Loading ...So I have been wondering about the whole Codex Alimentarius thing and all of these rumors I have heard. In my first post I decided to pay out some of the things that I had heard about, and then set out to find some information about what was going on. This informtaion is directly from CodexAlimentarius as I find their stances on the rumours of today. The question that has to be asked when seeing this is “Why would or why would they not stand behind these statements off their own site?”.
| R1: Will Codex make all nutritional supplements only available by prescription? Will Codex ban all Wsupplements and make vitamins illegal the same way heroin is illegal? Will all natural herbs and alternative remedies be banned by Codex? |
| These are some of the many unfounded rumours about Codex that can be found on the internet. The Guidelines for Vitamin and Mineral Food Supplements (CAC/GL 55-2005) adopted in 2005 do not contain provisions for the prescription or prohibition of any nutrient supplements. They do not deal with natural herbs and remedies at all (see also W1). I have placed “W1″ from the site at the bottom of this post. |
| R2: Is it true that Codex was created by a former war criminal to control the world food supply? |
| No. It is a false claim. You just need to type the words “Codex Alimentarius” in any search engine and you will find lots lots of these rumours about Codex. Usually the people spreading them will give no proof but will ask you to send donations or to sign petitions against Codex.Truthful information about Codex is found on Internet (www.codexalimentarius.net) – there is nothing to hide from our side – we are a public institution working in public for the public – we are happy if people want to know more about our work and ask questions. There is an official Codex Contact Point in each member country (www.codexalimentarius.net/web/members.jsp) who will be pleased to answer your questions on Codex |
| R3: Why are there so many rumours about Codex on the internet? Where do they come from? |
| These rumours started some years back when one of Codex Committees began work on guidelines for vitamin and mineral supplements (see W1). They appear to be linked to advocacy groups who wrongly believe that Codex is a threat to freedom of choice especially concerning vitamin and mineral supplements (see also R1). These rumours are self-reproducing through chain email messages and other low-cost means of communication. |
| R4: Why would so many people believe the rumours about Codex and not check the facts? |
| Good health is foundation of human life. People today are very concerned about their health and they are often confused by conflicting messages in the media on what they should eat to keep healthy. People’s legitimate interest in health may be easily exploited by certain groups which claim that there is an international conspiracy with Codex at the centre. This will get them attention, support and donations. As Codex Alimentarius is relatively unknown to consumers, many of them accept or start to believe the anti-Codex campaign messages without asking for proof, which is regrettable. |
| R5: There must be something to all these rumours about Codex – there are so many people believing them. How can I know whom to trust? |
| The Internet is a vast storage of information and it contains truth and lies next to each other, without a guide telling you what is wrong and what is right. In the end you will have to make your own decision on whom to believe. All information about Codex work since 1962 can be found on the Codex website. It may take you some time to find the information you are looking for in the Codex website, but all is there and we are continuously working to improve the website and make it more user-friendly. Those who are spreading rumours are mainly interested in donations – the more they scare people, the more they get donations. When deciding whom to believe, you only need to be critical on both sides – we do not mind because we have nothing to hide. |
| R6: Will Codex require all fruits and vegetables even organically grown ones to be irradiated and sprayed with pesticides? |
| No. Codex guidelines and standards deal with the safe and appropriate use of irradiation and pesticides. Codex does not prescribe the use of these techniques which is up to national legislation.At the moment, the market for irradiated food is very small and its use is mainly for herbs and spices (see the video “The pepper trail” for more information about spices http://www.youtube.com/CodexAlim). |
| R7: Is it true that cattle worldwide are to be treated with growth hormones? |
| There are no prescriptions in Codex standards and guidelines on treating or not treating cattle with hormones. Codex has established maximum residue values for a number of veterinary drugs in order to make sure that their residues do not raise health concern where they are used. |
| R8: Is it true that the permitted amount of the carcinogenic substance Aflatoxin is going to be raised? |
| No. Codex has established safety limits for this contaminant in different foods and has also worked out codes of practice for producers to avoid and reduce such contamination. It is our goal to scientifically establish how much is safe and how to reduce contamination. Codex work on contaminants, food additives and veterinary drug residues is scientifically supported by the rigorous risk assessment conducted by a scientific expert body of FAO and WHO – Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives, known as JECFA. For more information about aflatoxins, please refer to reports of the Committee on Contaminants in Foods and the Codex General Standard for Contaminants and Toxins in Foods. |
| R9: Is it true that the labelling of GM food is going to be cancelled? |
| There are presently no Codex provisions for the labelling of GM foods except in the case of possible allergic reactions. The work on finding an international consensus on how to proceed with the labelling of GM Food has proven difficult because of quite opposed opinions in the world. As there has been no consensus for some time some countries suggested stopping this work but others would like to continue so the discussion continues. International consensus is not an easy thing! For further information please read reports of the Committee on Food Labelling. |
| R10: Is it true that any advice on nutrition and nutritional values published in print media or internet is going to be made illegal? |
| There are several Codex texts giving guidance on nutrition claims to avoid that consumers are misled with false claims on food labels. These issues are discussed by the Codex Committee on Food Labelling. There has never been any talk about making any truthful information illegal nor could this be done by Codex, as all Codex texts are voluntary. |
| R11: Is it correct that certain diseases such as cancer, heart disease and diabetes are caused by food denaturized by Codex? |
| Non-communicable diseases such as cancer and heart disease are in fact a growing concern in the world and their causes are now understood somewhat better. Research by WHO shows that some of these diseases may be partly caused by life style changes (e.g. unhealthy diets, lack of physical exercise) both in the developed and the developing world.A well-balanced diet composed of safe and nutritious foods is recommended to reduce risks of non-communicable diseases. Codex can help consumers to make an informed choice of foods they buy and eat, but it is up to consumers themselves to constitute their own diet.Two Codex Committees work actively to assist the WHO Global Strategy on Diet Physical Activity and Health to ensure that consumers get the right information about nutrients and can make healthy choices (http://www.who.int/dietphysicalactivity/en/). |
| R12: I have heard that the Codex will become law on 31 December 2009. Is it true? |
| This is an unfounded rumour: The standards, guidelines and codes adopted by the Codex Alimentarius Commission are voluntary and do not therefore contain implementation deadlines or dates, nor can the Commission turn them into binding law. |
| W1: What work has Codex undertaken on vitamin and mineral supplements? |
| In the early 1990s, the Codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses (CCNFSDU) began discussions on guidelines for vitamin and mineral supplements. This Committee is responsible for studying nutritional issues referred by the Codex Alimentarius Commission; drafting provisions, as appropriate, on the nutritional aspects of all foods; and developing standards, guidelines, or related texts for foods for special dietary uses. The Guidelines were adopted in 2005.The Guidelines apply only to supplements that contain vitamins and/or minerals, where these products are regulated as foods. The Guidelines address the composition of vitamin and mineral supplements, including the safety, purity, and bioavailability of the sources of vitamins and minerals.The Guidelines do not specify upper limits for vitamins and minerals in supplements. Instead, they provide criteria for establishing maximum amounts of vitamins and minerals per daily portion of supplement consumed, as recommended by the manufacturer. The criteria specify that maximum amounts should be established by scientific risk assessment based on generally accepted scientific data and taking into consideration, as appropriate, the varying degrees of sensitivity of different consumer groups. The Guidelines also address the packaging and labelling of vitamin and mineral supplements. We encourage you to read the complete text of the Guidelines at: http://www.codexalimentarius.net/download/standards/10206/cxg_055e.pdf . |