Experts of China, the United States of America, and the European Union Exchanged on Experience in Food Additive Management

The 47th session of Codex Committee on Food Additives was held from March 23^rd to 27^th, 2015 in Xi’an, China. The meeting has attracted experts in the field of manufacturing and management of food additives and stakeholders in the food industry from all over the world, gaining broad support and attention world widely.

After the first day’s session, the deputy leader of the Chinese delegation, CFSA associate director general Mr. Zhutian Wang invited the chairperson of GSFA working group, Mr. Paul Honigfort from the United States of America, and experts representing the delegation of European Union, Ms. Eva Maria ZAMORA ESCRIBANO and Mr. Jéreme LEPEINTRE to have a media interview at the Chinese office of CCFA Secretariat. The participants of the interview exchanged experience in manufacturing, use and management of food additives in the United States of America, the European Union and China.

Experts from China, the United States of America, and the European Union all believed that promoting Codes standards, especially the setting of international food additive standard, would play a key role in protecting public health and ensuring fair international food trade. Mr. Zhutian Wang introduced food additives management in China and the status of relevant food safety standards. Experts from the United States of America and the European Union also introduced the regulations and legislation on food additive management within their country or region. The improvement of Chinese food safety management capacity was highly appreciated by the foreign experts. Participants all believed that, being involved in the international food trade, all counties should make more contribution to the Codex work and enhance international communication to collaboratively protect public health and improve the international food trade. Being an important participant in the import and export of food products, the improvement of Chinese food safety level will benefit the food safety work globally. The United States of America and the European Union are willing to have more discussion and communication with China on food safety standard management. They expressed hope that China could make more contribution to the work on international food standard, especially the development and improvement of Codex standard.