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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Electronic Working Groups (EWGs)

Ad-Hoc Task Force on Antimicrobial Resistance (TFAMR)

Integrated Monitoring and Surveillance of Foodborne Antimicrobial Resistance: TFAMR invites members and observers to join an EWG, chaired by The Netherlands and co-chaired by Chile, China, and New Zealand, working in English and Spanish, to review and revise the Guidelines for the Integrated Monitoring and Surveillance of Foodborne Antimicrobial Resistance. Individuals interested in working on the United States (U.S.) contributions to the EWG should contact Ken Lowery (ken.lowery@osec.usda.gov) by February 15, 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) to rm.peransala@minvws.nl with a copy to a.ottevanger@minvws.nl by February 20, 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.

Minimize and Contain Foodborne Antimicrobial Resistance: TFAMR invites members and observers to join an EWG, chaired by the U.S. and co-chaired by Chile, China, Kenya, and the United Kingdom, working in English and Spanish, to further develop the Code of Practice (COP) to Minimize and Contain Foodborne Antimicrobial Resistance (CXC 61-2005). Individuals interested in working on the U.S. contributions to the EWG should contact Ken Lowery (ken.lowery@osec.usda.gov) by February 15, 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 to donald.prater@fda.hhs.gov with a copy to ken.lowery@osec.usda.gov by February 20, 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.

Codex Committee on Food Hygiene (CCFH)

Management of Biological Foodborne Outbreaks: CCFH invites members and observers to join an EWG, chaired by Denmark and co-chaired by Chile and the European Union, working in English, French, and Spanish, to revise the Guidance for the Management of Biological Foodborne Outbreaks. Individuals in the U.S. interested in working on the U.S. contributions to the EWG should contact Marie Maratos (marie.maratos@osec.usda.gov) by February 25, 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 to kigre@fvst.dk with a copy to gus@fvst.dk by February 28, 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

Codex Committee on Contaminants in Foods (CCCF)

Priority List of Contaminants and Naturally Occurring Toxicants: The Codex Secretariat issued a Circular Letter (CL 2019/11-CF) requesting comments on the Priority List of Contaminants and Naturally Occurring Toxicants for Evaluation by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA). The CL is available in English, Spanish, and French 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 March 27, 2019. Comments by other observers and countries should be submitted through their CCP by email to codex@fao.org by March 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 Food Import and Export Inspection and Certification Systems (CCFICS)

Voluntary Third-Party Assurance (vTPA) Programmes: The Codex Secretariat issued a Circular Letter (CL 2018/96/OCS-CCFICS) requesting comments at Step 5 on the Draft Principles and Guidelines for the Assessment and Use of Voluntary Third-Party Assurance (vTPA) Programmes. 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 Ken Lowery (ken.lowery@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 Food Labelling (CCFL)

Labelling of Non-Retail Containers: The Codex Secretariat issued a Circular Letter (CL 2019/13/OCS-FL) requesting comments at Step 3 on the proposed draft Guidance for the Labelling of Non-Retail Containers of Foods. 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 Alexandra Tarrant (alexandra.tarrant@fsis.usda.gov) by March 25, 2019. Comments by other observers and countries should be submitted through their CCP using the Online Commenting System (ocs.codexalimentarius.org) by March 31, 2019.

Front-of-Pack Nutrition Labelling: The Codex Secretariat issued a Circular Letter (CL 2019/14/OCS-FL) requesting comments at Step 3 on the proposed draft Guidelines on Front-of-Pack Nutrition Labelling. 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 Alexandra Tarrant (alexandra.tarrant@fsis.usda.gov) by March 25, 2019. Comments by other observers and countries should be submitted through their CCP using the Online Commenting System (ocs.codexalimentarius.org) by March 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.

Codex Committee on Pesticide Residues (CCPR)

Recommendations of the 2018 Joint FAO/WHO Meeting on Pesticide Residues: The Codex Secretariat issued a Circular Letter (CL 2018/97-PR) requesting comments at Step 3 on the recommendations of the 2018 joint FAO/WHO Meeting on Pesticide Residues (JMPR). The Report of the JMPR (including the Annex) can be found on the FAO website at: www.fao.org/agriculture/crops/thematic-sitemap/theme/pests/jmpr/jmpr-rep/en and the WHO website at: www.who.int/foodsafety/publications/jmpr-reports/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 February 26, 2019. Comments by other observers and countries should be submitted via their CCP to ccpr@agri.gov.cn with a copy to codex@fao.org by March 1, 2019.

Establishment of Codex Schedules and Priority Lists of Pesticides: The Codex Secretariat issued a Circular Letter (CL 2019/06-PR) requesting comments on the establishment of the Codex Schedules and Priority Lists of Pesticides for Evaluation by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Meetings of Pesticides. 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 February 26, 2019. Comments by other observers and countries should be submitted via their CCP to ian.reichstein@agriculture.gov.au with a copy to ccpr@agri.gov.cn and codex@fao.org by March 1, 2019.

Classification of Food and Feed: The Codex Secretariat issued a Circular Letter (CL 2019/19-PR) requesting comments at Step 3 on the transfer of processed commodities from Class D to Class C of the Classification of Food and Feed (CXM 4-1989). 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 March 15, 2019. Comments by other observers and countries should be submitted via their CCP to ccpr@agri.gov.cn with a copy to codex@fao.org by March 20, 2019.

Classification of Food and Feed: The Codex Secretariat issued a series of Circular Letters (CL 2019/01-PR, CL 2019/02-PR, CL 2019/03-PR, CL 2019/04-PR, CL 2019/05-PR, and CL 2019/19-PR) requesting comments at Step 3 on various parts of the Classification of Food and Feed (CXM 4-1989). The CLs are 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 March 15, 2019. Comments by other observers and countries should be submitted via their CCP to ccpr@agri.gov.cn with a copy to codex@fao.org by March 20, 2019.

Calls for Data

Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA): The 88^th Meeting of the JECFA on Veterinary Drugs invites Codex members and observers to submit data for the meeting that will be held in Rome, Italy, from October 22-31, 2019. The call for data is posted on the FAO website at: www.fao.org/food/food-safety-quality/scientific-advice/calls-data-experts/en/ and the WHO website at: www.who.int/foodsafety/call-data/en/. The deadline for data submission is April 15, 2019.

Joint FAO/WHO Expert Meetings on Nutrition (JEMNU): JEMNU invites Codex members and observers to submit data on nitrogen to protein conversion factors for soy- and milk-based ingredients used in infant formulas and follow-up formulas to provide guidance at the 39^th Session of the CCNFSDU. The call for data is posted on the FAO website at: www.fao.org/nutrition/requirements/proteins/en/ and the WHO website at: www.who.int/nutrition/topics/callforexperts-JEMNU-Feb2019/en/. The deadline for data submission is March 1, 2019.

Other

6^th Session of the Ad-Hoc Intergovernmental Task Force on Antimicrobial Resistance: The Delegate Report for the 6^th Session of the Ad-Hoc Intergovernmental Task Force on Antimicrobial Resistance (TFAMR) held in December 2018, has been published. It was posted on the USDA website at: www.usda.gov/topics/trade/international-food-standards/codex-delegation-reports.

83^rd JECFA Meeting on Contaminants: The Monographs of the 83^rd JECFA Meeting, Safety Evaluation of Certain Contaminants in Foods, has been published. It has been posted on the WHO website at: apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/276868/9789241660747-eng.pdf?ua=1.