The Codex Alimentarius, Latin for “food code,” is a collection of international food standards, guidelines, and codes of practice designed to protect consumer health and ensure fair practices in the global food trade. It is developed and maintained by the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC), a joint body established in 1963 by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO).
FAO is the acronym for the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Its main purpose is to lead international efforts to defeat hunger and achieve food security for all by ensuring regular access to high-quality food.
The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for international public health. Founded in 1948, its main objective is to ensure that all people attain the highest possible level of health.
Summary the differences and relationship of WHO, FAO and CODEX ALIMENTARIUS
| Feature | WHO | FAO | Codex Alimentarius |
| Type of Body | United Nations specialized agency | United Nations specialized agency | A collection of food standards, guidelines, and texts |
| Oversight | Governed by the World Health Assembly | Governed by the FAO Conference | The Codex Alimentarius Commission, an intergovernmental body jointly established by FAO and WHO |
| Primary Focus | Human health and disease prevention | Agriculture, food production, and hunger | Protecting consumer health and ensuring fair food trade through international standards |
| How it relates to food | Assesses health risks of food through expert committees (e.g., JECFA) | Contributes agricultural and food production expertise | The actual “rulebook” of international food standards developed using the expertise from both FAO and WHO |
Objectives
The main purposes of the Codex Alimentarius are to:
- Protect consumer health: By setting safety and quality standards, the Codex helps ensure that the food people consume is safe and wholesome.
- Ensure fair trade practices: The Codex promotes honest practices in the food trade by establishing uniform rules and preventing deceptive marketing.
- Facilitate international trade: It removes technical barriers to trade by providing a harmonized reference point for international food standards.
Key provisions
The Codex Alimentarius covers all principal foods, whether processed, semi-processed, or raw. Its provisions address many aspects of food safety and quality, including:
- Food hygiene: Codes of practice on hygienic practices for food preparation and processing.
- Food additives: A general standard and lists of permitted food additives and their maximum use levels.
- Contaminants: Maximum limits for contaminants and toxins in food and animal feed.
- Residues of pesticides and veterinary drugs: Maximum residue limits (MRLs) for pesticides and veterinary drugs.
- Labeling: General standards and guidelines for the labeling of pre-packaged foods.
- Methods of analysis and sampling: Standardized methods to verify compliance with the Codex standards.
- Risk analysis: Guidelines on principles for conducting risk assessment.
Impact and use
- Global reference: The Codex Alimentarius is the most important international reference point for food quality and safety issues.
- National legislation: Many member governments use Codex standards as a basis for their own national food legislation.
- International cooperation: The Codex Alimentarius Commission includes 188 member countries and one member organization (the European Union), demonstrating broad international cooperation.