Codex Alimentarius adopts 20 new food safety standards

The Codex Alimentarius Commission has ratified 20 new food safety standards and guidelines aimed at harmonizing global regulatory frameworks. These updates, developed through the joint efforts of the FAO and WHO, focus on pathogens, hygiene, contaminants, and labeling to reduce foodborne illnesses and facilitate transparent international trade.

A key component of these updates is new guidance regarding precautionary allergen labeling (PAL), specifically for “may contain” statements. Currently, the use of such warnings for unintentional allergen presence varies globally and is often unregulated. The new guidance promotes a harmonized risk assessment approach to ensure that these warnings are only used when risks are scientifically assessed and cannot be controlled through proper management practices. This aims to prevent consumers from unnecessarily avoiding safe foods while increasing confidence in warnings for those with life-threatening allergies.