USDA Announces and Seeks Comments on Standard-Setting Activities of the Codex Alimentarius Commission

Through adoption of food standards, codes of practice and other guidelines developed by its committees, and by promoting their adoption and implementation by governments, Codex seeks to protect the health of consumers and ensure fair practices in the food trade.

2 Jul 2010 --- The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Office of Food Safety (OFS) is inviting comments on standard-setting activities of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex). Codex activities announced include phytosanitary standard-setting activities, commodity standards, guidelines, codes of practice, and revised texts.

In a Federal Register Notice published on June 4, 2010, OFS describes the standard setting activities for the Codex Commission and for each of the Committiees. For more information, go to www.fsis.usda.gov/Frame/FrameRedirect.asp?main=http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OPPDE/rdad/FRPubs/2009-0033.htm. Documents pertaining to Codex standard setting activities are accessible online at www.codexalimentarius.net/current.asp. OFS seeks comments on standards under consideration and recommendations for new standards for the time period between June 1, 2010 to May 31, 2011.

Comments may be submitted through the Federal eRulemaking Portal at www.regulations.gov, or by mail to Docket Clerk, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service, Room 2-2127, George Washington Carver Center, 5601 Sunnyside Ave., Beltsville, MD 20705, Mailstop 5272. All items submitted by mail or e-mail must include the Agency name and docket number FSIS-2009-0033. Comments received in response to the docket will be made available for public inspection and posted without change, including personal information, to www.regulations.gov.

Codex was established in 1963 by two United Nations organizations, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO). Through adoption of food standards, codes of practice and other guidelines developed by its committees, and by promoting their adoption and implementation by governments, Codex seeks to protect the health of consumers and ensure fair practices in the food trade.