ALINORM 97/35

REPORT OF THE SIXTH SESSION OF THE CODEX COMMITTEE ON FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
Mexico City, Mexico, 29 January-2 February 1996

codex alimentarius commission
FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS	WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION
JOINT OFFICE: Via delle Terme di Caracalla 00100 ROME Tel.: 52251 Telex: 625825-625853 FAO I Cables: Foodagri Rome Facsimile: (6)5225.4593

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 1996/7-FFV

CX 5/95.2

CL 1996/7-FFV
April 1996

TO:	- Codex Contact Points - Interested International Organizations - Participants at the Sixth Session of the Codex Committee on Fresh Fruits and Vegetables
FROM:	Chief, Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme, FAO, Via delle Terme di Caracalla, 00100 Rome, Italy
SUBJECT:	Distribution of the Report of the Sixth Session of the Codex Committee on Fresh Fruits and Vegetables (ALINORM 97/35)

The report of the sixth Session of the Codex Committee on Fresh Fruits and Vegetables (CCFFV) 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 Codex Standard for Bananas at Step 8; ALINORM 97/35, paras. 12–18 and Appendix III.

2. Draft Codex Standard for Mangosteens at Step 8; ALINORM 97/35, paras. 19–21 and Appendix II.

Governments wishing to propose amendments or to comment on the above Standards 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.

3. Proposed Draft Codex Standard for Limes at Step 5; ALINORM 97/35, paras. 35–45 and Appendix IV.

4. Proposed Draft Codex Standard for Pummelos at Step 5; ALINORM 97/35, paras. 46–50 and Appendix VII.

5. Proposed Draft Codex Standard for Guavas at Step 5; ALINORM 97/35, paras. 51–54 and Appendix IX.

6. Proposed Draft Codex Standard for Chayotes at Step 5; ALINORM 97/35, paras. 55–62 and Appendix VIII.

7. Proposed Draft Code of Practice for Quality Inspection and Certification of Fresh Fruits and Vegetables at Step 5; ALINORM 97/35, paras. 72–80 and Appendix XI.

Governments wishing to submit comments regarding the implications which the proposed draft Standards/Code of Practice 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 1 May 1996.

REQUEST FOR COMMENTS AND INFORMATION

1. Guide for Use in Scoring Freezing Injury; ALINORM 95/37, para. 24 and Appendix VI.

In discussing the proposed draft Codex Standard for Oranges (paras. 22–30), the Committee agreed to include the above Guide as an appendix to its Report for comment.

2. Proposed Draft Codex Standard for Oranges; ALINORM 97/35, paras. 22–30 and Appendix V.

The Committee agreed to return the proposed draft Standard to Step 3 for additional comments.

3. Proposed Draft Revised Codex Standard for Pineapples; ALINORM 97/35, paras. 64–71 and Appendix X.

The Committee agreed to return the proposed draft revised Standard to Step 3 for additional comments.

4. The Use of Objective Indices of Maturity in Commercial Transactions of Fresh Fruits and Vegetables; ALINORM 97/35, paras. 83–84.

The Committee agreed to request information and proposals on the use of maturity indices for consideration at its next Session.

5. Proposals for Amendments to the Priority List for Standardization of Fresh Fruits and Vegetables; ALINORM 97/35, paras. 85–88 and Appendix XII.

Governments and interested international organizations wishing to submit comments on the above subject matter are invited to do so no later than 1 May 1997 to the Chairperson of the Committee at the following address:

Lic. María Eugenia Bracho González
Directora General de Normas
Secretaria de Comercio y Fomento Industrial
Av. Puente de Tecamachalco No. 6
Sección Fuentes, Naucalpan de Juárez
C.P. 53950 México, Estado de México

In addition, please forward a copy of the comments to the Chief, Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme, FAO, Via delle Terme di Caracalla, 00100 Rome, Italy.

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

The Sixth Session of the Codex Committee on Fresh Fruits and Vegetables reached the following conclusions:

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

Agreed to advance draft Codex Standards for Bananas and Mangosteens to the Commission for adoption at Step 8 (paras. 18 and 21, respectively);
Agreed to advance proposed draft Codex Standards for Limes, Pummelos, Guavas and Chayotes to the Executive Committee for adoption at Step 5 (paras. 45, 50, 54 and 62, respectively);
Agreed to advance the proposed draft Code of Practice for Quality Inspection and Certification of Fresh Fruits and Vegetables to the Executive Committee for adoption at Step 5 (para. 78);
Agreed to discontinue the elaboration of a proposed draft Codex Standard for Fresh Coconut (para. 63), and;
Agreed to forward proposals to elaborate Codex Standards for Mexican Limes, Grapefruit, Longan and Ginger to the Executive Committee for approval as new work (para. 86).

OTHER MATTERS OF INTEREST TO THE COMMISSION:

Agreed to add a footnote to all similar Codex and UNECE Standards to prevent confusion in the trade by highlighting the possible differences between the Standards (para. 10);
Agreed to return the proposed draft Codex Standards for Oranges and Pineapples to Step 3 for additional comment and consideration at its next Session (paras. 30 and 71, respectively);
Agreed that the Codex and UNECE Secretariats would elaborate a harmonized proposed draft Codex Standard for Asparagus based on the quality provisions of the UNECE standard for circulation and comment at Step 3 prior to the Committee's next Session (para. 34), and;
Agreed to continue the consideration of the Application of Quality Tolerances at Import and the Use of Objective Indices of Maturity in Commercial Transactions of Fresh Fruits and Vegetables at its next Session (paras. 82 and 84, respectively).

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Introduction

Opening of the Session

Adoption of the Agenda

Cooperation with the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

Consideration of Draft Codex Standards at Step 7

- Draft Codex Standard for Bananas

- Draft Codex Standard for Mangosteens

Consideration of Proposed Draft Codex Standards at Step 4

- Proposed Draft Codex Standard for Oranges

- Proposed Draft Codex Standard for Asparagus

- Proposed Draft Codex Standard for Limes

- Proposed Draft Codex Standard for Pummelos