Codex Alimentarius

The Codex Alimentarius is the international organization created by the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and World Health Organization (WHO) to develop food standards, guidelines and other texts under the Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme to protect the health of consumers and ensure fair practices in food trade. 

IFT’s engagement with Codex Alimentarius continues to have a strong voice in the global discussion within Codex on global food standards, codes of practice, guidelines and other consumer health and international food trade issues.

Food Science Advocate

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Codex Activities Updates

2024 Codex Updates

The 2024 Codex Update contains high-level updates on IFT's committee work as well as links to in-depth summaries, reports, comments, and agendas.

Comments to Codex Executive Committee regarding the Codex Strategic Plan 2026-2031 Key Questions 
Includes jointly submitted comments from IFT, AOAC International, European Federation of the Associations off Dieticians, International Life Sciences Institute, NSF International, and American Society for Nutrition, addressing:

  • What could Codex do to have the greatest impact on the protection of consumer health and promotion of fair practices in food trade in the period 2026-2031?
  • Consistent with its purpose, how can Codex respond to food safety, nutrition and food quality implications of and support efforts to address, the drivers for change that have been identified in the related draft section of the Strategic Plan 2026-2031?

Summer 2023 Codex Activities Status Update 
Contains substantial amount of Codex work occurred in the Spring/Summer of 2023. Summaries and reports on Codex Committee activities on Food Additives (CCFA), Food Import and Export Inspection and Certification Systems (CCFICS), Contaminants in Food (CCCF) and Pesticide Residues (CCPR) and IFT comments submitted on these Codex Committees are included.

Water Molecules

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Codex Informational Links
  • Codex Alimentarius General information
  • Codex Global Standards
  • Codex Global Codes of Practice
  • Codex Global Guidelines
  • Codex On-line Databases
  • Codex List of Specifications for Food Additives
  • Institutions Involved in Food Safety WHO-FAO Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC)

    Looking to understand global food laws and regulations? Get started with the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC), the United Nations’ mandated institution under the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), who develops harmonized food standards and practices. IFT members can access a chapter from Encyclopedia of Food Safety written by IFT’s Codex Coordinator, Steve Havlik, for highlights on the organization, structure, and processes of the CAC.
     
    Access & Download  (member login required)

     

    Opportunities to Engage with IFT Activities on Codex Work

    IFT engages as a long-term scientific observer organization with the FAO-WHO Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) in its continued work on global harmonization of food standards, codes of practice, and guidelines important to food trade. The various Codex committees and working groups are core to the development of Codex texts that are the basis of regulations for many countries. IFT has broadened its Codex engagement in 2025 with the initiation of a new IFT team observing and commenting on the Codex Committee on Methods of Analysis and Sampling (CCMAS). Additionally, IFT has been engaging with the Codex Executive Committee (CC EXEC) over the last two years on the development of the Codex 2026-2031 Strategic Plan.

    Please contact IFT's Codex Coordinator, Steve Havlik, if you are interested in participating.