Codex: Biotech and Food Safety, New Standards On Toxins And Organics

Volume 5

Number 26

10 July 2001

Codex: Biotech and Food Safety, New Standards On Toxins And Organics

Convening in Geneva from 2-7 July, the members of the Codex Alimentarius Commission -- the United Nations agency mandated to regulate global food safety -- met to discuss how best to universalise food safety standards. In particular, the delegates considered proposed safety guidelines for foods derived from biotechnology and agreed upon standards for organic livestock production and for toxic contaminants in food.

Codex membership decides domestic GM approval is necessary

Regarding the safety of foods derived from biotechnology, it was agreed, in principle, that foods produced with biotechnological inputs should be approved by domestic governments prior to commercialisation. According to Gro Harlem Brundtland, Director-General of the UN World Health Organization, "this is the first step toward the safety assessment of genetically modified (GM) foods." Although precise risk assessment methodologies were not agreed upon at the meeting, there was consensus that any risk assessment should take into account the potential for GM foods to catalyse allergic reactions.

Observers noted, however, that debate on the safety of GM foods remained in its infancy as the Ad Hoc Intergovernmental Task Force on Foods Derived from Biotechnology -- the Codex body mandated to develop safety guidelines for GM foods -- has not yet finalised GM food safety guidelines. Thus far, the Task Force has only offered Codex proposals on risk analysis in the development of GM foods, guidelines for safety assessment and a list of methods for detecting GM inputs in food. The Task Force's final guidelines are meant to be completed by 2003.

Mandatory GM food labelling rejected

On the question of GM food labelling, delegates rejected the proposal that all GM foods be subject to mandatory labelling. Instead, they agreed that labelling should be mandatory only in cases where specific GM foods and inputs are scientifically proven allergens.

However, closely related to the food safety and labelling debate, the question of traceability -- how, and the extent to which, GM inputs are detected in food -- was not addressed at the Codex meeting due to time constraints. As such, this agenda item will now be dealt with by the Codex Executive. Some advocacy groups are concerned that moving the debate on traceability to the Codex Executive will limit the range of positions submitted to the debate and thus preclude an equitable outcome.

Risk analysis and precautionary principle

Nevertheless, regarding risk analysis, there was consensus that core principles governing risk assessment should be developed within the Codex General Principles Committee. Should such principles fail to be decided at the committee level, they would instead be decided by the Codex Alimentarius Commission itself.

Although the precautionary principle was not explicitly referred to at the Codex meeting, the question of risk uncertainty was raised. Notably, the Codex membership did agree that in cases where evidence of risk existed, but where such evidence was insufficient or inconclusive, Codex should not elaborate a specific safety standard per se, but should instead elaborate a text, such as a voluntary code of conduct or practice. One non-governmental observer noted, however, that under WTO rules the difference between elaborated standards and texts remained unspecified and could therefore generate unintended trade consequences.

New standards for tood contaminants and organic livestock production

On the question of food contaminants, the delegates reached consensus on new maximum levels of environmental contaminants, notably lead, cadmium and aflatoxin. On organic farming, the Codex meeting approved new guidelines for organic livestock production. Accordingly, organic livestock farming should aim to use natural breeding methods, minimise stress in animals, prevent disease and progressively eliminate the use of certain chemical veterinary drugs, including antibiotics. The new standard recommends that animals should be fed with quality organic feedstuffs, not meat and bone meal, and prohibits the use of growth hormones.

Although the Codex Alimentarius Commission maintains a membership of 165 states, less than 100 were in attendance. Observers noted that while several developing countries did not attend the meeting, there was nevertheless a relatively strong presence of developing countries as compared with previous meetings.

The Codex Alimentarius Commission is recognised by the WTO Agreement on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS) as the international organisation responsible for standard-setting related to food safety and the harmonisation of food safety measures affecting trade. WTO Members are required to base their food safety measures on the Commission's standards, guidelines or recommendations. The other two international standard-setting bodies recognised in the SPS Agreement are the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) for plant health and the Office International de Epizooties (OIE) for animal health and zoonoses (see BRIDGES Weekly, 20 March 2001).

"FAO/WHO Call For More International Collaboration To Solve Food Safety and Quality Problems," WHO/FAO PRESS RELEASE, 5 July 2001; "World Guideline For Pre-Market GM Testing Agreed," REUTERS, 9 July 2001; "UN To Set Modified Food Guidelines," AP, 6 July 2001; "UN Agencies Call For Testing Of Biotech Foods," ENS, 9 July 2001; ICTSD Internal Files.