Summary and Conclusions

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

Matters for Adoption by the 24^th Session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission:

• Forward several amendments to Table 3 (Additives with an Acceptable Daily Intake of “Not Specified”) of the Codex General Standard for Food Additives (GSFA) to the Commission for final adoption at Step 5 of the Accelerated Procedure (para. 48);
• Forwarded several amendments to the Annex to Table 3 (Food Categories or Individual Food Items Excluded from the General Conditions of Table 3) of the GSFA to the Commission for final adoption at Steps 5/8 (para. 50);
• Forwarded draft maximum levels for food additives in specific food categories of the Codex General Standard for Food Additives to the Commission for final adoption at Step 8 (para. 64);
• Forwarded proposed draft maximum levels for all food additives at Step 3 of the Codex General Standard for Food Additives to the Commission for preliminary adoption at Step 5 (para. 64);
• Forwarded the proposed draft Revision to the Codex General Standard for Irradiated Foods to the Commission for preliminary adoption at Step 5 (para. 85);
• Forwarded 59 food additive specifications and 262 flavouring agents specifications to the Commission for adoption as Codex Advisory Specifications (para. 93);
• Forwarded draft amendments to the Codex International Numbering System for Food Additives adopted by the Executive Committee at Step 5 to the Commission for final adoption at Step 8 (para. 99);
• Forwarded the draft Maximum Level of 0.5 µg/kg for Aflatoxin M₁ in Milk to the Commission for final adoption at Step 8 (para. 132);
• Forwarded the proposed draft Revised Sampling Plan for Total Aflatoxins in Peanuts Intended for Further Processing to the Commission of final adoption at Step 5/8, with the recommendation to omit Steps 6 and 7 (para. 139);
• Forwarded the proposed draft Maximum Level of 5 µg/kg Ochratoxin A in Wheat, Barley and Rye and Derived Products to the Commission for preliminary adoption at Step 5 (para. 145);
• Forwarded the draft Code of Practice for Source Directed Measures to Reduce Contamination of Food with Chemicals to the Commission for final adoption at Step 8 (para. 153);
• Forwarded the draft Maximum Level for Lead in Fruit Juices to the Commission for final adoption at Step 8 (para. 163);
• Forwarded the draft Guideline Level for Cadmium in Cereals, Pulses and Legumes to the Commission for final adoption at Step 8 (para. 166);
• Forwarded the proposed draft Maximum Levels for Cadmium in Fruit, Wheat Grain and Rice (including Bran and Germ) Soybeans and Peanuts, Meat of Cattle, Poultry, Pig and Sheep, Meat of Horse, Crustaceans (excluding Lobster and Brown Meat from Crab), Vegetables (excluding Leafy Vegetables, Fresh Herbs, Stem and Root Vegetables, Fungi, Tomatoes and peeled Potatoes), Peeled Potatoes, Stem and Root Vegetables (excluding Celeriac) and Leafy Vegetables, Fresh Herbs, Fungi and Celeriac to the Commission for preliminary adoption at Step 5 (paras. 168 - 169), and;
• Forwarded the draft Revision of the Codex Standard for Food Grade Salt: Packaging, Transportation and Storage to the Commission for final adoption at Step 8 (para. 196).

Matters for Consideration by the 24^th Session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission:

• Considered and endorsed, with amendments and comments, food additive provisions in commodity standards elaborated by the Codex Committees on Milk and Milk Products, Cocoa Products and Chocolate, Soups and Broths, Processed Fruits and Vegetables and Fish and Fishery Products (paras. 30 - 42);
• Decided that the Recommended International Code of Practice for Radiation Processing of Food would be revised by the Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture for circulation, comment and further consideration at the 34^th Session of the CCFAC. The Committee noted that this initiative would need to be approved by the Commission as new work (para. 89);
• Agreed to circulate INS Number 452 (iv) for Sodium Potassium Tripolyphosphate at Step 3 of the Accelerated Procedure for comments, subject to the approval of the Commission (para. 99);
• Considered and endorsed, with amendments and comments, contaminant provisions in commodity standards elaborated by the Codex Committees on Milk and Milk Products, Cocoa Products and Chocolate, Soups and Broths and Natural Mineral Waters (paras. 100-110);
• Agreed that a drafting group under the direction of Australia and France would develop a proposed draft Annex to the Codex General Standard for Contaminants and Toxins in Food on Principles for Exposure Assessment of Contaminants and Toxins in Foods for circulation, comment and further consideration at its next Session, and with the understanding that this initiative would need to be approved by the Commission as new work. The Committee noted that the Technical Annex on Distribution Curves of Contaminants in Food Products would be considered for inclusion in the proposed draft Annex (paras. 122 and 126), and;
• Agreed on the Priority List of Food Additives, Contaminants and Naturally Occurring Toxicants Proposed for Evaluation by JECFA (para. 187).

