Upcoming Codex Meetings to Address Food Additives

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service and the Food and Drug Administration have announced a February 11, 2014, public meeting in Washington, D.C., to provide information and receive comments on agenda items and draft U.S. positions for discussion during the 46th Session of the Codex Committee on Food Additives of the Codex Alimentarius Commission in Hong Kong, China, on March 17-21, 2014.

Agenda items include (i) endorsement and/or revision of maximum levels for food additives and processing aids in Codex standards; (ii) food additive provisions for grape wine and its sub-categories; (iii) descriptors and food additive provisions for milk and buttermilk and their sub-categories, and dairy-based drinks, flavored and/or fermented (e.g., chocolate milk, cocoa, eggnog, drinking yoghurt, whey-based drinks); (iv) proposals for provisions of nisin in meat and meat products, including poultry and game; and (v) proposed draft amendments to the International Numbering System for food additives. See Federal Register, January 17, 2014.

Issue 511