CCCF18 / Consumer health once again at the forefront
The 18th Session of the Codex Committee on Contaminants in Foods (CCCF) concluded in Bangkok, Thailand. The meeting, co-hosted by the Kingdom of the Netherlands and Thailand, saw significant progress on several key items aimed at protecting consumer health and facilitating fair practices in the food trade worldwide.
Among the prominent outcomes was the adoption of new Maximum Levels (MLs) for spices, and lead in dried culinary herbs and the revision for the Code of practice for the prevention and reduction of aflatoxin contamination in peanuts (CXC 55-2004). “With the agreement on the MLs for spices and dried culinary herbs, this concludes the work on establishing MLs for a range of commodities, thereby contributing to reducing the exposure to it” – said Verna Carolissen, Food Standards Officer with the Codex Secretariat “Having these new MLs shows once again how science and consensus remain the compass of CCCF”.
The Committee agreed to looking into starting new work on a code of practice to reduce or prevent ochratoxin A in dried figs, a mycotoxin often found in dried fruits, signalling a proactive approach to known food safety challenges. Other codes of practice under discussion is one for tropane alkaloids and reduction of aflatoxin B1 in raw materials and supplementing feeding stuff for milk producing animals. Updates from the FAO and WHO highlighted ongoing efforts and challenges, and reiterated the critical role of the GEMS/Food database in collecting food contamination data for the establishment of MLs.
Dr Sally Hoffer, who chaired the session, noted how CCCF18 was “another successful meeting, which showed the importance of fostering inclusiveness and togetherness in collaborative spirit to reach our goals”. In recalling the work done behind the scenes by all involved players, Dr Hoffer thanked Marie Ange Delen for her “extraordinary contribution to the meeting throughout the years” informing delegates about her retirement.
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