The United Nation (UN) food standards body Codex Alimentarius has set new standards on fruit, vegetables, fish and fishery products and animal feed to protect the health of consumers worldwide.
Codex Alimentarius has also unveiled codes on the prevention and reduction of ochratoxin A, a carcinogenic contaminant, in cocoa, guidance on how to avoid microbiological contamination of berries and on use of claims for food that is labeled 'non-addition of sodium salts' including 'no added salt' on packages.
The Commission adopted commodity standards that will ensure fair practices in the food trade such as fresh and processed fruit and vegetables and fish and fishery products. The standards help buyers and sellers establish contracts based on Codex specifications and ensure to meet customer requirements.
Codex has also adopted the nutrient reference values on sodium and saturated fatty acids, which are nutrients linked with noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), to be included in the guidelines on nutrition labeling.
The Codex Alimentarius Commission, which is jointly run by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO), is responsible to adopt international food safety and quality standards in order to promote safer and more nutritious food for consumers.
Codex standards serve as a basis for national legislation, and provide the food safety benchmarks for international food trade.
