International Regulation-Intense Sweeteners EYASSU G ABEGAZ, PHD ILSI BRAZIL MEETING MARCH 28, 2017
Outline What is the function of Codex Alimentarius Commission in reference to sweeteners standards? What are the functions of Codex Committee on Food Additives (CCFA), Codex Committee on Food labeling (CCFL), Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) in relation to sweeteners? How are the different reports from Codex meetings communicated? Which of the sweeteners are currently adopted for use in foods by Codex? Summary
Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) CODEX ALIMENTARIUS is a collection of internationally recognized food standards, guidelines and codes of practice and recommendations related to food, food production and food safety adopted by Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC). In 1963, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) established the Joint Food Standards Programme and Statutes for the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) with the purpose of protecting the health of consumers and ensuring fair practices in the food trade. 188 Codex Members - 187 Member Countries and 1 Member Organization (EU) 240 Codex Observers - 56 IGOs, 168 NGOs, 16 UN Codex members cover 99% of the world's population.
Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) Codex standards while recommendations for voluntary application by members, it serves in many cases as a basis for national legislation by member countries. Codex food safety standards are referenced in the World Trade Organization's (WTO) Agreement on Sanitary and Phytosanitary measures (SPS Agreement). Codex has far reaching implications for resolving trade disputes. If WTO members wishes to apply stricter food safety measures than those set by Codex, the member may be required to justify these measures scientifically. The Commission also promotes coordination of all food standards work undertaken by international governmental and non-governmental organizations.
Codex Committee on Food Additives (CCFA) Establish or endorse permitted maximum levels for individual intense sweeteners; Prepare priority lists of intense sweeteners for risk assessment by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA); Assign functional classes to individual intense sweeteners; Recommend specifications of identity and purity of intense sweeteners for adoption by the Commission; Consider methods of analysis for the determination of intense sweeteners in food; and Consider and elaborate standards or codes for related subjects such as the labelling of intense sweeteners when sold as such. Host : China, held once/yr
Codex General Standard for Food Additives (GSFA) The "Codex General Standard for Food Additives" (GSFA, Codex STAN 192-1995) sets forth the conditions under which permitted intense sweeteners may be used in all foods, whether or not they have previously been standardized by Codex. The Codex Alimentarius Commission also maintains a database of standard for intense sweeteners Intense sweetener provisions are searchable by food additive (name, synonym, INS number), by functional class and by food category, as described in Annex B of the Codex GSFA.
Joint Expert on Food Additives (JECFA) Elaborates principles for evaluating intense sweeteners safety and for quantifying their risks; Conducts toxicological evaluations and establishes acceptable daily intakes (ADIs) or tolerable intakes for chronic exposure and other guidance values for acute exposure; Assess the performance, quality and applicability of analytical methods; Prepares specifications of purity for intense sweeteners; and assesses dietary exposure of populations to intense sweeteners in food To date, JECFA has evaluated 16 intense sweeteners and their salts Meets twice per/yr in Geneva, Switzerland
JECFA Publications An electronic summary with the main findings and conclusions of the JECFA meeting is published by the Joint Secretariat shortly after each meeting. The concise description of the key data used in the assessments, the evaluation of these data and the conclusions of the committee are published by WHO in the Technical Report Series. Toxicological and exposure assessment monographs are published in the WHO Food Additive Series (FAS). Compendium of FAO Food Additive Specifications is published by the Food and Agriculture Organization, contain detailed specifications on the identity and purity of food additives and flavoring agents.
JECFA Evaluation of Intense Sweeteners Intense Sweeteners INS ADI Year Acesulfame potassium 950 0-15 mg/kg bw 1990 Advantame 969 0-5 mg/kg bw 2013 Aspartame 951 0-40 mg/kg bw 1981 Aspartame Acesulfame potassium 962 0-40 mg/kg bw; 0-15 mg/kg bw 2000 Alitame 956 0-1 mg/kg bw 1996 Cyclamate, Calcium 952 (ii) 0-11 mg/kg bw 1982 Cyclamate, Sodium 952 (iv) 0-11 mg/kg bw 1982 Cyclamic acid 952 (i) 0-11 mg/kg bw 2009 Neotame 961 0-2 mg/kg bw 2003 Saccharin 954 0-5 mg/kg bw 1993
JECFA Evaluation of Intense Sweeteners Intense Sweeteners INS ADI Year Saccharin, Calcium 954(ii) 0-5 mg/kg bw 1993 Saccharin, Potassium 954(iii) 0-5 mg/kg bw 1993 Saccharin, Sodium 954(iv) 0-5 mg/kg bw 1993 Sucralose 955 0-15 mg/kg bw 1990 Steviol glycoside 0-4 mg/kg bw 2001 Thaumatin 957 Not specified 1985
Labeling of Sweeteners on Prepackaged Foods Codex General Standard For the Labelling of Prepackaged Foods(CODEX STAN 1-1985 (Rev. 1-1991) Sweeteners are regulated as food additive Sweeteners are mandatorily labeled in the List of Ingredients The class title [Sweetener] shall be used together with the specific name or recognized numerical identification as required by national legislation
Summary Risk Assessment Specification Uses in food category and maximum limits Labeling on prepackaged food Protection of the health of consumers Codex Alimentarius Commission International benchmark Fair practices in food trade
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