JOINT FAO/WHO FOOD STANDARDS PROGRAMME

CODEX ALIMENTARIUS COMMISSION
Twenty-second Session
Geneva, 23–28 June 1997

NOTE: This report includes Codex Circular Letter CL 1996/11 - FAC.

The report of the Twenty-eighth Session of the Codex Committee on Food Additives and Contaminants (CCFAC) is attached. It will be considered by the Twenty-second Session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission in Geneva from 23–28 June 1997.

MATTERS FOR ADOPTION BY THE CODEX ALIMENTARIUS COMMISSION OR EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

1. Draft Annexes I, II and III of the General Standard for Contaminants and Toxins in Foods at Step 8; ALINORM 97/12, paras. 63–65 and Appendix VI.

2. Codex Advisory Specifications at Step 8; ALINORM 97/12, paras. 49–51 and Appendix V.

3. Amendments to the International Numbering System at Step 8; ALINORM 97/12, paras. 52–54.

Governments wishing to propose amendments or to comment on the above matters should do so in writing in conformity with the Guide to the Consideration of Standards at Step 8 of the Procedure for the Elaboration of Codex Standards Including Consideration of Any Statements Relating to Economic Impact (Codex Alimentarius Procedural Manual, Ninth Edition, pages 33–35) to the Chief, Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme, FAO, Via delle Terme di Caracalla, 00100 Rome, Italy, not later than 1 April 1997.

4. Proposed Draft Annexes IV and V of the General Standard for Contaminants and Toxins in Foods at Step 5; ALINORM 97/12, paras. 66–70 and Appendix VII.

5. Proposed Draft Code of Practice for the Reduction of Aflatoxin B1 in Raw Materials and Supplemental Feedingstuffs for Milk Producing Animals at Step 5; ALINORM 97/12, paras. 84–87 and Appendix IX.

Governments wishing to submit comments regarding the implications which the above matters or any provisions thereof may have for their economic interest should do so in writing in conformity with the Uniform Procedure for the Elaboration of Codex Standards and Related Texts (at Step 5) (Codex Alimentarius Procedural Manual, Ninth Edition, pages 27–29) to the Chief, Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme, FAO, Via delle Terme di Caracalla, 00100 Rome, Italy, not later than 20 May 1996.

REQUEST FOR COMMENTS AND INFORMATION

1. Carry-Over of Sulphur Dioxide; ALINORM 97/12, para. 7.

   The Committee agreed to collect additional information on the carry-over of sulphur dioxide from raw material to the end product in the revised Codex Standard for Canned Shrimp and Prawns and related products.

2. Maximum Level for Sulphur Dioxide in the Codex Standard for Dried Apricots; ALINORM 97/12, para. 8.

   The Committee agreed to seek additional information on a proposal to raise the maximum level for sulphur dioxide in the above Codex Standard from 2000 to 2500 mg/kg.

3. Methods of Analysis for the Determination of Food Additives and Contaminants in Foods; ALINORM 97/12, paras. 26–30.

   The Committee agreed to request comments on additional methods of analysis for the determination of food additives and contaminants in foods based on specific criteria (see para. 28).

4. Proposed Amendments to the International Numbering System; ALINORM 97/12, paras. 52–54.

   The Committee agreed to request comments on amendments to the INS on a continuing basis.

5. Proposed Amendments to the Inventory of Processing Aids; ALINORM 97/12, paras. 55–56.

   The Committee agreed to request comments on amendments to the Inventory of Processing Aids on a continuing basis.

6. Guideline Levels and Sampling Plans for Total Aflatoxins in Peanuts; ALINORM 97/12, paras. 80–83 and Appendix VIII.

   The Committee decided to return the draft guideline level and sampling plan to Step 6 for additional comment, especially as related to the scientific basis for a lower limit.

7. Position Paper on Ochratoxin A; ALINORM 97/12, paras. 88–90.

   The Committee agreed to request comments on the position paper (CX/FAC 96/21), particularly in regard to those issues outlined in para. 90.

8. Proposed Draft Maximum Levels for Lead; ALINORM 97/12, paras. 93–95 and Appendix X.

   The Committee agreed to circulate the revised proposed draft maximum levels for lead for additional comment.

9. Draft Guideline Levels for Cadmium and Lead in Cereals, Pulses and Legumes; ALINORM 97/12, paras. 96–97 and Appendix VIII.

   The Committee agreed to return the above draft guideline levels to Step 6 for additional comment.

10. Information on Cadmium; ALINORM 97/12, para. 102.

    The Committee agreed to collect additional information on cadmium for consideration at its next Session.

