Fruits and Vegetables
Codex Committee on Processed Fruit and Vegetables
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Existing Codex Standards
Codex standards on fruit and vegetables and fruit and vegetable-related products are developed by the:
- Codex Committee on Processed Fruits and Vegetables, and
- Codex Committee on Fresh Fruits and Vegetables.
There is also a separate Codex Taskforce on Fruit and Vegetable Juices. Standards relating to fruits and vegetables* that have been endorsed and adopted into the international food code include:
| Fruits | Vegetables |
|---|---|
|
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* This is an indicative list only. For a full list of standards approved by the Codex Alimentarius Commission, please consult its Official List of Standards.
Outcomes from the 32nd Session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission
The 32nd Commission adopted, at Step 8 and 5/8, the following standards for CCPFV:
- Codex Standard for Certain Canned Vegetables (General Provisions) and deleted the reference to ‘veterinary drugs’ from the section on contaminants as not relevant to products of plant origin
- Codex Standard for James, Jellies and Marmalades with the deletion of the reference to “fruit spread” from the scope of the Standard
- Provisions for packing media for certain canned vegetables: section 3.1.3 (for inclusion in the draft Codex Standard for Certain Canned Vegetables)
- Annexes specific to certain canned vegetables (for inclusion in the draft Codex Standard for Certain Canned Vegetables)
The Commission also approved new work on the following for CCPFV:
- Revision of the Codex Standards for Canned Bamboo Shoots and Canned Mushrooms for inclusion as annexes to the Standard for Certain Canned Vegetables as well as revision of the Codex Standards for Table Olives and Grated Desiccated Coconut
- Revision of the standard for Table Olives (CODEX STAN 66-1981)
- Revision of the standard for Grated Desiccated Coconut (CODEX STAN 177-1991)
The Commission approved the discontinuation of work on Proposed draft Codex Guidelines for Packing Media for Canned Vegetables and Proposed Layout for Codex Standards for Processed Fruits and Vegetables.
Codex Committee on Fresh Fruits and Vegetables (Host Government - Mexico)
The Codex Committee on Fresh Fruits and Vegetables (CCFFV) is responsible for elaborating world-wide standards and codes of practice for fresh fruits and vegetables.
Last Meeting
The 15th Session of the CCFFV was held in Mexico City, Mexico from 19-23 October 2009.
At this Session the Committee agreed to forward the following matters to the 33rd Session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission:
- draft standard for Apples for adoption at Step 8
- draft standard for tree tomatoes for adoption at Step 5
- draft revised standard for Avocado for adoption at Step 5
The Committee agreed on new wording for the draft Section 6 “Marking and Labelling” of the draft standard for Bitter Cassava and agreed to forward it to the Codex Committee on Food Labelling for endorsement.
The Committee also agreed to:
- request the Commission to approve new work on Pomegranate
- re-establish electronic working groups for Avocado, Tree Tomatoes and Chilli Peppers and establish an electronic working group for Pomegranate
- suspend the development of the Glossary of Terms used in the proposed Layout for Codex Standards for Fresh Fruits and Vegetables, pending further development and eventual finalization of the Layout
Download the report from this meeting
Next Meeting
The 16th Session of the CCFFV will be held in Mexico in 18 months with an exact date to be confirmed by the Mexican and Codex Secretariats.
Download the agenda for this meeting
Codex Committee on Processed Fruits and Vegetables (Host Government – United States)
The Codex Committee on Processed Fruits and Vegetables (CCPFV) is responsible for elaborating world-wide standards for all types of processed fruits and vegetables including dried products (except prunes), canned products (except juices), and jams and jellies.
Last Meeting
The 24th Session of the Codex Committee on Processed Fruits and Vegetables was held in Arlington, USA, from 15 - 19 September 2008. At this session the Committee:
- agreed to forward the draft Codex Standards for Jams, Jellies and Marmalades and Certain Canned Vegetables to the 32nd Session of the Commission for final adoption at Step 8 (paras 34 & 77 and Appendices II & III), and
- agreed to forward the proposed draft Provisions for Packing Media for Certain Canned Vegetables and proposed draft Annexes specific to Certain Canned Vegetables to the 32nd Session of the Commission for final adoption at Step 5/8 with omission of Steps 6/7 (para 77 and Appendices IV & V).
Approval of new work
- Agreed to submit proposals for the revision of the Codex Standards for Canned Bamboo Shoots and Canned Mushrooms for inclusion as annexes to the Standard for Certain Canned Vegetables as well as revision of the Codex Standards for Table Olives and Grated Desiccated Coconut (para 109).
Discontinuation of work
- Agreed to discontinue work on the proposed draft Guidelines for Packing Media for Canned Vegetables and inform the Commission accordingly (para 77).
The Committee also agreed to:
- return the proposed draft Codex Sampling Plans including Metrological Provisions for Controlling Minimum Drained Weight of Canned Fruits and Vegetables in Packing Media to Step 2 for redrafting, subsequent circulation for comments and consideration at its next session (para 82)
- forward methods of analysis for coconut cream and coconut milk to the Committee on Methods of Analysis and Sampling for endorsement and inclusion in the Standard for Aqueous Coconut Products (CODEX STAN 240-2003) and inform the Commission accordingly (para 84 and Appendix VI)
- continue to request comments onfood additive provisions for processed fruits and vegetables (canned pickled fruits and vegetables, canned tomatoes, processed tomato concentrates and certain canned citrus fruits) for consideration at its next session (para 98 and Appendix VII).
- discontinue the consideration of a proposed Layout for Codex Standard for Processed Fruits and Vegetables (para 103), and
- continue to request comments on proposals for amendments to the Priority List for the Standardization of Processed Fruits and Vegetables for consideration at its next session (para 111 and Appendix VIII).
Download the report from this meeting
Next Meeting
The 25th Session of the Codex Committee on Processed Fruits and Vegetables is scheduled to be held in the United States in 2010. The exact date and location will be confirmed by the host country at a later date.
Download the agenda for this meeting