G/SPS/GEN/1501  
 
21 June 2016  
(16-3360)  Page: 1/2  
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
 INFORMATION ON ACTIVITIES 
COMMUNICATION FROM THE CODEX AL IMENTARIUS COMMISSION (CODEX) 
The following communication, received on 21 June 2016, is being circulated at the request of the 
Codex secretariat. 
 
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 1  CODEX SESSIONS SINCE THE LAST MEETING OF THE COMMITTEE (MARCH 2016) 
 48
th Codex Committee on Food Additives (Xi'an, China, 14-18 March 2016) 
 10th Codex Committee on Contaminants in Foods (Rotterdam, Netherlands, 4-8 April 2016) 
 30th Codex Committee on General Principle (Paris, France, 11–15 April 2016) 
 48th Codex Committee on Pesticide Residues (Chongqing, China, 25–29 April 2016) 
 43rd Codex Committee on Food Labelling (Ottawa, Canada, 9–13 May 2016) 
 71st Executive Committee of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (Rome, Italy, 20–23 June 
2016) 
 39th Codex Alimentarius Commission (Rome, Italy, 27 June – 1 July 2016) 
In particular, the SPS Committee may wish to note the following: 
1.1.  The Codex Committee on Food Additives  continued its work on food additive provisions 
of the General Standard for Food Additives  (GSFA), amendments to the International Numbering 
System for Food Additives, and Specifications for the Identity and Purity of Food Additives. The 
Committee finalized work on: the alignment of the food additives provisions for the standards for 
chocolate and chocolate products; the revision of food category 01.1 "Milk and dairy-based drinks" 
and related sub-categories of the GSFA; and the revision of the General Standard for the Labelling 
of Food Additives When Sold As Such  (CODEX STAN 107-1981). The Committee updated the 
priority list of compounds to be evaluated by  JECFA (Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food 
Additives).  
Full report: http://www.fao.org/fao-who-codexalimentarius/sh-
proxy/en/?lnk=1&url=https%253A%252F%252Fworkspace.fao.org%252Fsites%252Fcodex%252F
Meetings%252FCX-711-48%252FReport%252FREP16_FAe.pdf  
1.2.  The Codex Committee on Contaminants in Foods  completed its work on the 
establishment of maximum levels for inorganic arsenic in husked rice; the revision of maximum levels for lead in selected fruits and vegetables (fresh and processed) in the General Standard for 
Contaminants and Toxins in Food and Feed  (CODEX STAN 193-1995); and Code of Practice for the 
Prevention and Reduction of Mycotoxin Contamination in Cereals (CAC/RCP 51-2003) (general provisions) and the proposed draft Annexes on  zearalenone, fumonisins, ochratoxin A, 
trichothecenes and aflatoxins (specific provisions ). The Committee continues its work on; proposed 
draft annex on ergot and ergot alkaloids in cereal grains; proposed draft maximum levels for lead in selected fruits and vegetables (fresh and processed) and other selected food categories; proposed draft Code of Practice for the prevention and reduction of arsenic contamination in rice; 
proposed draft maximum levels for cadmium in chocolate and cocoa-derived products; proposed 
draft code of practice for the prevention and re duction of mycotoxin contamination in spices and 
its annexes; and proposed draft maximum level for total aflatoxins in ready-to-eat peanuts. The 
next Session of the Committee will also consider discussion papers on: maximum levels for G/SPS/GEN/1501 
 
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  mycotoxins in spices; methylmercury in fish; and non-dioxin like PCBs in the code of practice for 
the prevention and reduction of  dioxins and dioxin-like PCB. 
Full report: http://www.fao.org/fao-who-codexalimentarius/sh-
proxy/en/?lnk=1&url=https%253A%252F%252Fworkspace.fao.org%252Fsites%252Fcodex%252F
Meetings%252FCX-735-10%252FReport%252FREP16_CFe.pdf  
1.3.  The Codex Committee on Pesticide Residues  finalized a number of new and revised 
maximum residue limits for pesticides and updated th e priority list of pesticides for evaluation by 
JMPR (Joint FAO/WHO Meeting on Pesticide Residues) in 2016. The Committee continues work on: 
the revision of the Classification of Foods and Feeds including examples of selection of representative commodities; guidance on performance criteria for methods of analysis for the determination of pesticide residues; and the priority  list and schedules of pesticides for evaluation 
by JMPR in the coming years.  
Full report: http://www.fao.org/fao-who-codexalimentarius/sh-
proxy/en/?lnk=1&url=https%253A%252F%252Fworkspace.fao.org%252Fsites%252Fcodex%252F
Meetings%252FCX-718-48%252FReport%252FREP16_PRe.pdf  
1.4.  For the following Committees, orally report will be made for the matters relevant to 
SPS Committee. 
 71st Executive Committee of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (Rome, Italy, 20–23 June 
2016) 
 39th Codex Alimentarius Commission (Rome, Italy, 27 June – 1 July 2016) 
2  FORTHCOMING CODEX MEETINGS 
 72nd Executive Committee of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (Geneva, Switzerland, 
30 August – 1 September 2016) 
 28th Codex Committee on Processed Fruits and Vegetables (Washington D.C., USA, 
12-16 September 2016) 
2.1.  Next round of FAO/WHO Regional Coordinating Committees start in September 2016 from 
CCNASWP. 
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