Codex Meetings Slated to Discuss Food Labeling, Fresh Fruits and Vegetables

The Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety, the U.S. Department of
Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration have announced an April
25, 2011, public meeting in College Park, Maryland, to provide information
and receive public comments on draft U.S. positions to be discussed at the
39th session of the Codex Committee on Food Labeling (CCFL) on May 9-13 in Quebec City, Canada. CCFL is responsible for such things as “studying problems associated with the advertisement of food with particular reference
to claims and misleading descriptions for drafting provisions on labeling
applicable to all foods.”

Agenda items include (i) “recommendations on the declaration of sodium
(salt)”; (ii) “mandatory nutrition labeling”; (iii) “labeling of foods and food
ingredients obtained through certain techniques of genetic modification/
genetic engineering”; and (iv) “modified standardized common names.” See
Federal Register, April 1, 2011.

In a related matter, a public meeting was held April 5 in Washington, D.C.,
to provide information and receive public comments on draft U.S. positions
to be discussed at the 16th session of the Codex Committee on Fresh Fruits
and Vegetables (CCFFV), meeting on May 2-6 in Mexico City, Mexico. CCFFV
is responsible for “elaborating worldwide standards and codes of practice as
may be appropriate for fresh fruits and vegetables.”

Agenda items included (i) “possible extension of territorial application of the
Codex Standard for Fresh Fungus Chanterelle”; (ii) draft standards for avocado,
tree tomatoes, chili peppers, pomegranate; and (iii) “quality tolerances at
import and export control points.” See Federal Register, April 1, 2011.