Matters of Interest to the 24^th Session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission and Other Codex Committees:

• Agreed that a drafting group under the direction of the United States would revise the Discussion Paper on the Application of Risk Analysis Principles for Food Additives and Contaminants for circulation, additional comment and further consideration at its next Session (para. 29);
• Agreed that the informal GSFA Quality Control Group be reinstated for the review of source data submitted for various food additives (paras. 51-53);
• Decided to reconvene the ad hoc Working Group on the Codex General Standard for Food Additives prior to its next Session under the Chairmanship of the United States (para. 55);
• Agreed that a drafting group under the direction of the United States would prepare a Discussion Paper on the Relationship Between Codex Commodity Standards and the Codex General Standard for Food Additives, including Consideration of the Food Category System, for circulation, comment and further consideration at its next Session (paras. 57 and 62);
• Agreed to revise the Food Category System of the Codex General Standard for Food Additives (para. 60);
• Held several draft maximum levels for food additives in specific food categories at Step 6 for additional comment and further consideration at its next Session (para. 65);
• Agreed that a drafting group under the direction of New Zealand would prepare a Discussion Paper on Processing Aids and Carriers in the Context of the Codex General Standard for Food Additives for circulation, comment and further consideration at its next Session (paras. 67 and 71);
• Decided to reconvene the ad hoc Working Group on Specifications prior to its next Session under the Chairmanship of the United States (para. 94);
• Agreed to reexamine proposed draft Maximum Levels for Tin at its next Session (para. 112);
• Decided to reconvene the ad hoc Working Group on Contaminants and Toxins prior to its next Session under the Chairmanship of the Denmark (para. 113);
• Decided to inform the Codex Committee on Pesticide Residues that no contradiction was noted between the principles of Setting Extraneous Maximum Residue Limits for certain substances by the CCPR and the principles of setting limits for contaminants in foods by the CCFAC (para. 115);
• Agreed that the Netherlands would elaborate Schedule 1 of the Codex General Standard for Contaminants and Toxins in Foods for consideration at its next Session (para. 118);
• Requested FAO and WHO to jointly organize a Seminar related to genotoxic carcinogens in conjunction with the 34^th CCFAC in order to facilitate a better understanding of these complex issues (para. 133);
• Agreed that the United Kingdom would revise the proposed draft Code of Practice for the Prevention of Patulin Contamination of Apple Juice and Apple Juice Ingredients in Other Beverages for circulation, comment at Step 3 and further consideration at its 34th Session (para. 147);
• Agreed that a drafting group under the direction of the United States would revise the proposed draft Code of Practice for the Prevention of Mycotoxin Contamination in Cereals, Including Annexes on Ochratoxin A, Zearalenone, Fumonisin and Tricothecenes for circulation, comment and further consideration at its next Session (para. 151);
• Decided to discontinue work on the Standard Format for Codes of Practice, with the understanding that the Committee could revisit the issue in the future if necessary (para. 155);
• Decided to return the draft Maximum Levels for Lead in fish, crustaceans and bivalve molluscs for additional comments at Step 6 (para. 162);
• Returned the proposed draft Maximum Levels for Cadmium in Liver in Cattle, Poultry, Pig and Sheep, Kidney of Cattle, Poultry, Pig and Sheep and Molluscs to Step 3 for circulation, comments and further consideration at its next Session (para. 170);
• Agreed that the Netherlands would revise the Position Paper on Dioxins and Dioxin Like PCBs for circulation, comment and consideration at its next Session (para. 177);
• Agreed that a drafting group under the direction of Germany would revise the proposed draft Code of Practice for Source Directed Measures to Reduce Dioxin and Dioxin Like PCB Contamination of Foods for circulation, comment and further consideration at its next Session (para. 180);
• Agreed that a drafting group under the direction of the United Kingdom would revise the Position Paper on Chloropropanols for circulation, comment and further consideration at its next Session (para. 182);
• Agreed to forward several Methods of Analysis for the Determination of Food Additives and Contaminants in Foods to the Codex Committee on Methods of Analysis and Sampling for consideration (para. 193);
• Agreed that a drafting group under the direction of Belgium would elaborate a Discussion Paper on Deoxynivalenol for consideration at its next Session (para. 197);
• Agreed that Iran, in collaboration with Sweden, would prepare a Discussion Paper on Aflatoxins in Pistacios for consideration at its next Session (para. 198), and;
• Agreed that a drafting group under the direction of Denmark would prepare a Discussion Paper on the Use of Active Chlorine for consideration at its next Session (para. 204).