Food Contamination a Key Focus in UN's Session on Food Standards

The Food Standards Corporation of the United Nations recently held a session to enforce certain measures to ensure safety standards with respect to food. The decisions that they upheld covered a wide range of issues to maintain proper hygienic conditions that will reduce chemical and physical threats to fruits and vegetables. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) along with the World Health Organization of the United Nation (WHO) are jointly responsible for initiating the Standards- setting for food. The Codex Alimentarius Commission, entrusted with securing consumer health and maintaining fair practices, set restrictions on the residue of three categories of medicines.This included Ivermectin, most often used in cattle to destroy the parasites of the tissue; Lasalocid sodium, used to kill parasites in tissues of chicken, turkey and so on; and lastly, insecticide Teflubenzuron used mostly in salmon.Amendments were also put forth by the commission in the fresh fruits and vegetables category. Beginning with the producer to the final consumer, the commission aimed to enlist certain guidelines that would be followed by these stakeholders to ensure optimum hygiene in the practices they follow.Apart from being extremely healthy and nutritious, enhancing over-all health and well-being, these fruits and vegetables are extremely significant from the economic point of view for several countries promoting international trade. Since fruits and vegetables are of paramount importance, the main intention is to minimise microbial risks and dangers, ensure optimum health of individuals and augment the protection of these foods.Extending to the category of vitamins and minerals, the Commission also appropriated the "Nutrient Reference Values" for Vitamin D and E for labeling of the content, which would in turn, help the consumer make a well instructed choice supporting good health and well-being.The Commission also looked into the spices and herbs categorization, which are used in various regional cooking. Commodity standards were agreed upon which included "permitted levels of food additives and labeling" among others. These were especially with respect to pepper, dried thyme and cumin, which are some of the most widely consumed spices worldwide.Tackling some of the most essential domains of food, these regulations are definitely a step forward ensuring fair practices for all and upholding good health standards.