UN Food Standards Commission Meets

UN Food Standards Commission Meets

July 24, 2007

Safer Infant Formula, Hygienic Egg Production on the Agenda

    ROME and GENEVA, July 24 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- New
measures to ensure safer infant powdered formula and
hygienic egg production will be discussed by the Codex
Alimentarius Commission (CAC), which opens a 6-day meeting
today attended by representatives from more than 100
countries.

    (Logo:
http://www.xprn.com.cn/xprn/sa/20061102095006-51.jpg )

    The Codex Commission, in its annual session, is
considering the adoption of several food safety and quality
standards that countries depend on to safeguard the health
of consumers, improve food quality and ensure fair
practices in food trade. The Commission is a body jointly
set up by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
and the World Health Organization (WHO). 

    More nutritious infant formula 

    Codex will reconsider the 1981 standard on infant
formula, which was based on scientific knowledge from the
1970s.

    The revised standard for infant formulae and those for
special medical purposes is based on the latest scientific
understanding of the composition of breast milk. 

     "It is important to support breastfeeding and
promote its benefits to infants and young children,"
said Dr Jorgen Schlundt, director of the WHO department of
food safety, zoonoses and food-borne diseases.
"However, in some instances, breastfeeding is either
not possible or not appropriate. In these cases, one of the
dietary options is the use of powdered formulae".

     "Powdered infant formula is not a sterile product
and can be contaminated with life threatening
bacteria," said Dr Schlundt. "It is extremely
important that these formulae are safe and properly
labeled. The proposed standard will help save many infant
lives in countries around the world."

    Eggs and egg products

    The Codex Commission will also be looking at a revised
code of hygienic practice for eggs and egg products. They
are a major source of food for people in all countries and
there is significant international trade in these products.

    However, eggs and egg products are a significant
contributor to salmonellosis -- a major food borne disease
worldwide. Adoption of the revised code would improve
countries' capacity to produce safer product. 

    Making wine safer

    Another draft code up for adoption would prevent or
reduce Ochratoxin A contamination in wine. Ochratoxin A is
a mycotoxin known to be toxic to the kidneys. The code
would address all measures that have been proven to prevent
and reduce contamination of wine across the production
chain.

    Regional Codex standards 

    The Codex meeting will also consider new quality
standards for three regional food products from the Middle
East. Draft codes would, if adopted, set standards for
canned tehina, a sesame seed paste, and hummus with tehina
- a sesame seed and chickpea mixture common throughout the
region. Another standard would apply to canned ful
medammes, a popular broad-bean dish.

    Technical assistance 

    The FAO/WHO Codex Trust Fund supported some 34
developing countries to attend the Codex Commission. 

    "FAO and WHO support the efforts of developing
countries to strengthen their national food safety systems
to protect local consumers and to take advantage of
international food trade opportunities. They also enable
developing countries to participate more effectively in
Codex work," said Ezzeddine Boutrif, Chief of the FAO
Food Quality and Standards Service.

    FAO and WHO will launch a Framework for the Provision
of Scientific Advice and will also present the Global
Initiative for Food related Scientific Advice (GIFSA)
during the meeting.

    The 30th session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission
runs from 2 to 7 July.

    More information about the meeting can be found at: 
    http://www.codexalimentarius.net/web/index_en.jsp .

    All press releases, fact sheets and other WHO media
material may be found at http://www.who.int . 

    For more information, please contact:

    John Riddle
    Information Officer
    FAO
    Tel:    [phone]
    Mobile: [phone]
    Email:  [e-mail]

    Francoise Fontannaz
    Communication and Advocacy Officer
    WHO
    Mobile: [phone]
    Email:  [e-mail]