44th Codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses(CCNFSDU) Session in Germany

44th Codex Committee: India actively participated in the 44th session of the Codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses (CCNFSDU) held in Dresden, Germany, from October 2 to October 6, 2024. As a major contributor, India made crucial interventions on several key agenda items, particularly focusing on nutrient reference values for young children and the development of harmonized probiotic guidelines for food and supplements. India’s contributions were widely supported by countries like Canada, Chile, and New Zealand.

Significant of 44th Codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses

India played a pivotal role in advocating for updated and harmonized guidelines on probiotics, emphasizing that the existing documents from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO), dating back to 2001 and 2002, were outdated. Given the significant scientific advancements over the past two decades, India highlighted the need to revisit these guidelines to ensure global consistency. India also pointed out the lack of international harmonization in probiotic regulations, which could hinder global trade. In response, the committee agreed to revisit these guidelines and tasked FAO and WHO with conducting a literature review of scientific evidence on probiotics. A new work proposal will be presented for further consideration by the CCNFSDU.

In another significant contribution, India provided input on the nutrient reference values (NRV-R) for children aged 6 to 36 months. India proposed that the combined NRV-R value for this age group should be based on the mean values of two subgroups: 6-12 months and 12-36 months. The committee agreed with this approach, marking a notable victory for India’s stance.

During the discussions on the Standard for Follow-up Formula, India opposed the European Union’s (EU) proposal to use sensory testing for assessing the relative sweetness of carbohydrate sources, citing a lack of scientific validation. Backed by countries like the USA and Canada, India’s opposition contributed to the committee’s decision to discontinue this topic for the time being. In the absence of a harmonized method, the committee suggested that ISO 5495 or other existing methods could still be used for sensory testing.

India’s delegation, comprising representatives from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, and the Ministry of Women and Child Development, played a prominent role in advocating for food safety, consumer health, and traderelated issues. Several of India’s proposals were successfully incorporated into the final report, underscoring the country’s influence in shaping global food safety and nutrition standards.

During the session, FAO/WHO announced plans for a Joint Statement on Healthy Diet Principles and provided updates on Alternative Animal Source Foods (A-ASFs). FAO also introduced its new “Food and Diet” domain on the FAOSTAT database, aiming to provide better data access on global dietary trends. In the opening address, Germany’s Federal Minister of Food and Agriculture, Mr. Cem Özdemir, welcomed the delegates and stressed the importance of safe food for ensuring global food security.

The session was chaired by Ms. Martine Püster with Dr. Carolin Bendadani as co-chair. India’s active involvement in these discussions solidified its growing role in shaping international food safety and nutrition guidelines.