Codex Alimentarius Commission

The Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) is an international body that develops food standards to protect consumers’ health and promote fair practices in food trade. Established in 1963 under the Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme, it adopts standards, guidelines and codes of practice that together form the Codex Alimentarius, or international food code.

What Codex standards cover

Codex provides a common reference for what makes food safe and how it should be described and handled. Its work covers both general requirements across foods and standards for particular commodities.

• Its food-safety texts address food hygiene, food additives, contaminants, and residues of pesticides and veterinary drugs.
• Its labelling standards help prevent misleading descriptions and provide consumers with information about food.
• It also develops guidance on sampling, methods of analysis, and food import and export inspection and certification systems.

How standards are developed

Codex standard-setting combines scientific risk assessment with intergovernmental deliberation. The Commission and its subsidiary bodies consider evidence, comments and proposed revisions before adopting texts.

• Expert bodies convened by FAO and WHO provide scientific advice that informs decisions on food-related hazards.
• Member governments negotiate standards, while recognised observer organisations can contribute to discussions.
• Codex seeks consensus when adopting standards, helping countries with different food systems work towards a shared benchmark.

Status in international trade and national regulation

Codex texts are voluntary: adoption by the Commission does not automatically make them domestic law. Countries use them as references when framing legislation, operating food-control systems and assessing imported food.

• The WTO Agreement on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures recognises Codex as the relevant international standard-setting body for food safety.
• Alignment with Codex can support harmonisation and reduce unnecessary differences between national food-safety requirements.
• WTO members may adopt higher protection than international standards where the SPS Agreement’s conditions, including requirements concerning scientific justification and risk assessment, are met.

Importance for public health and India

Codex connects consumer protection with predictable food trade: shared standards help regulators address hazards while giving producers clearer expectations for market access.

• In India, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) serves as the National Codex Contact Point.
• Participation allows India to contribute scientific evidence and national perspectives to international standards rather than only responding to standards developed elsewhere.