INFORMATION ON ACTIVITIES
Communication from the Codex Alimentarius Commission
(codex)
The following communication, received on 7 July
2015, is being circulated at the request of the Codex secretariat.
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1 CODEX SESSIONs since the last
MEETING OF THE SPS Committee (MARCH 2015)
· 47th
Codex Committee on Food Additives (Xi'an, China, 23-27 March 2015)
· 47th
Codex Committee on Pesticide Residues (Beijing, China, 13-18 April 2015)
· 22nd
Codex Committee on Residues of Veterinary Drugs in Foods (San Jose, Costa Rica,
27 April–1 May 2015)
· 8th
FAO/WHO Coordinating Committee for Near East (Beirut, Lebanon, 1–5 June 2015)
· 70th
Executive Committee of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (Geneva, Switzerland,
30 June–3 July 2015)
· 38th
Codex Alimentarius Commission (Geneva, Switzerland, 6–11 July 2015)
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 in 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 additive section of the Standard for Bouillons and Consommés
(CODEX STAN 117-1981). The Committee updated the priority list of compounds to
be evaluated by JECFA (Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives). The
Committee agreed to start new work on revision of the food category 01.1 "Milk
and dairy-based drinks" and its sub-categories of the GSFA and revision of
the General Standard for the Labelling of
Food Additives When Sold as Such (CODEX STAN 107-1981).
Full report: ftp://ftp.fao.org/codex/Reports/Reports_2015/REP15_FAe.pdf
1.2. The Codex Committee on Pesticide Residues
finalized a number of new and revised maximum residue limits for pesticides;
updated the priority list of pesticides for evaluation by JMPR (Joint FAO/WHO
Meeting on Pesticide Residues) in 2015 and finalize the guidance to facilitate
the establishment of maximum residue limits for pesticides for minor crops. 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: ftp://ftp.fao.org/codex/Reports/Reports_2015/REP15_PRe.pdf
1.3. The Codex Committee on Residues of Veterinary
Drugs in Foods finalized maximum residue limits for derquantel
(sheep tissues), emamectin benzoate (salmon and trout tissues) and monepantel
(sheep tissues) and risk management recommendations for residues of
dimetridazole, ipronodazole, metronidazole and ronidazole. The Committee
updated the priority list of veterinary drugs to be evaluated by JECFA and continues
work on: the database on countries' needs for MRLs and a global survey to
provide information to the CCRVDF to move compounds from the database on
countries' needs for MRLs to the JECFA Priority List. The Committee will
consider at its next session papers on a rating system to establish priority
for CCRVDF work and on unintended presence of residues of veterinary drugs in
food commodities resulting from the carry-over of drug residues into feed.
Full report: ftp://ftp.fao.org/codex/Reports/Reports_2015/REP15_RVDFe.pdf
1.4. For following Committees, orally report will be made for the matters
relevant to SPS Committee:
· 70th
Executive Committee of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (Geneva, Switzerland,
30 June – 3 July 2015);
· 38th
Codex Alimentarius Commission (Geneva, Switzerland, 6–11 July 2015).
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