Introduction of the works in the Codex Committee on Food

Additives (CCFA)

- Relationship with Commodity Committees -

Kazuhiro SAKAMOTO

Food Safety and Consumer Policy Division

Food Safety and Consumer Affairs Bureau

Ministry of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF)

Self-introduction

• Apr. 2003: Joined the MAFF

• Jul. 2003: Assigned to the Food Safety and Consumer Affairs Bureau

• Oct. 2010: Started working on Codex issues, in particular, food additives

• Mar. 2011: Participated in the CCFA for the first time

• Jul. 2011, Aug. 2011 & Jan. 2013: Organized seminars on the principles of food additives in Codex and the General Standard for Food Additives (GSFA)

Contents

1. Overview of the Codex Committee on Food Additives (CCFA)

2. Introduction of the General Standard for Food Additives (GSFA)

3. Relationship between the GSFA and Commodity Standards

Contents

1. Overview of the Codex Committee on Food Additives (CCFA)

2. Introduction of the General Standard for Food Additives (GSFA)

3. Relationship between the GSFA and Commodity Standards

Terms of Reference of the CCFA 1. To establish or endorse maximum levels

2. To prepare priority lists for risk assessment

3. To assign functional classes to food additives

4. To recommend specifications of identity and

purity

5. To consider methods of analysis for food

additives

6. To consider standards or codes for related

subjects 1964-1987: Codex Committee on Food Additives

1988-2006: Codex Committee on Food Additives and

Contaminants

2007-: Codex Committee on Food Additives (host: China)

Achievements on Food Additives

• 1989: Class Names and the International

Numbering System for Food Additives (INS)*

(CAC/GL 36-1989) - continuously revised

• 1995: General Standard for Food Additives

(GSFA) (CODEX STAN 192-1995)

– continuously revised

• 2005: Risk analysis principles applied by the

Codex Committee on Food Additives and

Contaminants → Risk analysis principles applied

by the Codex Committee on Food Additives

(2012)

* Food additives are listed with their identification

number, functional class and technological purpose.

Important Agenda Items of Recent CCFA from the view of

commodity committees

•Establishment of food additive provisions

(Schedules) of the General Standard for

Food Additives (GSFA)

•Endorse maximum levels for individual

food additives in the commodity standard

•Alignment of the food additive provisions

of commodity standards to the relevant

provisions of the GSFA

Contents

1. Overview of the Codex Committee on Food Additives (CCFA)

2. Introduction of the General Standard for Food Additives (GSFA)

3. Relationship between the GSFA and Commodity Standards

Importance of the GSFA

• Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS agreements) clearly states,

“Members shall base their sanitary or phytosanitary measures on international standards, guidelines recommendations, where …” (Article 3)

• In the SPS agreements, for food safety, the standards established by the Codex Alimentarius Commission are international standards.

Members shall establish standards of food additives based on the GSFA

Characteristics of the GSFA

Contains: The general principles for the use of food

additives Only those food additives for which

Acceptable Daily Intakes (ADIs) have been recommended by JECFA Only technologically justified food additive

uses Maximum use levels of food additives

established for food categories Covers all foods (not only standardized foods

but also non-standardized foods)

What information should we provide for new entry and review of provisions?

Proposed use(s) of the food additive

⁻ Food category, Maximum use level, Comments

for specific restriction

Evaluation by JECFA

Justification

⁻ Justification for use and technological need

⁻ Safe use of additive: Dietary intake assessment

⁻ Justification that the use does not mislead

consumer

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What is technological need?

12

Is this information technological need?

• To improve quality of the foods.

• This additive is permitted in Japan.

• We should provide the reason why this additive is necessary for foods.

For example,

To prevent growth of Listeria monocytogenes

To retard lipid oxidation of the products

(white chocolate only)

For further information regarding elaboration of the GSFA

Procedural Manual

•Working principles for risk analysis for application in the framework of the codex alimentarius

•Risk analysis principles applied by the committee on food additives

•Procedures for consideration of the entry and review of food additive provisions in the general standard for food additives

GSFA preamble

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Contents

1. Overview of the Codex Committee on Food Additives (CCFA)

2. Introduction of the General Standard for Food Additives (GSFA)

3. Relationship between the GSFA and Commodity Standards

Differences between the GSFA and Commodity standards

•GSFA Covers all foods (not only standardized foods but also non-standardized foods)

•Commodity standard Covers specific foods (e.g. tempe)

For example: Tempe is categorized in food category 06.8.6 Fermented soybeans in the GSFA. Food category 06.8.6 covers other fermented soybean products (e.g. dou chi, natto).

Information necessary to establish food additive provisions in Commodity standards

• INS number

•Name of food additive

•Maximum level (in percentage or mg/kg)

•Technological need for the use of additives

Before submitting comments, it is important for us to make sure those food additives have been assigned an ADI by JECFA.

Relationship between commodity committees and the CCFA

•The GSFA should be the single authoritative reference point for food additives.

•Commodity committees shall examine that general reference to the GSFA serves its purpose.

• If not, a proposal should be prepared and forwarded to the CCFA for consideration and endorsement. Technological justification submitted by the commodity committee.

Regional Standard for Non fermented soybean products

• Sep. 2014: The CCASIA prepared a proposal of food additive provisions. A proposal was forwarded to the CCFA for endorsement.

• Mar. 2015: The CCFA endorsed the provisions as provided by the CCASIA except following additives because the dietary intake might exceed the respective ADI.

• Tocopherols (INS 307a,b,c)

• Caramel II – sulfite caramel (INS 150b)

• Caramel IV – sulfite ammonia caramel (INS 150d)

• The next CCASIA will discuss food additive provisions for above three additives (2016.09).

Member countries should encourage:

⁻ Delegates to understand the rules and procedure.

⁻ The same delegates to attend committees continuously.

⁻ Close communication between CCFA delegates and commodity committee delegates.

⁻ Commodity committee delegates to provide technological justification on standardized foods.

For further information All documents can be downloaded from the website of Codex Alimentarius

Report of the 47th session of the CCFA : http://www.codexalimentarius.org/input/download/report/924/REP15_FAe.pdf

The latest version of the GSFA : http://www.codexalimentarius.org/input/download/standards/4/CXS_192_2015e.pdf

GSFA online (Provisions are searchable by food additive): http://www.codexalimentarius.org/standards/gsfa/en/

The latest version of the Procedural manual: ftp://ftp.fao.org/codex/Publications/ProcManuals/Manual_23e.pdf

Thank you for your attention!