Codex and Global Harmonization of Science-based Food ... - USP · Codex and Global Harmonization of Science-based Food Standards Rosie Newsome, Ph.D. Director, Science, Policy & Scientific

Codex and Global Harmonization of

Science-based Food StandardsRosie Newsome, Ph.D.

Director, Science, Policy & Scientific and Regulatory Affairs

Institute of Food Technologists

Codex Background

© INSTITUTE OF FOOD TECHNOLOGISTS | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED2

Codex Background

▪ Dual Mandate: Protect the health of consumers and ensure fair

practices in food trade

▪ Codex “has become the single most important international reference

point for developments associated with food standards”

FAO WHO. 2018. Understanding Codex. 5th Ed. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and World Health Organization.

Available from: http://www.fao.org/3/CA1176EN/ca1176en.pdf.


http://www.fao.org/3/CA1176EN/ca1176en.pdf

Codex Subsidiary Bodies

▪ Ad hoc Intergovernmental Task Force

▪ 10 General subject committees

▪ 6 Commodity committees

FAO WHO. 2018. Understanding Codex. 5th Ed. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and World Health Organization.

Available from: http://www.fao.org/3/CA1176EN/ca1176en.pdf.



Codex Texts

▪ 78 Guidelines

▪ 221 Commodity Standards

▪ 53 Codes of Practice

▪ 106 Maximum Levels for contaminants in food, covering 18 contaminants

▪ >4,130 MLs, covering 224 food additives or groups of additives

▪ 5,321 Maximum Residue Limits for pesticide residues, covering 303 pesticides

▪ 623 MRLs for residues of veterinary drugs in foods, 12 Risk Management Recommendations covering 63 veterinary drugs or groups of veterinary drugs

FAO WHO. 2018. Understanding Codex. 5th Ed. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and World Health Organization. Available from: http://www.fao.org/3/CA1176EN/ca1176en.pdf.


“… the Codex Alimentarius constitutes a storehouse of valuable knowledge about how to trust and

use the food we need to live healthy lives”


IFT and Codex


IFT Involvement in Codex

▪ Non-governmental organization, observer status

▪ Recognized since 1992

▪ Previous involvement

• Task Force on Antimicrobial Resistance

• Task Force on Foods Derived from Biotechnology

• Committee on Fats and Oils

• Committee on General Principles

• Committee on Methods of Analysis and Sampling

• Committee on Residues of Veterinary Drugs in Food

• FAO/WHO Regional Coordinating Committees (e.g., Latin America and the Caribbean)

▪ Currently active in five committees, Commission

• Contaminants in Foods

• Food Additives

• Food Hygiene

• Food Labeling

• Nutrition & Foods for Special Dietary Uses


Why IFT is Involved

▪ Commonality of Codex’s purpose, IFT’s Vision and Mission

• IFT Vision: A world where science and innovation are universally accepted

as essential to a safe, nutritious, and sustainable food supply for everyone

• IFT Mission: To advance the science of food and its application across the

global food system

▪ Importance of global harmonization of science-based food standards,

Guidelines, and Codes of Practice

▪ To serve as a source of food science and technology insight, scientific

and technical expertise, broad multidisciplinary expertise


Sampling of Codex Developments

▪ 1995 Adoption of 4 Statements of Principle concerning the role of science in the Codex decision-making process and the extent to which other factors are taken into account

▪ 1997 Statements of Principle Relating to the Role of Food Safety Risk Assessment

▪ 2000 JEMRA (Joint FAO/WHO Expert Meetings on Microbiological Risk Assessment) began

▪ 2003 Adopted comprehensive Working Principles for Risk Analysis for Application in the Framework of the Codex Alimentarius

Later supplemented with specific committee-focused application texts

▪ 2010 JEMNU (FAO/WHO Joint Expert Meetings on Nutrition) established


Some Recent Codex Texts

▪ Code of Practice for the Reduction of Acrylamide in Foods, 2009

▪ Code of Practice for the Prevention and Reduction of Arsenic

Contamination in Rice, 2017

▪ Code of Hygienic Practice for Low-Moisture Foods, 2015, 2016

revision, 2018 amended

▪ General Standard for the Labeling of Prepackaged Foods, date

marking revisions, 2018


Examples of Current Discussion Topics

▪ Food Additives

• General Standard for Food Additives

▪ Food Hygiene

• Food allergen management for food business operators

• HACCP Annex to General Principles of Food Hygiene

▪ Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses

• Probiotic guidelines

▪ Contaminants in Foods

• Guidelines for rapid risk analysis following instances of detection of contaminants in food where there is no regulatory level

• Reducing cadmium contamination in cocoa, discussion paper on possible Code of Practice

▪ Food Labeling

• Allergen labeling

• Criteria for definition of “high-in” nutritional descriptors for fats, sugars, and sodium

• Front-of-pack nutrition labelling

• Internet sales/e-commerce

• Non-retail containers of foods

• Front-of-pack nutrition labelling


Codex and the Future

▪ “As the specialized hybrid body of the United Nations system devoted to food standards, Codex plays a unique role, bridging health, nutrition and agriculture.”

▪ “… Codex is keenly aware of a number of strategic needs – to contribute to concerted efforts to address mitigate climate change and promote sustainability; to tackle emerging pathogens; to continue its work on antimicrobial resistance and food fraud; and to keep abreast of new technologies on the horizon.”

FAO WHO. 2018. Understanding Codex: Codex Alimentarius. 5th Ed. Food and Agriculture Organization of

the United Nations and World Health Organization. Available from: http://www.fao.org/3/CA1176EN/ca1176en.pdf.


“Our food system however it may evolve in the future will continue to rely on standards to guarantee safety, quality

and sustainability.”


For More Information

▪ http://www.fao.org/fao-who-codexalimentarius/en/• FAO WHO. 2018. Understanding Codex. 5th Ed. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

and World Health Organization. Available from: http://www.fao.org/3/CA1176EN/ca1176en.pdf.

• FAO WHO. 2018. Codex: A world full of standards. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and World Health Organization. Annual Report. Available from: http://www.fao.org/publications/card/en/c/CA0162EN.

• FAO WHO. Food hygiene at 50. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and World Health Organization. Available from: http://www.fao.org/3/CA2323EN/ca2323en.pdf

▪ www.ift.org• Codex 101: Why Codex Matters

https://www6.ift.org/Ecommerce/Meetings/MeetingDetail?productId=23216784

• Food Additives, in the Codex and Global Arena https://www6.ift.org/Ecommerce/Meetings/MeetingDetail?productId=23216805

▪ IFT Connect, Food Technology magazine


http://www.fao.org/fao-who-codexalimentarius/en/


http://www.fao.org/publications/card/en/c/CA0162EN


http://www.ift.org/



Thank you for your interest.

Rosie Newsome

312-369-0575

[email protected]


Codex and Global Harmonization of Science-based Food ... - USP · Codex and Global Harmonization of Science-based Food Standards Rosie Newsome, Ph.D. Director, Science, Policy & Scientific

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