11. Proposals for the Priority Evaluation of Food Additives and Contaminants by JECFA; ALINORM 97/12, paras. 103–104 and Appendix XI.

    Additional proposals for amendments and/or additions to the above list are requested.

Governments and international organizations wishing to submit comments and information on the above matters are invited to do so no later than 1 November 1996 as follows: Mr. H. Van der Kooi, Ministry of Agriculture, Nature Management and Fisheries, Department for the Environment, Quality and Health, P.O. Box 20401, 2500 EK The Hague, The Netherlands, (Telefax No. 0031.70.347.7552), with a copy to the Chief, Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme, FAO, Via delle Terme di Caracalla, 00100 Rome, Italy.

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

The twenty-eighth Session of the Codex Committee on Food Additives and Contaminants reached the following conclusions:

MATTERS FOR CONSIDERATION BY THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AND/OR COMMISSION:

• Agreed to amend the current text in the Preamble of the General Standard for Food Additives relating to the carry-over of food additives into foods as requested by the 21st Session of the Commission (para. 44);

• Agreed to refer thirteen substances in Categories I and II to the Commission for adoption as Codex Advisory Specifications (para. 51 and Appendix V);

• Agreed to forward proposals for amendments to the International Numbering System for Food Additives to the Commission for adoption (para. 54);

• Agreed to forward Annexes I, II and III of the General Standard for Contaminants and Toxins in Food to the Commission for adoption at Step 8 (para. 65 and Appendix VI);

• Agreed to forward Annexes IV and V of the General Standard for Contaminants and Toxins in Food to the Executive Committee for adoption at Step 5 (para. 70 and Appendix VII);

• Agreed to forward the proposed draft Code of Practice for the Reduction of Aflatoxin B1 in Raw Materials and Supplemental Feedingstuffs for Milk Producing Animals to the Executive Committee for adoption at Step 5 (para. 87 and Appendix IX);

• Agreed to discontinue the consideration of the Code of Practice on Source Directed Measures to Prevent Contamination of Foodstuffs in view of similar initiatives undertaken by the Codex Committee on Food Hygiene (para. 92);

• Agreed to discontinue the collection of information and/or the development of position papers on PCB's, dioxins, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and hydrogen cyanide (para. 101), and;

• Agreed on proposals for the priority evaluation of food additives and contaminants by JECFA (para. 103 and Appendix XI).

OTHER MATTERS OF INTEREST TO THE COMMISSION:

• Agreed to forward proposed amendments to the Codex Alimentarius Procedural Manual concerning Guidelines for Codex Committees to the Codex Committee on General Principles for consideration (para. 25 and Appendix III);

• Agreed to forward Methods of Analysis for the Determination of Food Additives and Contaminants in Foods for endorsement by the Codex Committee on Methods of Analysis and Sampling (para. 29 and Appendix IV);

• Agreed that the United Kingdom would continue developing exposure assessment methods in support of the Codex General Standard for Food Additives for future consideration (para. 34);

• Agreed to incorporate data collected on stabilizers, thickeners and sweeteners into the General Standard on Food additives on the basis of principles developed previously for antioxidants and preservatives (para. 38);

• Agreed that the United Kingdom should redraft Annex A of the General Standard for Food Additives (para. 39);

• Agreed that Belgium, in co-operation with the CIAA, would draft explanatory notes on the use of the Codex Food Identification System for inclusion into the Preamble of the General Standard for Food Additives (para. 41);

• Agreed that New Zealand, Australia and Iceland would prepare a paper providing a step-wise procedure for the evaluation of technological justification and need within the General Standard for Food Additives (para. 42);

• Agreed that the United States would establish procedures for amending the General Standard for Food Additives in the Preamble to the Standard (para. 45);

• Agreed to initiate work on colours, colour retention agents, bulking agents and emulsifiers on the basis of previous requests (para. 46);

• Agreed to maintain the format of the Inventory of Processing Aids as previously adopted by the Commission (para. 56);

• Agreed that Denmark, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom would elaborate a paper to provide guidance on the methodology and principles for exposure assessment in the context of the General Standard for Contaminants and Toxins in Foods (para. 62);

• Agreed that discussion papers would be prepared on arsenic, patulin and tin for circulation, comment and consideration at its next Session (para. 67);

• Agreed that the United Kingdom would revise their position paper on aflatoxins for consideration at its next Session (para. 75);

• Decided to maintain the draft maximum level for aflatoxin M1 in milk at Step 7 pending the revaluation of aflatoxins by JECFA (para. 79);

• Decided to return the draft guideline levels and sampling plans for total aflatoxins in peanuts to Step 6 for additional comment (para. 83);

• Agreed to request comments on a position paper concerning ochratoxin A for consideration at its next Session (para. 90);

• Agreed to circulate revised proposed draft maximum levels for lead for additional comment at Step 3 (para. 95 and Appendix X);

• Decided to return the draft guideline levels for cadmium and lead in cereals, pulses and legumes to Step 6 for additional comment (para. 97 and Appendix VIII), and;

• Agreed to collect additional information on cadmium for consideration at its next Session (para. 102).

