The 18th Session of the Codex Committee on Contaminants in Foods (CCCF), held in Bangkok and co-hosted by the Netherlands and Thailand, marked an important step forward in strengthening global food safety standards.
Key outcomes included the adoption of new maximum levels for lead in dried culinary herbs and for certain contaminants in spices, alongside a revised Code of Practice for the reduction of alfatoxin contamination in peanuts. "These new maximum levels demonstrate how science and consensus continue to guide CCCF's work," said Verna Carolissen of the Codex Secretariat.
The Committee also agreed to consider new work on a Code of Practice to address ochratoxin A in dried figs, a mycotoxin commonly found in dried fruits. Additional discussions adddresed tropane alkaloids, as well as alfatoxin B1 in raw materials and animal feed.
Updates from the FAO and WHO reinforced the central role of the GEMS/Food database in establishing maximum levels.
