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Australian Food Industry & Codex

The August 2006 edition of Food Australia featured an article that discussed recent Australian industry involvement with the Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex) and how this has the potential to significantly help our export markets (Bittisnich and Gorst, 2006).

Codex was created in 1963 by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) to develop food standards, guidelines and related texts under the Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme. Codex's main aims are to protect the health of consumers, ensure fair trade practices and promote coordination of all food standards work undertaken by international organisations. Codex has numerous committees and task forces that develop standards and other documentation for specific areas of the food industry. Examples of committees are Food Hygiene, Food Labelling and Food Additives and Contaminants.

Many sectors of the Australian food industry participate in Codex Committees and Task Forces and this representation can significantly help Australia's export industry. One example of Australia's positive involvement with Codex is within the olive oil industry. At the 2003 Codex Committee on Fats and Oils (CCFO) meeting, the Australian delegation opposed the proposal to set the maximum level of linolenic acid allowed in olive oil at 1 percent. A high level of linolenic acid in olive oil is usually an indication of product adulteration. The Australian delegation argued that the acceptability limit should be increased as the level of this acid in pure Australian olive oil could be as high as 1.5 percent. Australia and other countries with naturally high levels of some compounds found in olive oil will have their export market restricted if Codex does not allow greater flexibility in compositional limits. A final decision on the acceptable limit of linolenic acid listed in the Codex standard will be made by the CCFO in 2007.

Codex Australia (located within the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) liaises with the Codex Alimentarius Commission. More information about the role of Codex Australia, including reports on recent Codex meetings can be found at: http://www.daff.gov.au/agriculture-food/codex.