A summary of recent and upcoming events published biweekly; direct inquiries to USCodex@fsis.usda.gov

Receive Email Notification of Updates to Codex News

Upcoming Public Meetings

The public meeting for the upcoming meeting of the Codex Committee on Food Import and Export Inspection and Certification Systems (CCFICS) will be on October 4, from 11:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m. in Room 1160 of the USDA South Building, 12th and Independence SW, Washington, D.C. [NOTE: This is a room change from the location in the Federal Register.] Individuals may also participate via call-in number: 1-888-858-2144; pass code 6208658. CCFICS will meet October 17-21 in Cairns, Australia, with the main order of business being Proposed Draft Principles and Guidelines for National Food Control Systems.

Recent Outreach Events

The U.S. Codex Office hosted its 4th African Codex Delegates Colloquium in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from September 13-15. The colloquium featured presentations from the U.S. Codex Office and U.S. Food and Drug Administration on preserving the science basis of Codex; the risk management role of Codex; and the relationship between Codex and the World Trade Organization. Roundtable discussions among U.S. and African Codex delegates were conducted on the following upcoming committee sessions: Food Import and Export Certification and Inspection Systems (CCFICS), Nutrition & Foods for Special Dietary Uses (CCNFSDU), and Food Hygiene (CCFH). Approximately 70 African government officials from 24 countries attended the colloquium.

Other News

Call for experts from the FAO Joint Secretariat for JECFA on:

• Food Additives: Manufacture, Quality, and Use
• Contaminants and toxins: Occurrence, Determination, Prevention, Data quality assurance
• Residues of Veterinary Drugs: Determination of Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs)

Additional information available at: http://www.fao.org/ag/agn/agns/jecfa_experts_en.asp. In order to be considered for the expert roster 2012-2016, applications, indicating the main area of expertise for the application, should be sent electronically to Dr. Annika Wennberg (jecfaexposure-call@fao.org) by November 15, 2011.

Call for experts from the FAO/WHO Joint Secretariat for JECFA on:

• Exposure Assessment: Estimating Dietary Intake of Chemicals in Food

In order to be considered for the expert roster 2012-2016, applications should be sent electronically to Dr. Annika Wennberg (jecfaexposure-call@fao.org) and/or to Dr. Philippe Verger (jecfa@who.int) by November 15, 2011.

The Call for data for the 76th JECFA meeting to be held in June 2012, dedicated to evaluation of food additives including flavouring substances, has now been published on the FAO and WHO JECFA websites ( http://www.fao.org/ag/agn/agns/jecfa_new_en.asp) and ( http://www.who.int/foodsafety/chem/jecfa/data/en/index.html). The deadline for submission of data and information is on December 1, 2011.