WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/TBT/GEN/75 
28 November 2008 
 (08-5864) 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade Original:   English 
  
 
INFORMATION ON ACTIVITIES OF THE CODEX ALIMENTARIUS COMMISSION  
 
 
 The following information was provided by the Codex Alimentarius Commission
 at the TBT 
Committee meeting of 5-6 November 2008.  
_______________ 
  
I. CODEX SESSIONS SINCE THE LAST MEETING OF THE TBT COMMITTEE  
(1-2 JULY 2008) 
• 31
st Session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (Geneva, Switzerland,  
30 June-4 July 2008); 
• 24th  Session of the Codex Committee on Processed Fruits and Vegetables (Washington D.C, 
United States of America, 15-19 September 2008); 
• 26th Session of the FAO/WHO Coordinating Co mmittee for Europe (Warsaw, Poland,  
7-10 October 2008); 
• 2nd Session of the Ad hoc Codex Intergovernmental Task Force on Antimicrobial Resistance 
(Seoul, Republic of Korea, 20-24 October); 
• 10th Session of the FAO/WHO Coordinating Committee for North America and South West 
Pacific (Nuku´ Alofa, Tonga, 27-30 October 2008). 
 
A. 31ST SESSION OF THE CODEX ALIMENTARIUS COMMISSION1 
1. The Commission, among other decisions and discussions: 
• Adopted 35 new or revised Codex standards or related texts (see Appendix I); 
• Approved a number of new work proposals and proposals for discontinuation of work (see 
Appendix II); 
• Agreed to postpone decision of possible new work on animal feeding until its 32nd Session;  
• Agreed to postpone consideration of the issue of the use of the lactoperoxidase system until 
its 32nd Session;  
• Supported continued cooperation and coordinatio n with international governmental and non-
governmental organizations;  
• Elected the following Officers:  Chairperson: Ms Karen HULEBAK (United States); Vice-
Chairpersons: Mr Sanjay DAVE (India), Mr Ben MANYINDO (Uganda), and Mr Knud 
ØSTERGAARD (Denmark). 
 
                                                      
1 The full report of the meeting is available at: http://www.codexalimentarius.net  or at 
ftp://ftp.fao.org/codex/Alinorm08/al31REPe.pdf  G/TBT/GEN/75 
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B. 24TH SESSION OF THE COMMITTEE  ON PROCESSED FRUITS AND VEGETABLES  
2. The Committee agreed to advance the draf t Codex Standards for Jams, Jellies and 
Marmalades and Certain Canned Vegetables (gener al provisions) and the proposed draft Annexes 
specific to certain canned vegetables (draft Codex Standard for Certain Canned Vegetables) to the 
32nd Session of Codex Alimentarius Commission for final adoption.  
3. The Committee also agreed to forward methods of analysis for coconut cream and coconut 
milk to the Codex Committee on Methods of Analysis  and Sampling for endorsement and inclusion in 
the Codex Standard for Aqueous Coconut Products: Coconut Cream a nd Coconut Milk. Furthermore, 
the revision of Codex Standards for Canned Bamb oo Shoots, Canned Mushrooms, Table Olives and 
Grated Desiccated Coconut will be initiated as new work subject to approval of the Codex 
Alimentarius Commission based on the outcome of the Critical Review conducted by the Executive 
Committee. 
II. FORTHCOMING CODEX MEETINGS 
• 30th Session of the Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses 
(Cape Town, South Africa, 3-7 November 2008) 
• 17th Session of the  Committee on Food Import and Export Inspection and Certification 
Systems (Cebu, Philippines, 24-28 November 2008)  
• 40th Session of the Committee on Food Hygiene (Guatemala City, Guatemala,  
1-5 December  2008) 
• 21st Session of the Committee on Fats and Oils (Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia,  
16-20 February 2009)  
• 30th Session of the Committee on Methods of Analysis and Sampling (Budapest, Hungary,  
9-13 March 2009)  
• 41st Session of the Committee on Food Additives (Beijing, China, 16-20 March 2009)  
• 3rd Session of the Committee on Contaminants in Foods  (The Hague,  Netherlands,  
23-27 March 2009)  
• 26th Session of the Committee on General Principles (Paris, France, 30 March-3 April 2009)  
• 41st Session of the Committee on Pesticide Residues (Beijing, China, 20-25 April 2009)  
 
