FNSC3180 Food Microbiology, Chinese Univ of Hong Kong, by HS Kwan: Codex News

The U.S. Codex Program is an interagency partnership that engages stakeholders in advancing science-based food standards

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A reminder that the U.S. Codex Program's website is now located at www.usda.gov/codex. The U.S. Codex Office will complete transitioning all materials to this new site address in the next few weeks, after which the former site will only have a few specific redirects. Please make sure to go to www.usda.gov/codex for the most up-to-date information.

Note: The next Codex News publication falls on the New Year's holiday, so we will resume publication on January 8, 2018.

Strategic Plan Now Available

The new U.S. Codex Strategic Plan, covering fiscal years 2019-2023 is now available on the USDA Codex website at www.usda.gov/codex. This plan was developed through a collaborative process involving input from U.S. agencies with an interest in the international food standards work of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, external stakeholders, and the public.

Electronic Working Groups (EWGs)

Codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses (CCNFSDU)

Nutrient Reference Value – Requirement (NRV-R) for Older Infants and Young Children: CCNFSDU invites members and observers to join an EWG, chaired by Ireland and co-chaired by Costa Rica and the United States, working in English and Spanish, to further consider recommendations 3 to 6 taking into account the decision on recommendation 2 in the Discussion Paper (CX/NFSDU 18/40/10), list and prioritize vitamins and minerals, and consider the inclusion of protein for NRVs-R for older infants and young children required based on existing Codex texts and determine which ones should be allocated/applied to which Codex texts. Individuals in the U.S. interested in working on the U.S. contributions to the EWG should contact Doreen Chen-Moulec (doreen.chenmoulec@osec.usda.gov) by January 21, 2019. Other observers and countries should send their full contact details including participant's name, official title or position, organization or country, and email address via their Codex Contact Point (CCP) with a copy to mflynn@fsai.ie, olyons@fsai.ie, and ruairi.colbert@agriculture.gov.ie by January 25, 2019. As this EWG will operate on the Codex Online Forum, please note that when there is more than one expert, each country or observer organization shall designate one as their official representative to participate.

Review of the Follow-up Formula Standard: CCNFSDU invites members and observers to join an EWG, chaired by New Zealand and co-chaired by France and Indonesia, working in English, to consider proposals on dextrose equivalence (DE) for products (for young children) not based on milk protein and provide recommendation(s) for comment and consideration by the CCNFSDU41. Individuals in the U.S. interested in working on the U.S. contributions to the EWG should contact Doreen Chen-Moulec (doreen.chenmoulec@osec.usda.gov) by January 28, 2019. Other observers and countries should send their full contact details including participant's name, official title or position, organization or country, and email address via their CCP with a copy to charlotte.channer@mpi.govt.nz and jenny.reid@mpi.govt.nz by February 1, 2019. As this EWG will operate on the Codex Online Forum, please note that when there is more than one expert, each country or observer organization shall designate one as their official representative to participate.

Requests for Comments

Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA)

Specifications for the Identity and Purity of Food Additives: The Codex Secretariat issued a Circular Letter (CL 2018/95/OCS-FA) requesting comments at Step 3 on the proposed draft Specifications for the Identity and Purity of Food Additives arising from the 86^th JECFA meeting. The CL is available in English at the following link: www.fao.org/fao-who-codexalimentarius/resources/circular-letters/en. If you are interested in having your comments considered in the U.S. response, please send them to Paul Honigfort (paul.honigfort@fda.hhs.gov) by January 28, 2019. Comments by other observers and countries should be submitted through their CCP using the Online Commenting System (ocs.codexalimentarius.org) by January 31, 2019.

Codex Committee on Food Hygiene (CCFH)

Histamine Control Guidance: The Codex Secretariat issued a Circular Letter (CL 2018/92/OCS-FH) requesting comments on the alignment of the Code of Practice for Fish and Fishery Products with the histamine control guide. The CL is available in English at the following link: www.fao.org/fao-who-codexalimentarius/resources/circular-letters/en. If you are interested in having your comments considered in the U.S. response, please send them to Marie Maratos (marie.maratos@osec.usda.gov) by May 27, 2019. Comments by other observers and countries should be submitted through their CCP using the Online Commenting System (ocs.codexalimentarius.org) by May 31, 2019.

