Codex discusses trans fats and GM ingredients
well as trans fatty acid labels are on the agenda at an upcoming
Codex meeting in Malaysia.
Responsible for drawing up internationally agreed standards and codes of practice, the Codex Committee on Food Labelling will meet in May to discuss a raft of proposals with global implications for labelling.
Guidelines for the production, processing, labelling and marketing of organically produced foods, a 'consideration of country of origin labelling', and the definition of trans-fatty acids are all up for discussion at the 33rd session.
The committee is part of the wider Codex Alimentarius Commission, an inter-governmental - oft criticised for moving too slowly- body aimed at developing a series of food standards and related texts for consumer protection.
The codes to provide a trans-global level of fair practice for the international trade of food and agricultural products.
Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) is jointly sponsored by the United Nations-backed Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), and the World Health Organisation (WHO).
Although these standards do not have statutory force, an increasing number of countries align their food standards to Codex following WHO agreements that say Codex standards are favoured in international trade disputes.
Further details about the Codex labelling meeting can be found on the Codex site.
