The 30th Session of the Codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses (CCNFSDU) was held from November 3 to 7 in Cape Town, South Africa at the kind invitation of the Government of South Africa in cooperation with the Government of Germany. About 240 delegates, observers, and advisors attended this meeting, representing 52 member countries, one member organization and at least 26 international nongovernmental organizations. In addition, an ad hoc physical working group met on November 1 to discuss the scientific basis of health claims, vitamin and mineral Nutrient Reference Values, and other matters related to implementation of the WHO Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity, and Health.

The United States Delegation was headed by Dr. Barbara Schneeman, FDA Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, with support provided by Dr. Allison Yates, USDA Agricultural Research Service (alternate U.S. Delegate), two additional government advisors, and six non-government advisors.

The session was very productive, with substantial progress made on a number of important work items. Specifically, the Committee agreed:

• To advance the following texts to Step 8 for final adoption at the 32nd Session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission:
  • Guidelines for Use of Nutrition Claims: Table of Conditions for Nutrients Contents (Part B) Dietary Fiber;
  • Draft Nutritional Risk Analysis Principles and Guidelines for Application to the Work of the CCNFSDU;
  • Draft Annex to the Codex Guidelines for Use of Nutrition and Health Claims: Recommendations on the Scientific Substantiation of Health Claims; and
  • Draft provisions for Gum Arabic for inclusion in an advisory list of food additives that are used as nutrient carriers in special dietary use foods intended for infants and young children.
• To forward recommended methods of analysis for the essential composition of infant formula to the Codex Committee on Methods, Analysis, and Sampling (CCMAS) for endorsement.
• To convene a physical working group co-chaired by the United States and Thailand immediately prior to the next session to consider matters related to implementing the WHO Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health;
• To continue consideration of new work proposals, including:
  • Amendments to the Codex General Principles for the Addition of Essential Nutrients to Foods;
  • Amendments to the Codex Guidelines on Formulated Supplementary Foods for Older Infants and Young Children; and
  • Development or modification of a standard for processed cereal-based foods for underweight infants and young children.

A summary of the discussion at the 30th CCNFSDU Session follows. The full report of the 30th CCFNSDU session can be found in ALIMORM 09/32/26 on the Codex Web Site, www.codexalimentarius.net.

Matters Referred by the Codex Alimentarius Commission and Other Codex Committees

Methods of Analysis in the Standard for Infant Formula and Formulas for Special Medical Purposes Intended for Infants
The Committee recalled that it had agreed at the 29th Session to establish an electronic working group (eWG) led by New Zealand to prepare a list of methods of analysis for the essential composition of infant formula for consideration at this session. The Committee agreed to submit the working group's method recommendations to the CCMAS for endorsement, and to request that Committee's advice on criteria for selecting Type II methods from a list of Type III methods. The committee decided to wait for a response from the CCMAS before considering the need to re-establish the eWG.

Review of Codex Committee Structure
The Committee noted that the 60th Session of the Executive Committee and the 31st Session of the Commission had discussed the work on nutrition in Codex when reviewing the Codex committee structure and mandates of Codex committees and task forces. They found that the current structure allowed tasks related to nutrition to be adequately covered in the CCNFSDU and the Codex Committee on Food Labelling (CCFL).

Scientific Advice to the CCNFSDU
The Committee noted information given by FAO and WHO to the Executive Committee and the Commission on discussions of a mechanism to provide scientific advice to the CCNFSDU (e.g., the establishment of a joint expert body). The Representative of WHO indicated that FAO and WHO were not yet in a position to inform on a definitive joint mechanism. However, both organizations indicated they were committed to strengthen their roles in providing scientific advice on nutrition-related matters, and efforts were being made in WHO to strengthen its present structure and capacity to provide scientific advice to Member States and to Codex.

FAO/WHO Activities
Representatives of the FAO and WHO reported on their activities, including:

• Development of a FAO/WHO procedural manual for formulating and implementing regional and country-specific food-based dietary guidelines (scheduled for completion June 2009);
• Joint WHO/UNICEF consultation to update guidelines for vitamin A supplementation with new scientific evidence (expected in 2009);
• Joint FAO/WHO Expert Consultation on Fat and Fatty Acids in Human Nutrition (report to be available in early 2009); and
• Expert consultations on: 1) biodiversity and food consumption, and 2) risk-benefit analysis (planned in 2009).

