The Thirty-second Session of the Codex
Committee on Food Hygiene reached the following conclusions: MATTERS FOR
ADOPTION BY THE CODEX ALIMENTARIUS COMMISSION: The Committee agreed
to advance to Step 8:- Draft Standard for Bottled/Packaged Drinking Waters
(Other Than Natural Mineral Waters) (ALINORM 00/13, paras 21-50 and Appendix II).
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Draft Code of Hygienic Practice for the Transport of Food in Bulk and Semi-Packed
Food ALINORM 01/13, paras 51-62 and Appendix III.
MATTERS
FOR CONSIDERATION BY THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE:The Executive
Committee advice is sought for:- Recognizing the importance of the
issue of antimicrobial resistant bacteria in food the Committee agreed to ask
advice of the Executive Committee and the Commission on how to proceed with this
issue in order to ensure coordination of work between concerned Committees (paras
127-132).
OTHER MATTERS OF INTEREST TO THE COMMISSION:THE
COMMITTEE:- Identified and agreed on the pathogen-commodity combinations
to be considered by an ad hoc Joint FAO/WHO Expert Consultation on Microbiological
Risk Assessment in Foods and suggested that the Consultation review and summarize
national and regional risk assessment and other relevant data (see paras 12-20);
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Provided advice with respect to referral to the Codex Alimentarius Commission
from the WTO SPS Committee on 1) Bacillus cereus as a potential pathogen
in canned/bottled products, including jams, and 2) the necessity of certification
regarding the absence of pathogens in raw meat products (see paras 8-11);
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Agreed to return to Step 3 and redraft the Proposed Draft Code of Hygienic Practice
for Milk and Milk Products on the basis of comments received and discussions held
during the session and circulate it for further comments and consideration (see
paras 64-70);
- Agreed to return to Step 3 and redraft the Proposed Draft
Code of Hygienic Practice for Primary Production, Harvesting and Packaging of
Fresh Produce (see paras 71-86) and the Proposed Draft Code of Hygienic Practice
for Pre-Cut Fruits and Vegetables (see paras 87-90);
- Agreed to circulate
the Proposed Draft Principles and Guidelines for the Conduct of Microbiological
Risk Management at Step 3 for comments with the understanding that comments would
be forwarded to the Delegation of France for redrafting, circulation and further
consideration by the Committee (see paras 91-102);
- Agreed to identify
the issues involved in elaborating appropriate guidance on the application of
HACCP principles in redrafting the Discussion Paper on the Application of HACCP
in Small and/or Less Developed Businesses (see paras 112-117);
- Agreed
to proceed with the issue on Listeria in two ways: refer it to the Expert
Consultation on Microbiological Risk Assessment in Food and develop the Proposed
Draft Guidelines for the Control of Listeria monocytogenes in Foods at
Step 3 for consideration at the next session (see paras 118-121);
- Agreed
to discontinue work on viruses with the understanding that this issue would be
revisited after 2-3 years, taking into account the progress in WHO and other international
fora (see paras 122-126);
- Agreed to proceed with the elaboration and
further consideration of the Proposed Draft Guidelines for Hygienic Recycling
of Processing Water in Food Plants (see paras 133-134);
- Agreed to prepare
a document on priorities that would identify which codes are superseded by the
Code on General Principles of Food Hygiene and which codes can be combined for
consideration by the next session of the Committee (see paras 135-136); and
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Agreed to prepare Discussion papers for consideration by the next session of the
Committee on: Guidelines for the Validation of Food Hygienic Control Measures
(see paras 139-140) and on Guidelines for Evaluating the Presence of Objectionable
Matter in Food (see paras 141-142)
- Agreed to discontinue the work on
Proposed Draft Annex on Cleaning and Disinfection to the Recommended International
Code of Practice-General Principles of Food Hygiene (see paras 137-138).
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