FSIS Announces Codex Electronic Working Groups on Parasites, Nutrient Values

March 1, 2012 by Brian Feito|Other U.S.

The Food Safety and Inspection Service reports that two Codex electronic working groups (eWG) will be meeting to discuss control of zoonotic parasites and Nutrient Reference Values for labeling purposes.

The details of these two eWGs are as follows:

Codex Committee on Food Hygiene (CCFH): The European Union and New Zealand will co-chair an eWG, working in English, to redraft the proposed Guidelines for Control of Specific Zoonotic Parasites. The eWG co-chairs would like to receive revisions of the draft guidelines by early June 2012. The revised draft guidelines will then be circulated by the Codex Secretariat for consideration at the next session of CCFH, to be held in New Orleans, Louisiana, November 12-16, 2012. Individuals in the United States interested in contributing to the eWG should send their name, official title, and email address to the U.S. Codex Office (USCodex@fsis.usda.gov). Other Codex Members and Observers interested in participating in this eWG should provide the name(s), official title and e-mail address of their representatives to Kris De Smet (kris.de-smet@ec.europa.eu) and Steve Hathaway (Steve.hathaway@maf.govt.nz) by March 1, 2012.

Codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses (CCNFSDU): The United States will chair, with Thailand and Chile acting as co-chairs, an eWG, working in English and Spanish, to prepare a revised document on the establishment of Nutrient Reference Values for labeling purposes for nutrients associated with risk of diet-related noncommunicable diseases for the general population. The eWG chair/co-chairs anticipate circulating a consultation document to the eWG in May with timeline, background and questions to facilitate the work. Individuals in the United States interested in contributing to the eWG should send their name, official title, and email address to the U.S. Codex Office (USCodex@fsis.usda.gov). Other Codex Members and Observers interested in participating in this eWG should provide the name(s), official title and e-mail address of their representatives to Nancy Crane (Nancy.Crane@fda.hhs.gov); Kraisid Tontisirin (Kraisid.Tontisirin@gmail.com) and Diego Gaitán (dgaitan@minsal.cl) by March 30, 2012.