Guidelines for Use of Nutrition Claims: Draft Table of Conditions for Nutrient Contents (Part B Containing Provisions of Dietary Fiber)

The Committee recalled that it had agreed at its last session to return the draft table of conditions for dietary fiber content claims to Step 6. It had asked for comments on the definition, conditions for claims, and methods of analysis taking into consideration the results of the FAO/WHO scientific update on carbohydrates in human nutrition.

The representative of WHO and a number of delegations presented proposals for revising the draft definition. The Committee then considered recommendations for revising the definition that were made by a small drafting group convened during the session, and also considered revisions to the table of conditions for dietary fiber content claims. The United States recommended that the Committee have additional time to reflect on the revised proposed definition and its implications. After some discussion, the Committee agreed to forward the draft table with conditions for dietary fiber content claims and the revised definition to the 32nd Session of the Commission for adoption at Step 8. Among other things, the revised dietary fiber definition leaves the decision about whether to include oligosaccharides in the definition to national authorities, and identifies criteria for the inclusion of isolated and synthetic carbohydrate polymers in the definition. Once adopted, the Codex Guidelines on Nutrition Labelling will be amended to incorporate the revised dietary fiber definition, and the Codex Guidelines for Use of Nutrition and Health Claims will be amended to include dietary fiber in the table of conditions for nutrient content claims.

The Committee agreed to establish an eWG led by the Delegation of France to review and update dietary fiber methods of analysis taking into account the revised definition. The eWG will consider inter alia how results from methods for different types of dietary fiber can be combined together to measure total dietary fiber content in a food, the performance of methods in measuring different types of dietary fiber, recommendations for methods of analysis in different food matrices, and whether a footnote that is part of the definition should be revised.

Draft Revision of the Advisory List of Nutrient Compounds for Use in Foods for Special Dietary Uses Intended for Use by Infants and Young Children: Section D Advisory List of Food Additives for Special Nutrient Forms

The Committee recalled that at its last session it agreed to return the provisions for Gum Arabic (Acacia Gum) (INS 414) to Step 6 for further comment on whether the maximum level for use as a nutrient carrier/coating agent should be 10 or 100 mg/kg in ready-to-use foods for infants and young children. After some discussion, the Committee agreed to send the level of 10 mg/kg of Gum Arabic to the Codex Committee on Food Additives (CCFA) for endorsement and to the 32nd Session of the Commission for adoption at Step 8 and inclusion in Section D of this advisory list. The Secretariat noted there was no functional class for coating agents in the General Standard for Food Additives, and recommended that the CCNFSDU ask the CCFA how to accommodate this use of Gum Arabic—with one delegation suggesting it be indicated as a carrier.

Draft Nutritional Risk Analysis Principles and Guidelines for Application to the Work of the Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses

The Delegation of Australia presented the recommendations of an in-session working group in which the United States participated which mainly focused on proposals for text still left in square brackets. After expressing appreciation to the Delegation of Australia and the working group, the Committee discussed the document section by section, including the scope and application, definitions, and nutritional risk analysis principles. Based on excellent progress made during this session, the Committee agreed to forward the document as amended to the Codex Committee on General Principles for endorsement and to the 32nd Session of the Commission for adoption at Step 8. Once adopted, these nutritional risk analysis principles will be incorporated into the Codex procedural manual.

Draft Recommendations on the Scientific Substantiation of Health Claims

The Committee recalled that the last session of the Committee had agreed to return this draft guidance to Step 2/3 for redrafting by an eWG led by France. Additional progress was made on the recommendations during a physical working group held at this session. The Committee reviewed the document section by section, and reached agreement on the guidance, including the criteria and process for the scientific substantiation of health claims, and principles in the systematic review of the scientific evidence. Based on the substantial progress made, the Committee agreed to forward the guidance—which will be an Annex to the Codex Guidelines for Use of Nutrition and Health Claims—to the Commission for adoption at Step 5/8 with the recommendation to omit Steps 6 and 7. One delegation expressed concern with this proposal in view of the considerable changes made to the text, and proposed that more time be allowed for its consideration.

Proposed Draft Additional or Revised Nutrient Reference Values for Labelling Purposes

The Committee recalled that the 31st Session of the Commission had approved new work on additional and revised vitamin and mineral Nutrient Reference Values for food labelling purposes (NRVs), and that the Delegation of the Republic of Korea had prepared a document with draft general principles for establishing NRVs for the general population with the assistance of other delegations and observers. A physical working group met during this session to review the document and prepare proposals for the Committee to consider in the plenary. One proposal agreed to by the Committee was to use terminology from the United Nations University workshop on international harmonization of approaches for developing nutrient-based dietary standards. The Committee further agreed that recent and relevant FAO/WHO values would be the basis for the vitamin and mineral NRVs, and in the absence of such values, relevant and recent values from recognized authoritative bodies other than FAO/WHO could be considered.

