The United Nations food standards body Codex Alimentarius Commission is being held online from 24 to 26 September 2020 to adopt food safety & quality standards.

Charged with protecting consumer health & ensuring fair practices in the food trade, the Codex Alimentarius is a joint initiative of the Food & Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) & the World Health Organization (WHO).

Decisions taken at the 43rd session of the Commission will be published below as they are made.

For more information on the upcoming Codex session, visit the links listed at right.

Standard for fermented cooked cassava-based products

ADOPTED- 24.09.2020

Cassava balls or sticks are obtained from fresh cassava roots, peeled, cut, soaked in water for fermentation, pressed & dried before packaging & cooking. Cassava is common in African diets & makes up 40 percent of the roots & tubers market. This standard will contribute to the regularization of the sector making it possible to define the identity & quality characteristics of fermented cassava products.

Standard for fresh leaves of Gnetum spp.

ADOPTED- 24.09.2020

The leaves of Gnetum spp, a wild evergreen climber found in the rain forests, are commonly known & consumed as eru, okok, fumbua & okasi. Countries will be able to regulate the sale & export of these products by basing their national legislation on this standard that establishes the characteristics & expected quality of the product.