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Codex Alimentarius

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The Codex Alimentarius (Latin for "food code" or "food book") is a collection of internationally recognized standards, codes of practice, guidelines and other recommendations relating to foods, food production and food safety. These texts are developed and maintained by the Codex Alimentarius Commission, a body that was established in 1963 by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO). The Commission's main aims are stated as being to protect the health of consumers and ensure fair practices in the international food trade. The Codex Alimentarius is recognized by the World Trade Organization as an international reference point for the resolution of disputes concerning food safety and consumer protection.

Scope

The Codex Alimentarius officially covers all foods, whether processed, semi-processed or raw, but far more attention has been given to foods that are marketed directly to consumers. In addition to standards for specific foods, the Codex Alimentarius contains general standards covering matters such as food labeling, food hygiene, food additives and pesticide residues, and procedures for assessing the safety of foods derived from modern biotechnology. It also contains guidelines for the management of official (i.e., governmental) import and export inspection and certification systems for foods.

The Codex Alimentarius is published in Arabic, Chinese, English, French and Spanish. Not all texts are available in all languages.

General texts

  • Food labelling (general standard, guidelines on nutrition labelling, guidelines on labelling claims)
  • Food additives (general standard including authorized uses, specifications for food grade chemicals)
  • Contaminants in foods (general standard, tolerances for specific contaminants including radionuclides, aflatoxins and other mycotoxins)
  • Pesticide and veterinary chemical residues in foods (maximum residue limits)
  • Risk assessment procedures for determining the safety of foods derived from biotechnology (DNA-modified plants, DNA-modified micro-organisms, allergens)
  • Food hygiene (general principles, codes of hygienic practice in specific industries or food handling establishments, guidelines for the use of the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point or “HACCP” system)
  • Methods of analysis and sampling

Specific standards

Controversy

The controversy over the Codex Alimentarius is a perception that it is a mandatory standard for food, including vitamin, safety. In reality, the Codex Alimentarius is a voluntary reference standard for food. There is no obligation on countries to adopt Codex standards as a member of either Codex or any other international trade organization. The main cause of concern is that the Codex Alimentarius may be recognized by the World Trade Organization during the resolution of disputes concerning food safety and consumer protection. However, the use of Codex Alimentarius during international disputes does not exclude the use of other references or scientific studies as evidence of food safety and consumer protection.

Also, there is much concern of how vitamins and minerals are treated in the Codex Alimentarius. Some countries categorize vitamins and minerals as food; other countries have created separate non-drug categories for vitamins and minerals. It is reported that in 1996 the German delegation put forward a proposal that no herb, vitamin or mineral should be sold for preventive or therapeutic reasons, and that supplements should be reclassified as drugs. [1] The proposal was agreed, but protests halted its implementation.[2] The 28th Session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission was subsequently held July 4 - July 9, 2005. [3] Among the many issues discussed were the "Guidelines for Vitamin and Mineral Food Supplements"[4], which were adopted during the meeting as a voluntary reference standard. This text has been the subject of considerable controversy, in part because many member countries may choose to regulate dietary supplements as therapeutic goods or pharmaceuticals or by some other category. The text does not seek to ban supplements, but to subject them to basic labeling and packaging requirements and to ensure that safety and efficacy are considered when determining the ingredient source.

The Guidelines have attracted concern from both consumers and industry due to a perception that there may be restrictions on vitamins and minerals as dietary supplements. The health freedom movement has pointed to greater concerns related to restrictions on dietary supplement ingredients in Europe [5] via the European Union's Food Supplements Directive [6] (which utilizes approved lists of ingredients and ingredient forms) and potentially restrictive dosage limits to be based on a Codex model via the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and World Health Organization (WHO) Nutrient Risk Assessment Project. [7]

See also

References

  1. ^ 'Health supplements: R.I.P.'. The Guardian newspaper, UK. Published 14 September 2002. Accessed 2 August 2008
  2. ^ 'Health supplements: R.I.P.'. The Guardian newspaper, UK. Published 14 September 2002. Accessed 2 August 2008
  3. ^ Codex Alimentarius Commission 28th Session, FAO Headquarters, Rome, Italy, 4-9 July, 2005. Official report.
  4. ^ Codex Guidelines for Vitamin and Mineral Food Supplements
  5. ^ 'Vitamin controls backed by Europe'. BBC News. Published 12 July 2005. Accessed 27 December 2007
  6. ^ European Union Food Supplements Directive
  7. ^ FAO/WHO Nutrient Risk Assessment Project
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