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.

Public Meetings

Codex Committee on Spices and Culinary Herbs (CCSCH) to be Rescheduled

The U.S. Codex Program sponsored public meeting on December 5, 2018, from 2:00-4:00 p.m. EST to provide information and receive public comments on agenda items and draft U.S. positions to be discussed at the 4th session of the CCSCH in Thiruvananthapuram, India, January 21–25, 2019, is cancelled due to the closing of Federal offices on December 5, per Executive Order. This meeting will be rescheduled at a later date. Documents related to the 4^th Session of the CCSCH are accessible here: www.codexalimentarius.org/meetings-reports/en.

Dorian LaFond, U.S. Delegate to the 4th Session of the CCSCH, invites interested U.S. parties to submit their comments electronically to dorian.lafond@ams.usda.gov.
For any questions related to the meeting, email Marie Maratos (marie.maratos@osec.usda.gov).

Reminders and New Requests for Comments

Codex Committee on Spices and Culinary Herbs (CCSCH)

Saffron: The Codex Secretariat has issued a Circular Letter (CL 2018/61/OCS-CCSCH) requesting comments at Step 3 on the proposed Draft Standard for Saffron. The CL is currently 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 December 11, 2019. Comments by other observers and countries should be submitted through their Codex Contact Point (CCP) using the Online Commenting System (ocs.codexalimentarius.org) by December 14, 2019.

Codex Committee on Fats and Oils (CCFO)

Virgin Palm Oil and Crude Palm Kernel Oil: The Codex Secretariat has issued a Circular Letter (CL 2018/77/OCS-CCFO) requesting comments at Step 3 on the proposed draft revision of the Standard for Named Vegetable Oils (Codex Stan 210-1999): Replacement of Acid Value with Free Fatty Acids for Virgin Palm Oil and Inclusion of Free Fatty Acids for Crude Palm Kernel Oil. The CL is currently 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 by January 11, 2019. Comments by other observers and countries should be submitted through their CCP using the Online Commenting System (ocs.codexalimentarius.org) by January 15, 2019.

Walnut Oil, Almond Oil, Hazelnut Oil, Pistachio Oil, Flaxseed Oil, and Avocado Oil: The Codex Secretariat has issued a Circular Letter (CL 2018/79/OCS-CCFO) requesting comments at Step 3 on the proposed draft revision of the Standard for Named Vegetable Oils (Codex Stan 210-1999): Inclusion of Walnut Oil, Almond Oil, Hazelnut Oil, Pistachio Oil, Flaxseed Oil, and Avocado Oil. The CL is currently 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 by January 11, 2019. Comments by other observers and countries should be submitted through their CCP using the Online Commenting System (ocs.codexalimentarius.org) by January 15, 2019.

Codex Committee on Food Additives (CCFA)

New Proposals and/or Revisions: The Codex Secretariat has issued a Circular Letter (CL 2018/27-FA) requesting proposals for new and/or revisions of food additive provisions of the Codex General Standard for Food Additives (GSFA). The CL is currently 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 Barbara McNiff (barbara.mcniff@osec.usda.gov) and Alexandra Tarrant (alexandra.tarrant@fsis.usda.gov) by January 11, 2019. Comments by other observers and countries should be submitted through their CCP using the Online Commenting System (ocs.codexalimentarius.org) by January 15, 2019.

Priority List of Substances: The Codex Secretariat has issued a Circular Letter (CL 2018/28-FA) requesting information and comments on the priority list of substances proposed for evaluation by JECFA. The CL is currently 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 Barbara McNiff (barbara.mcniff@osec.usda.gov) and Alexandra Tarrant (alexandra.tarrant@fsis.usda.gov) by January 11, 2019. Comments by other observers and countries should be submitted through their CCP using the Online Commenting System (ocs.codexalimentarius.org) by January 15, 2019.

Calls for Data

JEMNU Call for Data: The Joint FAO/WHO Expert Meetings on Nutrition (JEMNU) invites Codex members and observers interested in the work of the Codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses (CCNFSDU) to submit data on nitrogen to protein conversion factors and associated measurements (nitrogen, amino acid, etc.) for soy and/or dairy proteins assessed in foods containing soy-based and/or milk-based ingredients. The call for data is posted on the FAO website at www.fao.org/nutrition/requirements/proteins/en and on the WHO website at www.who.int/nutrition/topics/datacall-nitrogenprotein-2018. Members and observers must submit their data by December 15, 2018.

Residues of Veterinary Drugs in Food (CCRVDF): The 23^rd Codex Committee on Residues of Veterinary Drugs in Food has requested scientific advice to address the issue of unintended presence of residues of approved veterinary drugs in foods of animal origin resulting from carry-over of veterinary drugs in feed. The call for data is posted on the FAO website at www.fao.org/fileadmin/user_upload/feed-safety-platform/call_for_data.pdf (PDF, 575 KB). Members and observers must submit their data by December 15, 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 (PDF, 326 KB). Members and observers should upload their data to the GEMS database by January 15, 2019.

Other

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 has been 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 for young children and Ready to Use Therapeutic Foods is now published. It is posted on the FAO website at www.fao.org/fao-who-codexalimentarius/meetings/detail/en/?meeting=CCNFSDU&session=40.