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New global food-safety benchmarks set by FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius Commission
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Thursday, 23 October, 2025, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
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Rome
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The joint FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius Commission has adopted a set of new and revised food-standards and guidelines aimed at strengthening consumer protection and promoting fair trade practices in the global food business.
The Commission – the principal international body responsible for establishing food-safety and quality standards – approved key measures including updated criteria for edible oils, enhanced labelling requirements for allergens, and strengthened rules for hygiene in traditional food markets.
Among the new standards:
- A revision of the Standard for Named Vegetable Oils (CXS 210-1999) which now incorporates avocado oil, setting science-based parameters for composition, purity and safety.
- Guidelines for food hygiene control in traditional markets, recognising the important role these markets play globally — particularly in Africa and Asia — and addressing the heightened food-safety risks they face.
- Amendments to the General Standard for the Labelling of Prepackaged Foods (CXS 1-1985) to clarify and strengthen allergen-labelling provisions following expert review.
FAO and WHO said these measures reflect growing consumer demand for transparency, traceability and protection amid an increasingly complex food-chain landscape. The standards also aim to support countries — including developing and emerging economies — in aligning national regulations with international norms, thereby facilitating safer trade, reducing disputes and protecting public health.
The Commission urged national regulatory authorities, food-business operators and supply-chain stakeholders to adopt the new texts and integrate them into their national frameworks. Doing so will help ensure that new global benchmarks translate into real impact on the ground — curbing foodborne illness, improving market access and boosting consumer trust worldwide.
As food-supply systems face intensifying pressures from climate change, trade disruptions and evolving consumer preferences, the updated Codex standards underscore the imperative of science-based regulation and international cooperation in food safety and quality.
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