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Codex Alimentarius

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The Codex Alimentarius (Latin = “food law” or “food code”) is a collection of international standards and is alleged to be for the sake of food safety and consumer protection. These may be official claims that are not in alignment with the reality of the agenda behind Codex Alimentarius. Officially, it is maintained by the Codex Alimentarius Commission, a body established jointly by FAO (The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations) and WHO (The World Health Organization) in the years 1961-1962 to protect consumers’ health and ensure fair practices in the international food trade.

However, there are organizations such as the Natural Solutions Foundation who are claiming that Codex Alimentarius is a legal cover for special-interest groups to further their economic agendas. Such "health freedom" groups, of which the Natural Solutions Foundation seem to be only one, are suggesting that Codex Alimentarius would result in harm to consumers due to unscientific limitations on nutritional intake and removal of natural health products (NHPs) from the free market as well as other restrictions on natural health treatments. What groups like NSF claim is that Codex Alimentarius is not a question of consumer protection, regardless of the official stance of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC).

The Codex Alimentarius is recognized by the World Trade Organization as an international reference point for the resolution of disputes concerning food safety and consumer protection.

The Codex Alimentarius officially covers all foods, whether processed, semi-processed or raw, but far more attention has been given to foods that are sold directly to the consumer. In addition to standards for specific foods, the Codex Alimentarius contains general standards covering matters such as food labeling, food hygiene, food additives and pesticide residues, and procedures for assessing the safety of foods derived from modern biotechnology. It also contains guidelines for the management of official (i.e., governmental) import and export inspection and certification systems for foods.

The Codex Alimentarius is published in Arabic, Chinese, English, French and Spanish. Not all texts are available in all languages.

General texts

  • Food labeling (general standard, guidelines on nutrition labeling, guidelines on labeling claims)
  • Food additives (general standard including authorized uses, specifications for food grade chemicals)
  • Pesticide and veterinary chemical residues in foods (maximum residue limits)
  • Food hygiene (general principles, codes of hygienic practice in specific industries or food handling establishments, guidelines for the use of the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point or “HACCP” system)

Specific standards

  • Meat products (fresh, frozen, processed meats and poultry)
  • Fish and fishery products (marine, fresh water and aquaculture)
  • Milk and milk products
  • Foods for special dietary uses (including infant formulae and baby foods)
  • Fresh and processed fruits and vegetables and fruit juices
  • Cereals and derived products, dried legumes
  • Fats, oils and derived products such as margarine
  • Miscellaneous food products (chocolate, sugar, honey, mineral water)

Authority

The 28th Session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission will be held from 4 to 9 July 2005. Among the many issues to be discussed are the "Draft Guidelines for Vitamin and Mineral Supplements". This text has been the subject of considerable controversy, in part because many Member countries regulate these substances as therapeutic goods or pharmaceuticals and not as foods (if they were not foods, they would be excluded from the Codex Alimentarius). The text does not seek to ban supplements, but to subject them to labelling and composition requirements.

The draft has attracted considerable negative attention from some sectors. For example see the information flyer 14 pages on the Codex Alimentirius's potential to ban the usage of vitamins as nutritional supplements. For more information on the governmental, consumer and industry positions on this text, please refer to the Codex website and the documentation for the forthcoming meeting of the Commission.

The USA FDA has stated at times that its rules may be changed to match the Codex. a 1997 speech. According to , DR-CAFTA will require the signers to adopt the European Codex Alimentarius, which will override 1994 DSHEA (Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act), making vitamin supplements prescription items.

Source

External links

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