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Iintroduction and Opening of the Session

Adoption of the Agenda

Appointment of Rapporteur

Matters Referred from the Codex Alimentarius Commission and Other Codex Committees

Consideration of the Report of the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Consultation on the Application of Risk Analysis to Food Standards Issues

Consideration of the Summary Report of the Fourty-Sixth Meeting of the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee of Food Additives

Action Required As a Result of Changes in ADI Status and Other Toxicological Recommendations

Consideration of Revisions to the Codex Alimentarius Procedural Manual Concerning the Format of Standards and Relations Between Codex Committees

Consideration of Methods of Analysis for the Determination of Food Additives and Contaminants in Foods

Endorsement and/or Revision of Maximum Levels for Food Additives in Codex Standards

Codex Risk Assessment and Management Procedures: Exposure Assessment Methods in Support of the Codex General Standard for Food Additives

Consideration of the Codex General Standard For Food Additives

Consideration of Compressed Worksheets for Antioxidants and Preservatives

Consideration of Stabilizers, Thickeners and Sweeteners

Consideration of Government Comments to Annex A

Consideration of the Codex Food Identification System

Consideration of Technological Justification and Need for the Use of Food Additives

Report of the Working Group on the Codex General Standard for Food Additives

Consideration of Specifications for the Identity and Purity of Food Additives Arising from 44TH JECFA Meeting Based on the Report of the Working Group on Specifications

Proposed Amendments to the International Numbering System

Proposed Amendments to the Revised Inventory of Processing Aids

Endorsement and/or Revision of Maximum Levels for Contaminants in Codex Standards

Codex Risk Assessment and Management Procedures: Methods to Ensure Public Safety While Developing the Codex General standard for Contaminants and Toxins in Food

Consideration of the Codex General Standard for Contaminants and Toxins in Foods

Consideration of Government Comments on Annexes I, II and III to the Codex General Standard for Contaminants and Toxins in Foods

Consideration of Annexes IV and V to the Codex General Standard for Contaminants and Toxins in Food

Mycotoxins in Food and Feed

Position Paper on Aflatoxins

Consideration of the Draft Maximum Level for Aflatoxin M₁ in Milk

Consideration of the Government Comments on the Draft Codex Guideline Levels and Sampling Plans for Total Aflatoxins in Peanuts

Consideration of the Code of Practice on the Reduction of Aflatoxins in Raw Materials and Supplementary Feeding Stuffs for Milk Producing Animals

Position Paper on Ochratoxin A

Industrial and Environmental Contaminants in Food

Consideration of the Code of Practice on Source Directed Measures to Reduce Contamination of Foodstuffs

Proposed Draft Maximum Level for Lead

Consideration of Government Comments on Guideline Levels for Cadmium and Lead in Cereals, Pulses and Legumes

Discussion Paper on PCBS and Dioxins

Government Comments on Cadmium, PCBS, Dioxins, Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and Hydrogen Cyanide in Foods

Proposals for the Priority Evaluation on food Additives and Contaminants by JECFA

Other Business and Future Work

Date and Place of Next Session

LIST OF APPENDICES

APPENDIX I List of Participants

APPENDIX II Action Required as a Result of Changes in ADI Status or Other Toxicological Recommendations

APPENDIX III Proposed Amendments to the Procedural Manual

APPENDIX IV Proposed Methods of Analysis for the Determination of Food Additives and Contaminants in Foods

APPENDIX V Specifications for the Identity and Purity of Food Additives Arising From the 44TH JECFA Meeting

APPENDIX VI Annexes I, II and III to the General Standard for Contaminants and Toxins in Foods

APPENDIX VII Annexes IV and V to the General Standard for Contaminants and Toxins in Foods

APPENDIX VIII Draft Guidelines Levels for Cadmium and Lead in Cereals, Pulses and Legumes; Guideline Level and Sampling Plans for Ttotal Aflatoxins in Peanuts

APPENDIX IX Proposed Draft Code of Practice for the Reduction of Aflatoxin B₁ in Raw Materials and Supplemental Feedingstuffs for Milk Producing Animals

APPENDIX X Proposed Draft Maximum Levels for Lead

APPENDIX XI Food Additives and Contaminants Proposed for Evaluation by JECFA