Codex Alimentarius Committee on Food Additives: CCFA53

The forthcoming 53rd meeting of the Codex Alimentarius Committee on Food Additives (CCFA53) and related meetings will be held in Hong Kong from 23 to 31 March 2023 in person for the first time since 2019. CCFA53 is expected to finalize the discussion on the adopted and pending color provisions in three parent food categories (dairy; fats and oils; and edible ices). It will also consider the outcome of the presession physical working group (PWG) about the revision of all existing GSFA provisions on carotenoids and vegetable beta-carotenes as well as specific provisions in several food categories[1].

CCFA53 will also continue past discussions to allocate specific replacing notes to some approved sweeteners provisions in Table 1 and 2 of the GSFA (e.g., steviol glycosides and polyols) even if no note 161 is attached to them to date. CCFA53 will discuss nitrates and nitrites and address specific issues related to trisodium citrate in fluid milk (plain), and consider real uses of ortho-phenylphenol and sodium ortho-phenylphenol in some foods. CCFA53 will also cover its more regular agenda items about (a) JECFA past and future work on the evaluation and re-evaluation of food additives, including adoption of JECFA revised or new specifications as Codex standard references[2]; (b) changes to the numbering systems (INS), including changes to functional classes and technological purposes allocated to some substances; and, (c) alignment with commodity standards. Last but not the least, CCFA53 also resume work left over since 2017 about substances used as technological ingredients in the production of wines while being viewed as food additives in GSFA, based on a discussion paper prepared jointly by Chile, the United States, and the European Union. CCFA53 may also discuss a proposal for a new work on a food standard for ‘yeasts’, matter which arose from a CAC meeting, based on a proposal put forward by China.

By Christophe Leprêtre[3] (Keller and Heckman LLP)

The 53rd session of the Codex Alimentarius Committee on Food Additives will be held for the first time since 2019 in person and be preceded by one pre-session working group on the GSFA provisions (including new or revised proposals) (PWG) and one on alignment to consider the outcome of the intersession EWG on alignment. More information about the CCFA53 meeting is available at https://www.fao.org/fao-who-codexal-imentarius/meetings/detail/en/?meeting=CCFA&ses-sion=53.

This article was first published in the World Food Regulation Review February 2023 Issue.

[1] Tartrates in fruit based spreads (e.g., chutney) with some exceptions and in dried fruits; other acidity regulators in dried fruits; emulsifiers, stabilizers, thickeners, including xanthan gum in fruit and vegetable juices and fruit and vegetable nectars and their respective subcategories; tamarind seed polysaccharide in some of these subcategories; colours in quick frozen French fried potatoes; acidity regulators, including calcium lactate, in fruit juice and in Chinese plum juice; acidity regu¬lators, including phosphates and tartrates in vegetable juice, concentrates for vegetable juice, vegetable nectar, and concentrates for vegetable nectar to check proposed max levels vs technological needs; and, tamarind seed polysaccharide in pickled cucumbers.

[2] Joint FAO/WHO Expert Meeting on Contaminants, Food Additives and Veterinary Drugs Residues

[3] Food and Agriculture Engineer, Regulatory and Scientific Counsellor at Keller and Heckman LLP.