Dr. JP Dadhich MD (Pediatrics), FNNF

National Coordinator,

Breastfeeding Promotion Network

of India (BPNI)

Protecting food safety and

food security through

Codex Alimentarius

Outline

What is Codex AND Why it is needed

Relevance of Codex Standards for

Breastfeeding and IYCF

How industry utilize codex process for

commercial gains

What is Codex / Codex Alimentarius

Codex Alimentarius (Codex) - the Latin term for

"food code"

An international food standards code developed by

the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC), with its

secretariat at Rome

Joint venture of FAO & WHO - established in 1963

Currently the Codex Alimentarius Commission has:

◦ 186 Codex Members - 185 Member Countries and 1

Member Organization (EU)

◦ 224 Codex Observers - 52 IGOs, 157 NGOs, 15 UN.

Codex Alimentarius Commission

Codex Committees

General Subject Committees 6

Commodity Committees 5

Ad hoc Intergovernmental

Task Forces

Coordinating Committees

Why a Food Code? Not too long ago food was

mainly produced, sold and

consumed locally

Over the last century the

amount of food traded

internationally has grown

exponentially

Trade pressured govts to

harmonize various food laws

and stds to facilitate the trade

The different sets of stds due

to food laws by different

countries gave rise to trade

barriers

IDF developed international

stds for milk and milk

products in 1903

CAC was established in 1963

Dual mandate of Codex

Protecting consumers

from unsanitary, unwholesome, mislabeled or

adulterated food

Facilitating international trade in food

through a sound regulatory foundation

WTO Agreements of relevant to Codex

The Agreement on Technical Barriers to

Trade (TBT), which refers to technical

regulations and conformity assessment

procedures

The Agreement on the Application of

Sanitary and Phyto-Sanitary Measures

(SPS), which concerns measures applied to

protect human, animal and plant health

Technical Barriers to Trade agreement

Seeks to ensure that technical regulations

and standards do not create unnecessary

obstacles to the trade

Under WTO rules Codex standards are used

as reference in trade debates to define if a

country has developed Technical Barriers to

Trade (TBT)

Without safeguarding the International Code in

Codex the Code provisions implemented in a

country might be seen as a barrier to free trade

The SPS Agreement

Members are entitled to establish SPS

measures for the protection of human health

For food safety, the SPS Agreement refers

to standards developed by Codex in the

following five areas:

Food additives

Veterinary drug and pesticide residues

Contaminants

Methods of analysis and sampling

Codes and guidelines of hygienic practices

Relevance of the Codex Standards for

Optimal Breastfeeding and IYCF

List of Codex Standards for Baby Foods

Standard for Infant Formula and Formulas for

Special Medical Purposes Intended for

Infants

Standard for Processed Cereal-Based Foods

for Infants and Young Children

Global Strategy for IYCF

“ Processed-food products for

infants and young children should,

when sold or otherwise distributed,

meet applicable standards

recommended by the Codex

Alimentarius Commission and also

the Codex Code of Hygienic

Practice for Foods for Infants and

Children.” (article 16)

The WHA “REQUESTS the

FAO/WHO Codex

Alimentarius Commission to

give full consideration, within

the framework of its

operational mandate, to

action it might take to improve

the quality standards of infant

foods, and to support and

promote the implementation

of the International Code”

The International Code of Marketing

of BMS (Resolution 34.22)

Infant formula means a

breast-milk substitute

formulated industrially in

accordance with

applicable Codex

Alimentarius

standards,…

The International Code of Marketing

of BMS

The International Code of Marketing of

BMS

Article10.2 (quality)

“Food products within the

scope of this Code should,

when sold or otherwise

distributed, meet applicable

standards recommended

by the Codex Alimentarius

Commission and also the

Codex Code of Hygienic

Practice for Foods for

Infants and Children.”

63rd WHA (2010)

Urges memebr states to:

“to end inappropriate promotion of food for infants and young children and to ensure that nutrition and health claims shall not be permitted for foods for infants and young children, except where specifically provided for, in relevant Codex Alimentarius standards or national legislation”

Issues requiring attention !

Sub-optimal participation of developing

countries

Conflict of Interest

Global disparity in Codex participation

Traditionally Codex has been the domain of

industrialized countries, serving the needs of

the processed foods industries, while those

providing the commodities, primarily from

developing countries, remain on the side lines.

Codex Trust Fund

Industry is omnipresent in policy and

planning, and program implementations

National Regulatory

Mechanisms

Programmes at National

Level

Programmes

at

International Level

International

Regulations,

Guidelines,

Resolutions

Industry

Codex

WTO

WHA etc.

National Codex Process

The Code/ legislations Managing MN

COI in International Codex Process

Industry - member of official delegations to

Codex committee meetings

◦ CCNFSDU 2013 – Chinese delegation – Dumex,

Nutricia, Nestle, Mead-Johnson, Abbott, Amway

The International Association of Infant Food

Manufacturers represents industry in the Int.

Codex process as an observer

Industry sponsors national delegation to CC

meetings

COI in National Codex Process

Food Safety and Standards Authority of India –

National Codex Contact Point

Central Advisory Council – which decides about

composition of various shadow committees for

Codex - Industry organisations are members

Industry is present in many of the Shadow

Committees

Industry influences national positions in Codex

process

What needs to be done?

The International Code and subsequent

WHA resolutions and the GSIYCF should

form the basis for standard setting, labeling

and marketing of baby food products

Governments, IBFAN and other public

interest NGOs should participate more

actively in the Codex process at

National/International level COI in the international/national codex

process needs to be avoided

Participation in Codex

process as an

observer

Developing training

material

Capacity building of

country groups

IBFAN Codex Alimentarius Global

Program

IBFAN Asia establishing a Codex Working Group

Thanks !!!!

Commodity Committees (regular)

Committee on Fats and Oils

Committee on Fish and Fishery Products

Committee on Fresh Fruits and Vegetables

Committee on Milk and Milk Products

Committee on Processed Fruits and

Vegetables

General Subject Committees

Committee on Food Additives

Committee on Contaminants in Foods

Committee on Food Hygiene

Committee on Food Labelling

Committee on Methods of Analysis and

Sampling

Committee on Nutrition and Foods for

Special Dietary Uses