Monday, February 16, 2009

The report of the Fortieth Session of the Codex Committee on Food Hygiene

CX 4/20.2 CL 2009/1 - FH

TO: Codex Contact Points Interested International Organizations
FROM: Secretary, Codex Alimentarius Commission Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, 00153 Rome, Italy

SUBJECT: DISTRIBUTION OF THE REPORT OF THE FORTIETH SESSION OF THE CODEX COMMITTEE ON FOOD HYGIENE (ALINORM 09/32/13)

The report of the Fortieth Session of the Codex Committee on Food Hygiene (CCFH) is attached. It will be considered by the Thirty second Session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, (Rome, Italy, 29 June – 4 July 2009).

A. MATTERS FOR ADOPTION BY THE CODEX ALIMENTARIUS COMMISSION:

1. Microbiological Criteria for Powdered Follow-up Formulae and Formulae for Special Medical Purposes for Young Children (Annex II to the Code of Hygienic Practice for Powdered Formulae for Infants and Young Children (CAC/RCP 66-2008) at Step 5/8 (ALINORM 09/32/13 paras 45-47 and Appendix III);

2. Proposed Draft Microbiological Criteria for Listeria monocytogenes in Ready-to-Eat Foods at Step 5/8 (ALINORM 09/32/13 para. 69 and Appendix II)

Governments and interested international organizations are invited to comment on the above texts and should do so in writing, preferably by e-mail to Secretary, Codex Alimentarius Commission, Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme, Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, 00153 Rome, Italy : codex@fao.org or fax: +39 06 570.54593), before 1 April 2009.

B. REQUEST FOR COMMENTS AND INFORMATION

1. Proposed Draft Guidelines for the Control of Campylobacter and Salmonella spp. in Chicken Meat (ALINORM 09/32/13, paras 71 – 92)
The Committee had considered the above Proposed Draft Guidelines (for details of consideration see paras 71 - 92). The Committee agreed to request additional information, as outlined in paragraph 85 of this ALINORM.

Governments and interested international organizations are invited to provide this additional information as outlined in paragraph 84 and should do so in writing, preferably by e-mail to: Dr Sarah CAHILL, JEMRA Secretariat, Nutrition and Consumer Protection Division, Food and Agriculture Organization, of the United Nations, Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, 00153 Rome, Italy, Fax: 39-06-5705-4593, email: jemra@fao.org with copies to: Ms Judi Lee, Principal Advisor (Risk Management), New Zealand Food Safety Authority, South Tower, 86 Jervois Quay, P O Box 2835 Wellington 6001, New Zealand, email: judi.lee@nzfsa.govt.nz or fax: +64 4 894 2643 and Mr Lars Plym Forshell, Assistant Chief Veterinary Officer, National Food Administration, Box 622, SE-751 26 Uppsala, Sweden, email: iapl@siv.se or fax: +46 18 10 58 48, and to the Secretary, Codex Alimentarius Commission, Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme, Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, 00153 Rome, Italy : codex@fao.org or fax: +39 06 570.54593), before 27 February 2009.

2. Proposed Draft Annex on Leafy Green Vegetables Including Leafy Herbs to the Code of Hygienic Practice for Fresh Fruits and Vegetables (CAC/RCP 53-2003) (ALINORM 09/32/13, paras 93 – 103)
The Committee had considered the above proposed draft Annex (for details of consideration see paras 93- 103). The Committee agreed to request additional information on large and small-scale operations, as outlined in paragraph 101 of this ALINORM.

Governments and interested international organizations are invited to provide this additional information as outlined in paragraph 100 and should do so in writing, preferably by e-mail to: Ms Amy GREEN, Policy Analyst, FDA/CFSAN, 1500 Paint Branch Parkway, College Park, MD, 20740, Fax: 301 436 2651, email: amy.green@fda.hhs.gov with a copy to Secretary, Codex Alimentarius Commission, Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme, Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, 00153 Rome, Italy : codex@fao.org or fax: +39 06 570.54593), before 27 February 2009.

Source: ftp://ftp.fao.org/codex/Circular_letters/CXCL2009/cl09_01e.pdf

P.S. What is Codex Alimentarius?

The Codex Alimentarius Commission was created in 1963 by FAO and WHO to develop food standards, guidelines and related texts such as codes of practice under the Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme. The main purposes of this Programme are protecting health of the consumers and ensuring fair trade practices in the food trade, and promoting coordination of all food standards work undertaken by international governmental and non-governmental organizations.

Source: http://www.codexalimentarius.net/web/index_en.jsp