In a bid to strengthen food security worldwide and ensure fair
practices in the food trade, China is hosting the 39th Session of
the Codex Committee on Food Additives (CCFA).
The annual event, which started yesterday, and will last a week,
is being attended by about 260 international delegates.
It is being held in Beijing for the first time, following
China's appointment last year to host the event by the CCFA's Codex
Alimentarious (food code) Commission.
Created in 1963 by the FAO and WHO, the commission is committed
to developing food standards, guidelines and related codes of
practice to be accepted and applied by its 169-member countries,
including China.
"It's the first time a developing country has been appointed by
the commission to host the CCFA," academician Chen Junshi with the
China Academy of Engineering, who chairs the event, told China
Daily.
The appointment means China, a top international food products
trader, will strengthen its knowledge and information support in
international trade disputes arising from different food standards,
Chen said.
Due to different lifestyles and food structures, every country
has its own set of standards on food additives, said Yu Jun, deputy
director with the Bureau of Health Supervision, which is affiliated
to the Health Ministry. He heads the Chinese 19-member
delegation.
A set of rules formulated by the CCFA, through members'
consensus, serve as the reference table for the international food
traders, processors and producers, and national food control
agencies, Yu said.
Furthermore, the event provides a platform for all member
countries and organizations to enhance mutual understanding, reduce
food trade disputes, and promote public health.
Food safety and safeguarding consumers' health always top the
agenda, Chen said.
Building on knowledge gained from the event, China will speed up
the formulation of national regulations and laws to upgrade its
food additive standards, Chen said.
China has more than 1,500 food additive producers turning out
1,600 types of products. The annual output last year was 3.25
million tons worth about 3.5 billion yuan (US$453.3 million).
Food additives including sweetening agents, sorbic acid, and
emulsifiers are widely used in food making and processing.
(China Daily April 25, 2007)