Additives in cheese under the spotlight

Several standing committees of the International Dairy Federation (IDF) met in May to continue progress on finalising standards for cheese and other dairy products, Cheese Market News reports. Much discussion took place regarding additives. Currently, there is some confusion and controversy over whether the draft Codex general food additives standard, a horizontal standard that covers a multitude of food products, can be preempted by the food additives sections of individual commodity standards, such as the general cheese standard or individual cheese standards. The problem is whether the broadly-defined Codex general food additives standard is the document that determines what additives can be used in cheese or whether it's the general cheese standard or individual cheese standards' additives sections, which are more narrow in scope. The question is critical because what additives ultimately are allowed in cheeses could have a major effect on U.S. cheese companies wishing to export, says Allen Sayler, director, regulatory affairs and international standards, International Dairy Foods Association, and the U.S. lead delegate for the IDF committee on food additives. Source: CheeseMarket News​