Doha, Qatar: The Ministry of Public Health participated in the forty-eighth session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, which was recently held in Rome, the Italian capital, with representatives from member states and international organisations concerned with establishing global food standards.
The Ministry participated in strengthening international efforts to establish unified scientific standards and references for food safety and quality, and to promote fair trade in food products, in line with the State’s commitments to international bodies, especially the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations and the World Health Organisation. During the meetings, a decision was made to adopt a standard for fresh dates as an international standard and to introduce a standard for pasteurised camel milk as a new work item on the Codex Alimentarius agenda.
This represents support for the regional proposal led by the Codex Committee for the Near East, which includes the State of Qatar within its regional framework. The meetings also included participation in the review of the code of practice for the prevention and reduction of aflatoxin contamination in peanuts, the setting of maximum limits for lead in spices and herbs, and the updating of standards for food additives and chemical contaminants.
Food Safety Consultant at the Ministry of Public Health, Dr Muna Al olan affirmed that the Ministry’s participation in the meetings is part of national efforts to enhance Qatar’s presence in international forums concerned with food safety, and to contribute to the formulation of global decisions and standards that help raise the level of protection for local consumers and develop the national food safety system in line with the latest international practices and standards.
She praised the Codex Alimentarius Commission’s role in unifying global food safety efforts and fostering international cooperation and trust.
