FAO-WHO Codex Alimentarius Commission Adopts New Standards
26 November 2024, UN: The United Nations food standards body, the Codex Alimentarius Commission, is meeting on 25–30 November 2024 to adopt food safety and quality standards.
Charged with protecting consumer health and facilitating fair practices in the food trade, the Codex Alimentarius Commission is a joint initiative of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO).
Brief descriptions of some of the standards adopted at the 47th session of the Commission will be published below as they are approved.
For more information on the session, visit the CAC47 information page.
Revision to the Standard for Named Vegetable Oils (CXS 210-1999): inclusion of Avocado Oil
ADOPTED – 25.11.2024
CAC has agreed to the inclusion of avocado oil in the Standard for Named Vegetable Oils (CXS 210-1999), establishing science-based quality and purity as well as food safety criteria for this increasingly traded product. While it has been consumed in certain regions for millennia, recent growth in demand for healthier food products globally has seen a high value market develop for avocado oil. International agreement on the criteria included in the standard will help protect consumer health, facilitate trade, and provide a basis for determining the authenticity of the product.
In the relevant discussion paper reviewed by the Codex Committee on Fats and Oils, it is recognized that avocado oils are a natural source of vitamin E, and other bioactive compounds. The oils are usually cold pressed and filtered, and result in oils that are naturally free from trans fatty acids.
Guidelines for Food Hygiene Control Measures in Traditional Markets for Food
ADOPTED – 25.11.2024
These Guidelines were developed and adopted in record time, with the new work approved at CAC46 and adopted just a year later at CAC47. They aim to provide guidance in developing and implementing policies and regulations to ensure that traditional markets for food are designed and managed effectively to promote food safety. They will support all stakeholders to address the specific food safety challenges that exist in traditional markets for foods.
The importance and relevance of these guidelines are reflected in the key role of traditional markets for food in people’s lives globally: it is estimated that over 70 percent of consumers in the African and Asian regions source food for household consumption from these markets, while these same regions experience very high rates of foodborne disease. These guidelines consequently have a significant potential to improve global food safety outcomes.
These Guidelines have been developed in reference to and with the aim of complementing the four Codex regional standards for street vended food. It is recommended the relevant FAO/WHO Regional Coordinating Committees now review those regional standards to ensure all texts align with the new Guidelines.
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