A global food standards-setting agency has supported guidelines on several topics to try to improve food safety, including traditional markets and ciguatera.
The United Nations food standards body, the Codex Alimentarius Commission, was established by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
Texts adopted at a meeting in November include guidelines for food hygiene control measures in traditional food markets and a code of practice for the prevention and reduction of ciguatera poisoning.
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of WHO, said Codex should support the transformation of food systems to be more sustainable and better respond to emerging risks.
“Codex standards should not only respond to current needs, but also anticipate future needs, promoting nutrition and food safety while safeguarding public health, promoting fair trade and facilitating the transition to sustainable food systems,” he said.
Key achievements
Members of the Codex have included sections on fresh leafy vegetables and sprouts in the guidelines for the control of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC). The document also covers raw beef, raw milk and raw milk cheese.
Other approvals included maximum levels for lead in various spices and for lead and cadmium in quinoa, as well as sampling plans for methylmercury in fish. More time was given to complete work on the sampling plans for total aflatoxins and ochratoxin A in dried chilli, nutmeg and paprika.
Some standards were adopted despite reservations from certain members. For example, several countries raised concerns about maximum lead levels in spices, limits for different combinations of pesticides and food groups, and veterinary drug residues in food.
Guidelines on the prevention and control of food fraud and revised guidelines on the general principles of food hygiene to control pathogenic Vibrio species in seafood were also adopted.
Four texts have been withdrawn, including general methods for the detection of irradiated food.
New work includes a code of practice for the prevention and reduction of cadmium contamination in foods, guidance for professions in the context of the rejection of imported food, and principles for the digitalization of national food control systems.
Guidelines on the general principles of food hygiene for the control of viruses in food and for the control of Listeria monocytogenes in food, and for the control of Campylobacter and Salmonella in chicken meat will also be revised.
Side events
Allan Azege from Kenya was elected as the new chairman of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, together with Khalid Al Zhrani from Saudi Arabia; Jing Tian, from China; and Betul Vazgecer, from Turkey, named as vice-chairmen. Azege replaces Steve Wearne.
The United States participated in a side event on consumer food safety education and advocacy through digital platforms. Evelyne Mbandi presented the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service’s vision.
Another event related to the progress of WHO’s work to update foodborne disease estimates published in 2015 based on 2010 data. The country consultation is scheduled to start in March 2025 and the final publication will be at the end of 2025 take place. The second edition will include a time trend analysis from 2000 to 2021.
A third event discussed the WHO Alliance for Food Safety – a network of WHO Collaborating Centers and other partners established earlier this year. The group’s next general meeting is scheduled for 2025 in Oman.
Objectives include better coordination in foodborne disease surveillance and food contamination monitoring; advocate for legal frameworks to support surveillance and monitoring efforts; building capacity in public health, animal health and food safety analytical laboratories, and sharing best practices and lessons learned among members.
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