Some delegations noted the need to better understand the implications of various options for using age-sex specific values to derive a single general population NRV for each vitamin and mineral. Subsequently, the Committee agreed to return the draft general principles to Step 2/3 for redrafting by an eWG led by the Republic of Korea, and to accept the offer of the Delegation of Australia to perform calculations to help illustrate implications of the proposed options.

Discussion Paper on the Proposal for New Work to Amend the Codex General Principles for the Addition of Essential Nutrients to Foods (CAC/GL 09-1987)

The Delegation of Canada introduced a revised discussion paper that proposed new work to amend the Codex General Principles for the Addition of Essential Nutrients to Foods. Their proposal for new work focused on two areas: 1) "discretionary fortification" (which the delegation referred to as the addition of essential nutrients at the discretion of the food manufacturer), and 2) non-traditional methods or indirect addition of essential nutrients to foods (which the delegation indicated that some refer to as "bio-fortification"). The Delegation of the United States supported by Australia appreciated that Canada had made some revisions to their proposal but noted that they had had very little time to review the paper. Moreover, the United States expressed concern that the document as presented included areas where it may not be possible to reach agreement and appeared to have certain inconsistencies. The Delegation of Norway supported the revision of the General Principles but considered that the primary reason for fortification should be a demonstrated need in the population and any revision of the General Principles should take this aspect into account. The United States suggested that Canada continue to develop a proposal for new work in an eWG in order to give more time to study the issues and receive comments from more Codex members. The Delegation of the European Community welcomed Canada's proposal to address "discretionary fortification", but did not consider it appropriate at this stage to enlarge the scope of any proposed new work to include "biofortification" as well as other forms of indirect fortification.

The Committee agreed to establish an eWG led by Canada to revise the document for consideration by the 31st Session of the CCNFSDU.

Discussion Paper Prepared by India on the Proposal for New Work to Establish a Standard for Processed Cereal-Based Foods for Underweight Infants and Young Children
and
Summary of the Proposal by Ghana to Revise the Codex Guidelines on Formulated Supplementary Foods for Older Infants and Young Children (CAC/GL 08-1991)

At the beginning of the session, the Committee agreed to discuss the above two documents together as they were related.

The Delegation of India introduced a revised proposal for new work to develop a separate standard for processed cereal-based foods for underweight infants and young children to address the needs of large numbers of malnourished infants and children in developing countries. India supported considering this proposal separately from the proposal from Ghana, noting that while both dealt with strategies to reduce malnutrition, the focus of its proposal was on the cereal content, protein content, and energy density of cereal-based foods. In contrast, Ghana proposed, inter alia, to introduce a new category of complementary foods that can be made without cereals to the Guidelines on Formulated Supplementary Foods for Older Infants and Young Children. In addition, the Representative of the WHO informed the Committee of work that may be of assistance in further development of these Codex work proposals including a WHO/UNICEF/WFP/UNHCR consultation held from September 30 to October 3, 2008 on the management of moderate malnutrition in children under 5 years of age.

While a number of delegations expressed their support for both proposals, other delegations were of the view that several questions need to be addressed before proceeding with a request for new work in these areas. The Committee agreed to establish two eWGs, led by India and Ghana respectively, to prepare revised proposals with the assistance of interested members and observers for consideration by the 31st CCNFSDU Session.

Matters Related to Consideration of the WHO Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health

The Committee noted the work of the CCFL on the implementation of the Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health and the report of the Physical Working Group at this session on this subject. The CCNFSDU agreed that it should not delay consideration of new work on the development of NRVs associated with increased or decreased risk of non-communicable diseases. The Committee had little time to discuss this in the plenary, and agreed to convene a physical working group immediately prior to the 31st CCNFSDU Session that will be led by the United States and Thailand and open to interested Codex members and observers. The working group is to develop principles and criteria for the development of these NRVs, and to select and prioritize nutrients based on the agreed upon principles and criteria. In preparation for this working group, the United States and Thailand will prepare a background paper, which will be circulated for comment in advance of the next session.

Date and Place of the Next CCNFSDU Session

The 31st Session of the CCNFSDU will take place from November 2-6, 2009 in Germany (exact location to be determined).