A. 30TH SESSION OF THE COMMITTEE ON NUTRITION AND FOODS FOR SPECIAL DIETARY USES  
4. The Committee will continue to consider the Gu idelines for the Use of Nutrition Claims, the 
Draft Advisory List of Nutrient Compounds for Use in Foods for Special Dietary Uses Intended for 
Infants and Young Children Part D Advisory List of  Food Additives for Special Nutrient Forms, and 
Proposed Draft Additional or Revised Nutrient Re ference Values for labelling Purposes in the Codex 
Guidelines on Nutrition labelling. The Committee will al so consider the proposals for new work to 
amend the Codex general principles for the additi on of essential nutrients to food and to establish a 
standard for processed cereal-based foods fo r underweight infant and young children.   
B. 17TH  SESSION OF THE COMMITTEE ON FOOD IMPORT AND EXPORT INSPECTION AND 
CERTIFICATION SYSTEMS  
5. The Committee will consider two proposed dr afts on Principles and Guidelines for the 
Conduct of Foreign On-Site Audits and Inspecti ons and on Generic Model Health Certificate.  G/TBT/GEN/75 
 Page 3 
 
 
  Furthermore, three discussion papers, the Need for Guidance for National Food Inspection System, 
the Need for further Guidance on Traceability/Product Tracing, and the Development of Guidance on 
the Prevention of International Contamination of Food, will be discussed during the session. 
C. 21ST  SESSION OF THE COMMITTEE ON FATS AND OILS  
6. The Committee will consider the Draft Amendm ent to the Standard for Named Vegetable 
Oils: Inclusion of Rice Bran Oil, the Draft and pr oposed Draft lists of Acceptable Previous Cargoes 
respectively, the Proposed Draft Criteria to Assess th e Acceptability of Substances for Inclusion on a 
List of Acceptable Previous Cargoes, the propo sed Draft Amendment to the Standard for Named 
Vegetable Oils, and the Proposed Draft Amendment to  the Standard for Olive Oils and Olive Pomace 
Oils on the level of linolenic aci d and related footnote. The Committ ee will also consider further the 
proposal for future work on the composition and naming of fatty acid modified vegetable oils. 
D. 41ST SESSION OF THE COMMITTEE ON FOOD ADDITIVES  
7. The Committee will discuss the proposed maximum levels for food additives and processing 
aids in Codex Standards, the Updated List Inventor y of Substances used as Processing Aids (IPA), the 
Proposals for Changes and/or Addition to the In ternational Numbering System (INS) for Food 
additives, the Specifications for the Identity and Pur ity of Food Additives, and the Priority List of 
Food Additives Proposed for Evaluation by JECFA.  
E. 25TH SESSION OF THE COMMITTEE ON GENERAL PRINCIPLES  
8. The Committee will consider the Proposed Draft Revised Code of Ethics for International 
Trade in Foods, and review the Principles on the INGO participation as well as the Risk Analysis Policies of Codex Committees. It will also di scuss issues related to “consensus” in Codex. 
F. FAO/WHO
 COORDINATING COMMITTEES  
9. Four Coordinating Committees will hold their session in their respective region between 
October 2008 and March 2009. They will consider C odex matters of interest to the region, promote 
exchange of information within the region on food  legislation and food control issues, define the 
problems and needs of the region concerning food st andards and food control, and exercise a general 
coordinating role for the region in these areas. Specifi cally, they will also identify issues related to the 
use or non-use of Codex standards and related texts at the national and regional levels.  
10. Their dates and venues are as follows:  
• 16th Session of the FAO/WHO Coordinating Committee for Latin America and the Caribbean 
(Acapulco, Mexico, 10-14 November 2008); 
• 16th Session of the FAO/WHO Coordinating Committee for Asia (Denpasar, Indonesia, 17-21 
November 2008); 
• 5th Session of the FAO/WHO Coordinating Committee for Near East (Tunis, Tunisia, 26-29 
January 2009); 
• 18th Session of the FAO/WHO Coordinating Committee for Africa (Accra, Ghana, 24-27 
February 2009). G/TBT/GEN/75 
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Appendix I
  
