This was informed to F&B News in a chat over telephone by Sanjay Dave, chairman, Codex Commission, and director, Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA).
It might be recalled that recently, for the second time in the history of Codex Commission elections, Dave was re-elected as its chairman. Codex is a world standards body with about 147 countries as its members. Some of the countries that participated in this year’s elections were China, Japan, the Philippines, Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, Brazil, Russia, Malaysia, the US, and Canada, and some nations of the European Union, the Middle-East and Africa.
Dave confirmed that there were lot of issues that were discussed in the meeting this year. “Our panel has discussed many issues related to food safety measures and has approved new amendments in different food items,” Dave said.
He pointed out that the Commission had now agreed upon a new set of global regulations including one on maximum level of melamine in the liquid milk formula for infant foods. The Commission has reduced the limit of melamine to 0.15mg/kg in liquid infant milk.
Also the level of aflatoxins, a group of mycotoxins produced by moulds, is key as they are meant to be toxic and carcinogenic in nature. These are found in many plants, nuts, dried fruits and cereals. In this regard, the Commission has now approved on a safety limit of 10mg/kg.
Dave added that the Commission discussed the issues of pesticide residue levels, contamination and food additives and approved certain standards.
He said that the body had agreed upon setting residue limits for Ractopamine, a veterinary drug that should be allowed in the tissues of cattle and pigs. This drug acts as a growth promoter.
Another significant point noted by the panel was that the WHO would be taking up the risk assessment study on Bovine-Somatopropin drug and a growth promoter soon in terms of acceptable daily intake (ADI) and maximum residue limit (MRL).
It was also decided to have celebrations on account of Codex completing 50 years in July 2013, whereby the body would gear up to take more activities in solving more issues related to food safety and for this it had already set up an organising committee.
“I suggested that we have a Codex logo, to which they agreed,” Dave said, adding that the logo would help gain reputation and recognition and that would help us to develop a communication strategy to take it ahead.
This year, India had submitted a proposal to have a Codex Committee on Spices and Aromatic Herbs, the body agreed to it positively.
In this regard, a meeting would be called in six regions during the month of September 2012 - February 2013. Accordingly, the committee would review and decide next year on taking this decision ahead.
Surprisingly, for the first time in all these years, India donated a sum of $15,000 and would continue to do so till 2015. These funds would be taken up by the Codex Trust Fund in order to help those countries which were not able to participate in Codex due to monetary crunch. The Trust Funds’ Secretariat had already developed criteria in this regard and the tenure would end in 2015.
Further, standards on good hygiene practices on fresh melon, salt, and berry have been revised. Also, some of the amendments on food additives have been revised by the panel this year and that principles and guidelines for the conduct of microbiological risk assessment have been approved.
Dave explained that nutrition details on labels has been a major topic of discussion, for which the panel had cleared and revised nutrition and health claims norms for food products.
“There will be some work on the Code of Practice on Prevention and Reduction of Aflatoxin and Ochratoxin in Sorghum and Cocoa. Efforts are being made to reduce the presence of Hydrocyanic Acid in Passava,” he said.
On a concluding note, Dave mentioned that the final document on the Strategic Plan - 2014-19 has been submitted this year as this six-year plan tenure ends in 2013.
