The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service and the Food and Drug Administration have announced a February 5, 2013, public meeting in Washington, D.C., to provide information and receive public comments on draft U.S. positions for discussion during the 23rd Session of the Codex Committee on Fats and Oils of the Codex Alimentarius Commission in Langkawi, Malaysia, on February 25-March 1, 2013. Agenda items include a proposed draft standard for fish oils, proposed draft amendment to parameters for rice bran oil in the standard for named vegetable oils, discussion paper on the revision of the limit for campesterol in the Codex standard for olive oils and olive pomace oils, and discussion paper on cold-pressed oils. See Federal Register, January 23, 2013.
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According to a notice published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), several Codex Alimentarius committees have invited member countries and observer organizations to join electronic working groups (eWGs). The Food Hygiene Committee seeks participation on a parasites eWG to further develop proposed draft guidelines on controlling the zoonotic parasites Trichinella spp. and Cysticercus bovis. The Fish and Fish Products Committee seeks participation on a food additives eWG “to prepare proposals for food additives in the standards for fish and fishery products, following the approach taken for the Standard for Smoked Fish and to focus on technological justification for those food additives.” This committee also seeks participants for fish sauce and scallop meat eWGs. The Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses Committee seeks participation on a nutrient reference values eWG and an addition of essential nutrients to foods eWG. Deadlines for and more details…
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has posted on its website a report from the 35th Session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission that convened in Rome earlier in July 2012. In addition to adopting a number of standards on food additives, food hygiene guidelines, maximum levels of melamine for liquid infant formula, and maximum pesticide residue levels, the Commission agreed to update a scientific review of the use of recombinant bovine somatotropin (rBST) to stimulate milk production in dairy cows. Maximum residue levels have been stalled at Step 8 since 1995, and debate over the issue apparently continues. Those opposed to the use of rBST cited animal health, welfare and possible anti-microbial resistance, while the United States and others contend that these issues exceed the Codex’s scope, the science is sufficient and no food safety issues remain.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service and the Food and Drug Administration have announced an April 18, 2012, public meeting in Washington, D.C., to provide information and receive public comments on draft U.S. positions to be discussed at the 40th Session of the Codex Committee on Food Labeling (CCFL) on May 15-18, 2012, in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Agenda items include additional conditions for nutrient health claims and comparative claims. See Federal Register, April 9, 2012.
The U.S Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service, the Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services have announced a February 23, 2012, public meeting in College Park, Maryland, to provide information and receive public comments on draft U.S. positions to be discussed at the 6th Session of the Codex Committee on Contaminants in Food (CCCF) on March 26-30 in Maastricht, The Netherlands. CCCF is responsible for establishing or endorsing maximum levels “for contaminants and naturally occurring toxicants in food and feed.” Agenda items will include draft maximum levels for melamine in liquid infant formula, arsenic in rice, and deoxynivalenol and its acetylated derivatives in cereals and cereal-based products. See Federal Register, February 3, 2012.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety Inspection Service and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency have announced a February 14, 2012, public meeting in Arlington, Virginia, to provide information and receive public comments on draft U.S. positions to be discussed at the 44th Session of the Codex Committee on Pesticide Residues (CCPR) on April 23-28 in Shanghai, China. CCPR is responsible for establishing maximum pesticide-residue limits in specific food items, food groups or in “certain animal feeding stuffs moving in international trade where this is justified for reasons of protection of human health.” See Federal Register, January 23, 2012.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has announced a January 18, 2012, public meeting in Washington, D.C., to consider draft U.S. positions to be presented during the 6th session of the Ad Hoc Intergovernmental Task Force on Animal Feeding of the Codex Alimentarius Commission on February 20-24 in Berne, Switzerland. The January agenda includes discussion of draft risk assessment guidelines for feed and a proposed list of feed hazards. See Federal Register, November 17, 2011.
The Office for the Under Secretary for Food Safety, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration have announced an October 4, 2011, public meeting in Washington, D.C., to provide information and receive public comments on draft U.S. positions to be discussed at the 19th session of the Codex Committee on Food Import and Export Inspection and Certification Systems (CCFICS) on October 17-21 in Cairns, Australia. CCFICS is responsible for such things as “harmonizing methods and procedures which protect the health of consumers, ensure fair trading practices and facilitate international trade in foodstuffs.” Agenda items include relevant activities of the World Health Organization and draft guidelines for national food-control systems. See Federal Register, September 27, 2011.
According to news sources, the Codex Alimentarius Commission concluded its meeting in Geneva by reaching an agreement on labeling foods that contain genetically modified (GM) ingredients. While the guidance is not mandatory, it would allow countries to label GM foods without risking a legal challenge before the World Trade Organization. National laws based on Codex guidance or standards cannot apparently be challenged as trade barriers. The matter has been debated before the commission, which consists of food safety regulatory agencies and organizations from around the world, for some two decades. Consumer interest organizations were apparently pleased with the agreement, but had urged the commission to adopt mandatory labeling. Still, a Consumers Union scientist reportedly said, “We are particularly pleased that the new guidance recognizes that GM labeling is justified as a tool for post-market monitoring. This is one of the key reasons we want all GM foods to be required…
In preparation for the 34th Session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) Office of the Under Secretary of Food Safety has scheduled a June 16, 2011, meeting to provide information and receive public comments on draft U.S. positions that will be discussed at the Codex meeting. Written comments may be submitted to U.S. Codex Manager Karen Stuck at uscodex@fsis.usda.gov. The Codex session will be held July 4-9 in Geneva, and topics on the agenda include the consideration of draft standards at varying stages of development. Among other matters, Codex participants will consider standards and guidelines relating to risk analysis of foodborne antimicrobial resistance, nutrition labeling, the control of Campylobacter and Salmonella in chicken meat, food additives, maximum levels for melamine in food and for arsenic in rice, fish oils, and hygienic practice for mineral waters, fresh fruits and vegetables. The World Health Organization and the…
