponsoring a public meeting on Wednesday, September 24, 2008 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. The objective of the public meeting is to provide information and receive public comments on the agenda items that will be discussed at the next CCNFSDU session and on draft U.S. positions. The public meeting will be held in the Auditorium (1A003), Food and Drug Administration, Harvey Wiley Federal Building, 5100 Paint Branch Parkway, College Park, MD 20740. To gain admittance to this meeting, individuals are required to pre-register by sending -Your Name - Organization - Mailing address - Phone number - E-mail address to this e-mail address (nancy.crane@fda.hhs.gov ) by September 17, 2008.

Codex General Standard for Food Additives

2008-08-20T10:51:00.005-07:00

The updated version of the "Codex General Standard for Food Additives" (GSFA) Online, incorporating the outcome of the 31st Session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, is now available on Codex website in English, French, Spanish and Chinese (new).

La version mise à jour du GSFA Online, incluant les résultats de la trente-et-unième réunion de la Commission du Codex Alimentarius, est maintenant disponible sur le site web du Codex en anglais, français, espagnol et chinois (nouveau).

La versión actualizada de GSFA Online, que incluye los resultados de la 31a reunión de la Comisión del Codex Alimentarius, está ahora disponible en el sito web del Codex en inglés, francés, español y chino (novedad)

English: http://www.codexalimentarius.net/gsfaonline/index.html?lang=en

français: http://www.codexalimentarius.net/gsfaonline/index.html?lang=fr

español: http://www.codexalimentarius.net/gsfaonline/index.html?lang=es

Chinese: http://www.codexalimentarius.net/gsfaonline/index.html?lang=zh

International Portal on Food Safety, Animal and Plant Health

2008-08-20T10:51:00.003-07:00

The International Portal on Food Safety, Animal and Plant Health (IPFSAPH) announced the launch of its new website, which has been extensively redesigned to incorporate new functionality and make it easier for users to search for official SPS Agreement related information. Although the website address remains the same (www.ipfsaph.org), additional functionality includes RSS newsfeeds on particular topics and a more intuitive and easier to use advanced search option. With over 35,000 records, new data sets recently incorporated into www.ipfsaph.org include WTO's SPS Information Management System (containing all WTO trade notifications and concerns) and IAEA's Clearance of Irradiated Foods Database.

Codex Committee on Processed Fruits and Vegetables 15-19 September

2008-08-20T10:51:00.001-07:00

Codex Committee on Processed Fruits and Vegetables

24th Session, Washington, D.C., USA, 15-19 September 2008

The provisional agenda and working documents for this and all other upcoming Codex meetings are available from the following meetings page: www.codexalimentarius.net/web/current.jsp

U.S. Codex Meeting: Processed Fruits and Vegetables

2008-07-22T07:33:00.001-07:00

Public Meetings
Codex Committee	Date/Time	Location
Processed Fruits and Vegetables (CCPFV)	Aug 14, 2008 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.	Room 2068, South Building USDA 1400 Independence Ave SW Washington, DC 20250

Karen Hulebak Elected Chair of CODEX Alimentarius Commission

2008-07-10T08:13:00.000-07:00

U.S. Department Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer announced that Dr. Karen Hulebak, a chief scientist for USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), has been elected to serve a two-year term as Chair of the prestigious Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC), the international food standards organization. The announcement was made on July 1 in Geneva, Switzerland, during the 31st Session of the CAC.

"We are pleased that Dr. Hulebak was elected to this important position," said USDA Secretary Ed Schafer. "With a distinguished career in food science and food safety and a long association with Codex, I cannot think of a better choice to lead the organization."

Prior to her election as Chair, Dr. Hulebak served as the organization's Vice Chair and Chair of the Codex Committee on Food Hygiene - both positions in which she gained respect for her ability to build consensus throughout the world on important food standard issues.

"Dr. Hulebak's inclusive approach to leadership, coupled with an outstanding background in food safety make her an excellent choice and an excellent leader for Codex," said Dr. Raymond. "I have the pleasure of working with Dr. Hulebak on Codex issues, and I am certain that under her leadership, the Commission will continue its commitment to science-based decision-making and standard-setting."

Codex adopts 35 international food standards

2008-07-08T07:21:00.001-07:00

Laura Crowley, FoodProductiondaily.com (08-Jul-2008)

Thirty-five new international food standards were adopted during last week's 31st session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, including guidelines on the use of flavourings and gluten-free products. For complete article, click here.