Food Allergen Management: The Codex Secretariat issued a Circular Letter (CL 2018/93/OCS-FH) requesting comments at Step 5 on the proposed draft Code of Practice on Food Allergen Management for Food Business Operators. The CL is available in English at the following link: www.fao.org/fao-who-codexalimentarius/resources/circular-letters/en. If you are interested in having your comments considered in the U.S. response, please send them to Marie Maratos (marie.maratos@osec.usda.gov) by May 27, 2019. Comments by other observers and countries should be submitted through their CCP using the Online Commenting System (ocs.codexalimentarius.org) by May 31, 2019.

Codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses (CCNFSDU)

Follow-up Formula: The Codex Secretariat issued a Circular Letter (CL 2018/94/OCS-FH) requesting comments on the alignment at Step 5 on the Review of the Standard for Follow-up Formula: proposed draft scope, description, and labelling for follow-up formula for older infants. The CL is available in English at the following link: www.fao.org/fao-who-codexalimentarius/resources/circular-letters/en. If you are interested in having your comments considered in the U.S. response, please send them to Doreen Chen-Moulec (doreen.chenmoulec@osec.usda.gov) by May 27, 2019. Comments by other observers and countries should be submitted through their CCP using the Online Commenting System (ocs.codexalimentarius.org) by May 31, 2019.

Calls for Data

JEMNU Call for Data: The Joint FAO/WHO Expert Meetings on Nutrition (JEMNU) invites all interested Codex members and observers to submit data on nitrogen to protein conversion factors for soy-based and milk-based ingredients to develop guidance on appropriate conversion factors for estimating protein content of infant formulas and follow-up formulas containing soy-based and/or milk-based ingredients, as requested by the CCNFSDU. The call for data is posted on the WHO website at www.who.int/nutrition/topics/datacall-nitrogenprotein-2018/e and FAO website at www.fao.org/nutrition/requirements/proteins/en. The deadline to provide data has been extended to December 31, 2018.

JECFA Call for Data: The Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) invites all interested Codex members and observers to submit monitoring data on natural occurrence of nitrates and nitrites in food, including drinking water. This data will be compiled by WHO and be considered by the EWG established at the 50^th Session of the Codex Committee on Food Additives (CCFA). The call for data is posted on the WHO website at www.who.int/foodsafety/Call_for_data_nitrates_nitrites_November_2018_final.pdf?ua=1. Members and observers should upload their data to the GEMS database by January 15, 2019.

Other

Nominations to Upcoming Events: The Codex Secretariat is seeking support with the nomination process for two upcoming food safety events: The First FAO/WHO/AU International Food Safety Conference on February 12-13, 2019, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and the FAO/WHO/WTO International Forum on Food Safety and Trade on April 23-24, 2019, in Geneva, Switzerland. Information about the events can be found the conference website at www.who.int/food-safety/international-food-safety-conference/ and in the flyer "The Future of Food safety" at www.who.int/docs/default-source/resources/future-of-food-safety-flyer.pdf?sfvrsn=385b7bcc_12. Member States are asked to nominate for each event at least two senior policy makers with responsibilities for food safety along the complex food chain to ensure adequate and balanced participation in each of the events. Submissions for nominations should be sent by email including the name(s), title(s), affiliation, and contact details of the delegate(s) nominated for attending the events to food-quality@fao.org and foodsafety@who.int as soon as possible, but no later than December 18, 2018.

50^th Session of the Codex Committee on Food Hygiene: The Delegate Report for the 50^th Session of the Codex Committee on Food Hygiene (CCFH) held in November 2018, was published. It is posted on the USDA website at www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/international-affairs/us-codex-alimentarius/recent-delegation-reports/2018/delegate-report-50-cac. It can also be found by going to www.usda.gov/codex and clicking on "Delegate Reports."

Compendium of Food Additive Specifications: JECFA Monographs 22: Compendium of Food Additive Specifications prepared at the 86^th meeting of the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) held in June 2018, was published. It is posted on the JECFA website at www.fao.org/documents/card/en/c/CA2330EN.

Protein Quality Assessment in Follow-up Formula and Ready to Use Therapeutic Foods: The FAO Expert Working Group report on Protein Quality Assessment in Follow-up Formula (FUF) for Young Children and Ready to Use Therapeutic Foods (RUTF) is now published. It is posted on the FAO website at www.fao.org/fao-who-codexalimentarius/meetings/detail/en/?meeting=CCNFSDU&session=40.