Codex Alimentarius

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Codex Alimentarius - basic principles-
Prof. Elisaveta Stikova M.D., Ph.D. School of
Medicine University St. Cyril and Methodius
Skopje Republic of Macedonia
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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

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Codex Alimentarius is

• Latin term for
• Food Law or
• Food Code

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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.

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Codex Objectives (1)

• To protect the health of consumers,
• To ensure fair practices in the food trade,
• To coordinate all work regarding food standards,

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Codex Objectives (2)

• To determinate the priorities,
• To initiate the preparation of standards,
• To publish the standards.

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Codex Alimentarius Commission structure and
management

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

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The Executive Committee

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

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Regional Coordinating Committees

• 6 Regional Committees for Africa, Asia, Europe,
  Latin AmericaCaribbean, North America
  Southwest Pacific, Near East.
• Responsible for defining the problems and needs
  of the region
• Responsible for coordination of activities.

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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.

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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.

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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,    

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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,

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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,

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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,

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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,

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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.

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Ad-hoc Intergovernmental Codex Special Groups for

• biotechnologically produced food,
• animal feeds,
• fruit juices.

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Codex Alimentarius Commision

• Highest priority
• Formulation of commodity and general standards

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Codex Standards include (1)

• Scope of the standard,
• Description of the standard,
• Basic structure and quality factors,
• Weights and measures,    
• Labeling,

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Codex Commodity Standards include (2)

• Contaminants,
• Hygiene,
• Food additives,
• Methods for analysis.

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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...

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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.

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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)

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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

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Structure and contents of Codex Alimentarius (3)

• Volume five B - Fresh fruits
• and vegetables,
• Volume six Fruit Juices,
• Volume seven - Cereals, Pulses and Vegetable
  Proteins
• Volume eight - Fats and Oils and Related Products

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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,

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Structure and contents of Codex Alimentarius (5)

• Volume twelve - Milk and Milk Products
• Volume thirteen - Methods of Analysis and
  Sampling
• Volume fourteen - Acceptances        

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Transparency of Codex Alimentarius

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

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   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)