FAO-WHO 48th Session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission Adopts New Standards

11 November 2025, Rome: The United Nations’ international food standards-setting body, the Codex Alimentarius Commission, is meeting on 10 to 14 November 2025 to adopt food safety and quality standards. 

Charged with protecting consumer health and ensuring fair practices in the food trade, the Codex Alimentarius Commission is the executive organ of the joint initiative of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO), the Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme 
 
Brief descriptions of some of the standards adopted at the 48th Session of the Commission will be published below as they are approved. 
 
For more information on the session, visit the CAC48 information page. 

Updates to the General Standard for Food Additives (GSFA, CXS 192-1995)

ADOPTED – 10.11.2025

More than 500 food additive provisions have been reviewed, with particular attention given to the use of colours in various food categories. As a result of this work, several provisions were revoked, including annatto extracts, bixin-based (INS 160b(i)) in fermented milks (plain), while others were newly adopted, such as annatto extracts, norbixin-based (INS 160b(ii)) in canned or bottled (pasteurized) fruit. Some provisions, including the use of erythrosine (INS 127) in canned raspberries and strawberries, remain under consideration. These updates reflect the ongoing commitment to ensuring that food additives included in the General Standard for Food Additives (GSFA) are safe and technologically justified, in line with the principles outlined in its preamble.

Revision of the Code of practice for the prevention and reduction of aflatoxin contamination in peanuts (CXC 55-2004)

ADOPTED – 10.11.2025

Aflatoxins are the most potent liver carcinogens known and additionally have acute, chronic, genotoxic, and immunosuppressive properties. The code of practice (CoP) includes recommended practices for reducing aflatoxins in peanuts at different stages of the food chain such as the pre-harvest, harvest, transport, storage, and manufacturing stages.

As part of its ongoing work, the Codex Committee on Contaminants in Food reviews its standards and identifies a priority list of texts for reconsideration. This CoP was first adopted over twenty years ago, in consideration of the potency of aflatoxins for human health. In light of the availability of new information on reducing aflatoxins in peanuts, the Committee has updated this text to include, among other revisions: a table elucidating the stages of peanut reproductive growth, demonstrating the full maturity stage when harvesting is optimal; the addition of feed in the scope of the text, considering that peanut by-products could be destined for feed; and a new section on the effect of roasting as one important process that can reduce aflatoxin contamination.

Maximum levels for lead in some spices and culinary herbs 

ADOPTED – 10.11.2025

In view of the toxic effect of lead in food, the Codex Committee on Contaminants in Foods prioritizes work on maximum levels (MLs) for lead. The impact of this toxicity on human health can include neurodevelopmental effects such as decreases in Intelligence Quota (IQ) and attention span in children, impaired renal function, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, impaired fertility, and adverse pregnancy outcomes. Although spices and culinary herbs are consumed in small amounts, as opposed to other foods, it remains important to assess the safety of lead levels in these foods and moreover, consider how such limits affect trade, thus ensuring consumer protection as well as fair practices in the food trade.

The Codex Alimentarius Commission has now adopted MLs for lead in spices and culinary herbs, specifically, dried bark (cinnamon) and dried culinary herbs. The MLs are 2.5 mg/kg for lead in spices, dried bark and 2.0 mg/kg for lead in culinary herbs, dried and will now be added to the General standard for contaminants and toxins in food and feed (CXS 193-1995).

Guidelines for monitoring the purity and stability of reference materials and related stock solutions of pesticides during prolonged storage 

ADOPTED – 10.11.2025

Pesticide residues in food should be monitored by competent authorities to ensure compliance with maximum residue limits, to protect consumer health, and promote fair practices in the food trade. Regulatory compliance with maximum limits for pesticide residues in food is usually enforced through analytical testing methods.

Part of the process of testing for pesticide residues relies on laboratories being able to access what are known as reference materials, or RMs. Due to various constraints including their limited shelf life, high recurring costs and supply chain issues that laboratories may encounter, there had been a demand for developing comprehensive, harmonized guidance to help laboratories monitor the stability and purity of RMs for their possible use beyond their expiry dates, as well as for continued use of stock solutions which retain their stability and purity.

The Codex Alimentarius Commission has now adopted guidelines that provide a scientifically sound framework to monitor the purity and stability of reference materials under defined conditions and allow continued use of RMs beyond their expiry date – where purity remains within acceptable limits. This reduces recurring costs, minimizes waste, and ensures confidence in the reliability of pesticide residue analysis.

Standard for fresh dates

ADOPTED – 10.11.2025

The newly adopted Standard for fresh dates comes after a decade of committee work and is welcomed by date-producing and trading nations alike. This work was first proposed in 2015 in light of the growing trade in fresh dates and their importance for livelihoods. The aim of the new standard is to ensure consumers can trust the quality and safety of the dates, while facilitating trade through internationally agreed minimum requirements and agreed parameters, such as categories based on quality parameters and size, colour, shape, uniformity, packaging and other relevant quality factors.

Regional standard for Castilla lulo (Naranjilla) (Latin America and the Caribbean)

ADOPTED – 10.11.2025

The Castilla lulo (Naranjilla) is a fruit native to the Andean region of Latin America. It is characterized by its greenish pulp and numerous small seeds distributed in four compartments. It contains high levels of some vital nutrients and is increasingly traded internationally, albeit primarily in the Latin American region. It is for that reason that this new Standard for castilla lulo (Naranjilla) has been adopted as a regional, rather than an international standard.

The castilla lulo standard establishes the minimum quality requirements the fruit should meet for safe human consumption. The Standard also defines the defects that may be allowed, the information that should be included on the packaging as guidance for those who buy the product, and provisions regarding contaminants and hygiene practices that should be applied in the trade of Castilla lulo.

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