LIST  OF STANDARDS  AND  RELATED  TEXTS  ADOPTED  BY THE  THIRTY-FIRST  
SESSION  OF THE  CODEX  ALIMENTARIUS  COMMISSION 
Part 1 – Standards and Related Texts Adopted at Step 8 
Standards and Related Texts  Reference 
Maximum Levels for 3-MCPD in  Liquid Condiments containing 
Acid-Hydrolyzed Vegetable Proteins (Excluding Naturally Fermented Soy Sauce) (N08-2004)  ALINORM 08/31/41 
Appendix III 
Code of Practice for the Reduction of 3-Monochloropropane-1,2-diol 
(3-MCPD) during the Production of Acid-Hydrolyzed Vegetable 
Protein (Acid-HVPs) and Products that Contain Acid- HVPs (N09-2005)  ALINORM 08/31/41 
Appendix IV 
Maximum Level for Ochratoxin A in Raw Wheat, Barley and Rye  ALINORM 08/31/41 
Appendix VII 
Maximum Levels for Total Aflatoxins in Almonds, Hazelnuts and Pistachios “For further processing” and “Ready-to-eat”  ALINORM 08/31/41 
Appendix VIII 
Food additive provisions of the Ge neral Standard for Food Additives 
(GSFA) (CODEX STAN 192-1995)  ALINORM 08/31/12 
Appendix VII 
Guidelines for the Use of Flavourings (N03-2006) (with the 
exception of Section 4)  ALINORM 08/31/12 
Appendix X 
Revision of the Codex Class Names and International Numbering 
Systems  (CAC/GL 36-1989) (N03-2006)   ALINORM 08/31/12 
Appendix XII 
Code of Practice for Fish and Fishery Products (Live and Raw Bivalve Molluscs and relevant Definitions)  ALINORM 08/31/18 
Appendix II 
Standard for Raw and Live Bivalve Molluscs  ALINORM 08/31/18 
Appendix III 
Standard for Tomatoes  ALINORM 08/31/35 
Appendix II 
Amendment to the Guidelines for the Production, Processing, Labelling and Marketing of Organi cally Produced Foods: Annex 1 
(inclusion of ethylene) (N10-2006)   ALINORM 08/31/22 
Appendix II 
Amendment to the General Standard for the Labelling of Prepackaged Foods: Quantitative Declaration of Ingredients   ALINORM 08/31/22 
Appendix IV 
Amendment to the Guidelines for U se of Nutrition and Health Claims 
(Definition of Advertising) (N11-2006)  ALINORM 08/31/22 
Appendix V 
Model Export Certificate for Milk and Milk Products  ALINORM 08/31/11 
Appendix III 
Revised Codex Standard for Foods for Special Dietary Use for 
Persons Intolerant to Gluten (CODEX STAN 118-1981)  ALINORM 08/31/26 
Appendix III  G/TBT/GEN/75 
 Page 5 
 
 
  Standards and Related Texts  Reference 
Advisory Lists of Nutrient Compounds for Use in Foods for Special 
Dietary Uses Intended for Infants and Young Children (CAC/GL 10-1979)  ALINORM 08/31/26 
Appendix IV 
Maximum Residue Limits for Pesticides  ALINORM 08/31/24 
Appendix II 
Maximum Residues Limits (MRLs) for Veterinary Drugs (colistin)   ALINORM 08/31/31 
Appendix II 
 
Part 2 – Standards and Related Texts Adopted at Step 5/8 (with omission of Steps 6 and 7) 
Standards and Related Texts  Reference 
Aflatoxin Sampling Plans for Aflatoxin Contamination in Ready-
to-eat Treenuts and Treenuts Destined for Further Processing: Almonds, Hazelnuts and Pistachios (N07-2004)  ALINORM 08/31/41 
Appendix IX 
Code of Practice for the Preven tion and Reduction of Aflatoxin 
Contamination in Dried Figs (N10-2007)   ALINORM 08/31/41 
Appendix XI 
Food additive provisions of the General Standard for Food 
Additives (GSFA) (CODEX STAN 192-1995)  ALINORM 08/31/12 
Appendix VII 
Revision of the Food Category System of the GSFA (N11-2007)  ALINORM 08/31/12 
Appendix IX 
Guidelines for the Use of Flavourings (N03-2006)  (Section 4)  ALINORM 08/31/12 
Appendix X 
Amendments to the International Numbering System for Food Additives (CAC/GL 36-1989)  ALINORM 08/31/12 
Appendix XII 
Specifications for the Identity and Purity of Food Additives arising 
from the 68th JECFA meeting (CAC/MISC 6)  ALINORM 08/31/12 
Appendix XIII, Part 1 
Code of Hygienic Practice for Powdered Formulae for Infants and 
Young Children   ALINORM 08/31/13 
Appendix II 
Guideline for the Validation of Food Safety Control Measures  ALINORM 08/31/13 
Appendix III   
Annex II on the Guidance on Microbiological Risk Management Metrics to the Principles and Guidelines for the Conduct of Microbiological Risk Management  ALINORM 08/31/13 
Appendix IV 
Appendix to the Guidelines on the Judgement of Equivalence of 
Sanitary Measures Associated with Food Inspection and 
Certification Systems (N04-2004)  ALINORM 08/31/30 
Appendix II 
Amendment to the List of Additives of the Codex Standard for 
Creams and Prepared Creams  (CODEX STAN A-9-1976) (N08-
2006)   ALINORM 08/31/11 
Appendix V 
Amendment to Sections 3.2 and 6.3.2 of the Codex Standard for 
Natural Mineral Waters  (CODEX STAN 108-1981) (N12-2007)  ALINORM 08/31/20 
Appendix II G/TBT/GEN/75 
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  Maximum Residue Limits for Pesticides  ALINORM 08/31/24 
Appendix III 
Maximum Residues Limits (MRLs) for Veterinary Drugs (erythromycin)  ALINORM 08/31/31 
Appendix III 
Guideline for the Conduct of Food Safety Assessment of Foods Derived from Recombinant-DNA Animals (N01-2006)  ALINORM
 08/31/34 
Appendix II 
Annex on Food Safety Assessment of Foods Derived from Recombinant-DNA Plants Modified for Nutritional or Health Benefits (N02-2006)  ALINORM
 08/31/34 
Appendix III 
Annex on Food Safety Assessment  in Situations of Low-level 
Presence of Recombinant-DNA Plant Material in Food (N07-2007)  ALINORM  08/31/34 
Appendix IV 
Recommended International Code of Practice for the Processing and Handling of Quick Frozen Foods   ALINORM 08/31/25 
Appendix II 
 
