CODEX ALIMENTARIUS UPDATE ICBA Council September 14-16, 2009

1. CODEX ALIMENTARIUS UPDATEICBA CouncilSeptember 14-16, 2009 Päivi Julkunen The Coca-Cola Company pjulkunen@na.ko.com

2. Current activities • Labeling –Codex Committee for Food Labeling (CCFL) (hosted by Canada) • Nutrition – Codex Committee for Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses (CCNFSDU) (hosted by Germany) • Natural Mineral Waters – Codex Committee on Food Hygiene (hosted by the US) (also CCMAS & CCPR) • Import/Export – Codex Committee on Food Import and Export Inspection and Certification Systems (CCFICS) (hosted by Australia) • Additives – Codex Committee on Food Additives (CCFA) (hosted by China) • Contaminants – Codex Committee on Contaminants in Foods (CCCF) (hosted by the Netherlands)

3. Labeling (CCFL May 2009) • Implementation of the WHO Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health: • A draft list of nutrients that should always be declared was developed, with some nutrients left square brackets for further discussion: energy, protein, available carbohydrate, fat, saturated fat, [trans fatty acids], [sodium/salt], total sugars [added sugars], [dietary fiber]. • Mandatory nutrition labeling: There was no agreement to recommend mandatory nutrition labeling at the Codex level. • Legibility and readability of nutrition labeling information: Work continued on principles to achieve increased legibility of nutrition information, with emphasis placed on the need for flexibility at the national level. • Labeling of food ingredients identified in the WHO Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health: Work will continue, with focus limited to the ingredients identified by the WHO: fruits, vegetable and legumes, whole grains, nuts, free sugars and salt (sodium). • Misleading naming of energy drinks: The Delegation of Nigeria requested new work to better describe and name some energy drinks, stating use of term “energy drinks” is misleading where there is a low level of carbohydrates and the presence of stimulants (caffeine, guarana, etc.). A Discussion Paper will be prepared by Nigeria and IACFO for consideration at the next Session.

4. Nutrition (CCNFSDU Nov 2009) Next session: ICBA positions being drafted and will be available by October • Dietary fiber: definition and conditions for making nutrient content claims adopted in July – methods of analysis for dietary fibers now under discussion • Additional or revised Nutrient Reference Values (NRVs) for labeling purposes: e-WG led by Korea • General principles for the addition of essential nutrients to foods: e-working group led by Canada, no proposal yet received – ICBA is participating • NRVs for nutrients associated with risk of noncommunicable diseases: US and Thailand have provided a background paper proposing new work to establish principles and criteria for establishing NRVs and to establish NRVs for select nutrients

5. Natural Mineral Waters (CCFH Nov 2009, CCMAS March 2010 & CCPR April 2010) • Revision of the Code of Hygienic Practice for Collecting, Processing and Marketing of Natural Mineral Waters: Switzerland leading an e-working group – ICBA participating • The Codex standard limits the presence of pesticide residues, PCBs, surface active agents, mineral oil and PAHs below the limit of quantification as stated in the relevant ISO methods (not available for all) • CCMAS “agreed that the Secretariat would prepare a Circular Letter to ask members to provide information on methods and sampling currently used by members and views on the need for development of appropriate methods, for discussion at its next session” (March 2010) • CCPR will discuss pesticide residues at its next session (April 2010)

6. Import and Export Control(CCFICS March 2010) • Principles and guidelines for conducting foreign on-site audits and inspections: a draft available for comments – important to respect confidential information • Principles and guidelines for national food control systems: a draft available for comments

7. Food Additives (CCFA March 2010) • Maximum levels of steviol glycosides: ICBA proposed maximum levels in beverage categories • Specification of steviol glycosides: JECFA to consider revising the Codexspecification to include rebaudioside D and rebaudioside F – manufacturers will need to provide analytical data for the June 2010 JECFA • Progress of work on the GSFA: 5000 draft provisions remaining - ICBA provided proposals for ways to accelerate the process and will provide comments on the draft provisions for the 2010 meeting (colors, phosphates, sorbates, cyclamate) • Guidelines for use of processing aids: Indonesia is leading the e-working group to redraft the text – important to keep the provisions flexible and use according to GMP

8. Contaminants (CCCF March 2010) • Maximum levels for melamine in food and feed: • Commission adopted new work in July • Scope limited to “melamine resulting from non-intentional and unavoidable presence from different sources” • Canada leading an e-working group (ICBA not participating - monitoring through food industry NGOs)

9. Other issues • The Code of Ethics for International Trade in Food: • Controversial for many years and has been seen as a vehicle to advance many special interest issues in Codex • In April 2009, the CCGP agreed to a simple version that codified the obligation to ensure that safe food entered international trade but the Commission sent it back to the Codex Committee on General Principles • The less developed nations, lacking a robust import infrastructure, believe it can be used as a “compliance” tool • Private standards: • Debate ongoing both at WTO and Codex • Specific concerns expressed have related to the multiplicity of standards, the lack of transparency, that they are more restrictive than international standards and that they have a disproportionate effect on developing countries and small businesses • The Commission agreed that private standards should use Codex as benchmarks, that the WTO was a more appropriate forum for discussion of the legal basis, and that the slow Codex process could be contributing to the proliferation of private standards

10. In summary • We need to watch out any negative labeling provisions at CCFL (added sugars) and establishment of qualifying conditions for nutrient addition at CCNFSDU while speeding up the work on new NRVs • Discussion on energy drinks at CCFL could bring up issues with caffeine and other ingredients that have not been evaluated for safety by FAO/WHO JECFA • Work on additives is continuing while contaminant issues are reducing • The slow Codex process seen as a contributing factor to the proliferation of private standards • ICBA members are welcome to participate in drafting of positions for Codex meetings