United Nations food standards body the Codex Alimentarius Commission last week adopted new standards to protect consumer health worldwide, including setting out maximum acceptable levels of lead in infant formula. Jointly run by the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the World Health Organisation (WHO), the Codex Alimentarius Commission sets international food safety and quality standards to promote safer and more nutritious food for consumers worldwide. Codex standards serve in many cases as a basis for national legislation and provide the food safety benchmarks for international food trade. The annual meeting last week was attended by representatives from 170 countries and the European Union, as well as 30 international governmental and non-governmental organisations.
The Commission adopted a recommendation that no more than 0,01 mg per kg lead should be permitted in infant formula. According to the commission infants and young children are particularly vulnerable to the toxic effects of lead and may suffer permanent adverse health effects to the brain and nervous system development. The commission stated, “Lead occurs in the environment and trace amounts can end up in the ingredients used in the production of infant formula. Levels of lead in infant formula can be controlled by sourcing raw materials from areas where lead is less present.”
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Published on Monday, 28th July 2014 - 09:09
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