Part 3 – Other Standards and Related Texts Adopted  
Standards and Related Texts  Reference 
Amendment to the provisions for colo urs of the General Standard for 
Food Additives (GSFA)  ALINORM 08/31/12 
Appendix VII 
Methods of Analysis in Codex  ALINORM 08/31/23 
Appendix III 
Maximum Levels for Annatto Extracts in Codex Standards for Milk and Milk Products, including conseque ntial changes to the provision for 
beta-carotene (vegetable)   ALINORM 08/31/11 
Appendix II 
Food Additive Listings of the Standard for Fermented Milks  (CODEX 
STAN 243-2003)*  ALINORM 08/31/11 
Appendix VI 
* As endorsed by the Committee on Food Additives  G/TBT/GEN/75 
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  APPENDIX   II 
LIST  OF DRAFT  STANDARDS  AND  RELATED  TEXTS  APPROVED  AS NEW  WORK  BY 
THE  THIRTY-FIRST  SESSION  OF THE  CODEX  ALIMENTARIUS  COMMISSION 
 
Responsible 
Body Standard and Related Texts 
CCRVDF Priority List of Veterinary Drugs for Evaluation or Re-evaluation by JECFA 
TFAMR Science-based Risk Assessment Guidan ce Regarding Food-borne Antimicrobial 
Resistant Microorganisms 
TFAMR Risk Management Guidance to Contai n Food-borne Antimicrobial Resistant 
Microorganisms 
TFAMR Guidance on Creating Risk Profiles for Antimicrobial Resistant Food-borne 
Microorganisms for Setting Risk Asse ssment and Management Priorities 
CCFH Commodity-Specific Annexes to the Code of  Hygienic Practice for Fresh Fruits and 
Vegetables (CAC/RCP 53-2003) 
CCFH Code of Hygienic Practice for Vibrio  Species in Seafood 
CCNFSDU Revision of Nutrient Reference Values of Vitamins and Minerals in the Guidelines 
for Nutrition Labelling (CAC/GL 2-1985) 
CCFICS Principles and Guidelines for the Conduct of Foreign on-Site Audits and Inspections 
CCFICS Annex to the Guidelines for Design, Production, Issuance and Use of Generic 
Official Certificates (CAC/GL 38-2001): Generic Model Health Certificate 
CCMAS Guidelines on Criteria for Methods for the Detection and Identification of Foods 
Derived from  Biotechnology 
CCMAS Revision of the Guidelines on Measurement Uncertainty (CAC/GL 54-2004) 
CCCF Priority List of Contaminants and Naturally Occurring Toxicants Proposed for 
Evaluation by JECFA 
CCCF Maximum Levels for Total Aflatoxins in Brazil Nuts 
CCCF Code of Practice for the Prevention and Reduction of Ochratoxin A Contamination 
in Coffee 
CCPR Priority List for Chemicals Scheduled for Evaluation and Re-evaluation by JMPR 
CCPR Revision of Guidelines on Estimation of Uncertainty of Results (CAC/GL 59-2006) 
CCPR Revision of the Risk Analysis Princi ples applied by the Codex Committee on 
Pesticide Residues 
CCFA Priority List of Food Additives proposed for Evaluation by JECFA 
CCFA Guidelines and Principles for S ubstances used as Processing Aids  G/TBT/GEN/75 
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  Responsible 
Body Standard and Related Texts 
CCFL Amendment to the Guidelines for the Production, Processing, Labelling and 
Marketing of Organically Produced Foods (CAC/GL 32-1999) – Rotenone 
CCFL Revision of the Guidelines on Nutrition Labelling (CAC/GL 2-1985) – 
Implementation of the Global Strategy for Diet, Physical Activity and Health 
CCFFV Standard for Chilli Peppers 
CCFFV Standard for Tree Tomato 
CCFFV Revision of the Standard for Avocado (CODEX STAN 197-1995) 
 
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