- Print Friendly - Help

Food Focus February 2008

Milk and milk products on international agenda

The pre-eminent committee in the setting of standards governing the international trade of milk and milk products met in Queenstown recently

The high regard in which New Zealand is held by the trading world could be seen when it chaired two key Codex committees – the Milk and Milk Products Committee and also the Meat Hygiene Committee (currently in abeyance). The 8th session of the Codex Committee on Milk and Milk Products (CCMMP) was held in Queenstown in early February.

Director of NZFSA’s Science group Dr Steve Hathaway, who chaired the meeting, said Codex has a commendable reputation for achieving durable and acceptable standards that provide a scientific basis for fair trade and consumer safety throughout the world.

Setting standards for global food trade

Since the establishment of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) in 1962 the global food trade has expanded and Codex has developed a raft of international standards for its 172 member countries.

“Because there has been an increased focus on international harmonisation through the World Trade Organization, Codex has become more significant and has gained acceptance as the pre-eminent United Nations body for establishing international standards, and norms for food safety and fair practices in food trade”, Dr Hathaway said.

“New Zealand is proud to be hosting this important committee and the agreements that are reached here will have many positive spin-offs for our dairy exporters and New Zealand in years to come.”

Around 50% of our exports are food related, and dairy exports, such as milk powder, butter and cheese, make up nearly a third of total New Zealand exports. Codex standards in the food area are vitally important to New Zealand’s economy.

NZ-led working groups

The Codex meeting received reports from two working groups led by New Zealand. These were for a proposed draft standard on processed cheese and the preparation of a discussion paper on sampling plans for milk products in the presence of significant measurement error.

Processed cheese is a major item in international trade, for which New Zealand is a substantial supplier of ingredients, but the existing international standards do not reflect the current wide range of products. New Zealand along with France will co-chair another Working Group to redraft the proposed draft standard for processed cheese with a view to finalisation of the standard at the next session of CCMMP.

The 7th CCMMP identified that no appropriate sampling plans were available when measurement error is significant, which could lead to a variety of interpretations of product conformity, creating problems in ensuring consumer’s protection and fair trade practices. Work on guidelines for this situation will be undertaken within the Codex Committee on Methods of Analysis.

Export certs and additives to be adopted

A draft model export certificate for milk and milk products was also on the agenda. A working group led by the European Community met prior to the plenary to further consider the draft. With some minor changes agreed to by the Committee this draft standard will be forwarded to the CAC in Geneva for adoption in July this year as an international standard.

The Committee was able to consider and agree to a number of additives for use in creams and prepared creams and fermented milks that will be forwarded for adoption at the next CAC, as well as provisions for the use of annatto in a number of individual cheeses that were adopted by CAC last year.