US Codex Public Meetings

2008-05-17T07:55:00.001-07:00

Public Meetings
Codex Committee	Date/Time	Location
Fresh Fruits and Vegetables (CCFFV)	Apr 25, 2008 10:00 a.m.	Room 2968, South Building USDA 1400 Independence Ave. SW Washington, DC 20250
Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC)	Jun 4, 2008 1:00–4:00 pm	Jamie L. Whitten Building Room 107-A 1400 Independence Ave SW Washington, DC 20250

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/regulations_&_policies/Public_Meetings/index.asp

US Meeting April 25 to Discuss Codex Committee on Fresh Fruits and Vegetables

2008-04-22T08:18:00.001-07:00

USDA’s Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety and the Agricultural Marketing Service announced a public meeting to provide information and receive public comments on agenda items and draft U.S. positions that will be discussed at the 14th Session of the Codex Committee on Fresh Fruits and Vegetables (CCFFV) of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex), to be held in Mexico City, Mexico, on May 12-17, 2008.

The public meeting is scheduled for Friday, April 25, 2008, at 10 a.m., in Room 2068, South Agricultural Building, USDA, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. Pre-registration is encouraged to expedite entry in the building. Attendees must present photo identification at the door to gain admittance to the building.

Agenda items and documents related to the 14th Session of the CCFFV may be accessed prior to the public meeting at www.codexalimentarius.net/current.asp.

Codex was created in 1963 by two United Nations organizations, the Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Health Organization. Codex develops food standards, guidelines and codes of practice in order to protect the health of consumers, ensure fair food trade practices and promote coordination of food standards undertaken by international governmental and non-governmental organizations.

For further information regarding the 14th Session of CCFFV or to submit comments in advance, contact Dorian LaFond, International Standards Coordinator, AMS, Fruits and Vegetable Programs, at (202) 690-4944, or by e-mail at Dorian.LaFond@usda.gov.

JECFA 68th report

2008-03-19T19:04:00.001-07:00

The report of the 68th JECFA meeting has been posted on WHO website: http://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2007/9789241209472_eng.pdf.

FAO & WHO, Evaluation of certain food additives and contaminants: Sixty-eighth report of the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives, WHO Technical Report Series, No. 947, 2007.

US Public Meetings

2008-03-10T18:41:00.000-07:00

U.S. Delegates to Codex committees schedule public meetings prior to their committee meetings to inform the public about the meeting agenda and proposed U.S. positions on the issues. During these public meetings delegates also receive comments from interested parties on Codex issues.

Methods of Analysis and Sampling (CCMAS)
Feb 28, 20082:00–3:00 p.m.
Room 1A-001Harvey W. Wiley Building5100 Paint Branch ParkwayCollege Park, MD

Contaminants in Foods (CCCF)
Mar 5, 20081:00–3:00 p.m.
Auditorium (Room 1A003)Harvey W. Wiley Building5100 Paint Branch ParkwayCollege Park, MD

Food Additives (CCFA)
Mar 12, 20081:00–4:00 p.m.
Auditorium (Room 1A003)Harvey W. Wiley Building5100 Paint Branch ParkwayCollege Park, MD

Food Labelling (CCFL)
Mar 31, 20081:00–4:00 p.m.
Room 107A Jamie Whitten Federal Bldg.1400 Independence Ave. SWWashington, DC

Codex Course at Michigan State University

2006-11-17T11:25:00.000-08:00

Codex Alimentarius (The Food Code) is a course is taught by Neal D. Fortin, Director and Assistant Professor of the Institute for Food Laws & Regulations at Michigan State University, with guest lectures from representatives in Codex Alimentarius, WHO, WTO, the World Bank, the food industry, a developing country, and a consumer organization. Codex Alimentarius is a global reference point for food producers, food processors, consumers, national food control agencies, and for international trade. Codex formulates and harmonizes food standards and ensures their global implementation. Codex has food standards for commodities (237), codes for hygiene or technological practice (41); guidelines for contaminants (25); and has evaluations on pesticides (185), food additives (1,005), veterinary drugs (54); and limits for pesticide residues (3,274).

Enrollment is now open for the winter term offering of the course: http://www.iflr.msu.edu/enroll.html.

Institute for Food Laws and Regulations

2006-11-17T11:24:00.000-08:00

The Institute for Food Laws and Regulations at Michigan State University is dedicated to providing a global perspective on the challenges and opportunities in the international food trade through our Study Abroad Program, Internet Food Law Certificate Program, workshops, lectures and seminars. Our faculty comprise a network of domestic and international food law and food science professionals.