Codex Alimentarius

- basic principles-

Prof. Elisaveta StikovaM.D., Ph.D.School of MedicineUniversity “ St. Cyril and Methodius” – SkopjeRepublic of Macedonia

The FAO/WHO International Conference on Nutrition, 1992

Recognized that:access to nutritionally adequate and

safe food is a right of each individual,

Food regulations… should fully take international standards of the Codex Alimentarius

Codex Alimentarius is:

Latin term for

“ Food Law” or“Food Code”

Codex Alimentarius Commission

FAO in 1961 and WHO 1963 passed Resolution to establish the Codex Alimentarius Commission,

Responsible for Joint FAO/WHO Food Standard Program.

Codex Objectives (1):

To protect the health of consumers,

To ensure fair practices in the food trade,

To coordinate all work regarding food standards,

Codex Objectives (2):

To determinate the priorities,To initiate the preparation of

standards,To publish the standards.

Codex Alimentarius Commission – structure and management

The Executive Committee, The Regional Coordinating Committees,The Secretariat of the Commission.

The Executive Committee

Chairperson,3 Vice-Chairpersons,7 Regional Representatives,6 Regional Coordinators.

Regional Coordinating Committees:

6 Regional Committees – for Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America&Caribbean, North America & Southwest Pacific, Near East.

Responsible for defining the problems and needs of the region

Responsible for coordination of activities.

The Secretariat of the Commission:

Responsible for:Formulation and development of

FAO/ WHO standards,Administrative support to the

Commission,Relations with the National

Codex Contact Point.

Subsidiary bodies of the Codex Alimentarius Commission:

Codex Committees: Codex committees for general

principles, Committees for special types of

foodstuff products. Ad-hoc Intergovernmental

Special Work Groups.

Codex Committees on general issues (1) :

1. Codex Committee on General Principles,

2. Codex Committee on Food Labelling,

3. Codex Committee on Methods of Analysis and Sampling,    

Codex Committees on general issues (2):

4. Codex Committee on Food Hygiene,

5. Codex Committee on Pesticide Residues,

6. Codex Committee on Food Additives and Contaminants,

Codex Committees on general issues (3):

7. Codex Committee on Import - Export Inspection and Certification systems,

8. Codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses,

9. Codex Committee on Residues of Veterinary Drugs in Foods,

Product Committees(1):

1. Codex Committee on Cocoa Products and Chocolates,

2. Codex Committee on Sugars,3. Codex Committee on Pocessed

Fruit and Vegetables,4. Codex Committee on Fats and

Oils,

Product Committees(2):

5. Codex Committee on Meat and Polutry Hygyene,

6. Codex Committee on Fish and Fishery products,

7. Codex Committee on Fresh Fruit and Vegetables,

Product Committees(3):

8. Codex Committee on Milk and Milk Products,

9. Codex Committee on Natural Mineral Waters,

10.Codex Committee on Vegetable Proteins,

11.Codex Committee on Cereals, Pulses and Legumes.

biotechnologically produced food,

animal feeds, fruit juices.

Ad-hoc Intergovernmental Codex Special Groups for:

Codex Alimentarius Commision

Highest priority:Formulation of commodity and

general standards

Codex Standards include (1):

Scope of the standard,Description of the standard,Basic structure and quality

factors,Weights and measures,     Labeling,

Codex Commodity Standards include (2):

Contaminants,Hygiene,Food additives,Methods for analysis.

Structure and contents of Codex Alimentarius:

Codex Alimentarius is composed of 14 volumes distributed in 17 books

Each book (by group of products) contains standards, guidelines...

Achievements:

237 Food Standards, 43 Codes of Practice, 33 Guidelines, 197 Pesticides evaluated,3274 Limits for pesticides residues, 289 Limits of veterinary drug residues,1300 Food additives evaluated.

Structure and contents of Codex Alimentarius (1):

Volume one A - General Requirements,

Volume one B - General Requirements  (Food Hygiene),

Volume two A - Pesticide Residues in foods (General texts)

Volume two B - Pesticide Residues in Foods (Maximal Residue Limits)

Structure and contents of Codex Alimentarius (2):

Volume three - Residues of Veterinary Drugs in Foods,

Volume four - Foods for special dietary uses

Volume five A - Processed and Quick- Frozen Fruits and Vegetables

Structure and contents of Codex Alimentarius (3):

Volume five B - Fresh fruits and vegetables,Volume six – Fruit Juices,Volume seven - Cereals, Pulses

and Vegetable ProteinsVolume eight - Fats and Oils and

Related Products

Structure and contents of Codex Alimentarius (4):

Volume nine - Fish and Fishery products,

Volume ten – Meat and Meat Products; Soups and Broths,

Volume eleven - Sugars, Cocoa Products and Chocolate and Miscellaneous Products,

Structure and contents of Codex Alimentarius (5):

Volume twelve - Milk and Milk Products

Volume thirteen - Methods of Analysis and Sampling

Volume fourteen - Acceptances        

Transparency of Codex Alimentarius:

Information for all the standards, regulations, guides and other recommendations are available on the web page http://www.codexalimentarius.net/

      National Codex Contact Points function:

Relation between the Secretariat and the member countries,

Coordination of all relevant Codex activities in their own country,

Acceptance of all final Codex – texts (standards, guidelines, advisory texts)