Milk and Milk Products

Graphic: Cheese rounds.

Codex Committee on Milk and Milk Products (Host Government - New Zealand)

The Codex Committee on Milk and Milk Products (CCMMP) is responsible for establishing international codes and standards for milk and milk products.

Existing Codex Standards

Codex Standards on Milk and Milk Products* already adopted into the international food code include:

Milk Standards	Cheese Standards
Butter Cream for Direct Consumption Dried Milk Evaporated Milks Flavoured Yoghurt Milk Fat Products Milk Powders and Cream Powder Products Heat-Treated After Fermentation Sweetened Condensed Milks Whey Powders Yoghurt and Sweetened Yoghurt	Brie Camembert Cheddar Cottage Cheese in Cream Cottage Cheese Coulmmiers Cream Cheese Danbo Edam Emmentaler Extra Hard Grating Cheese Gouda Havarti Names Variety Processed Cheese and Spreadable Processed Cheese Processed Cheese Preparations Provolone Saint Paulin Samsoe Tilsiter Whey Cheeses

* 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 agreed to lift the restriction that the LPS could not be used for milk products intended for international trade and to amend footnote 9 in Appendix A: Microbiostatic Control Measures of the 'Code of Hygienic Practice for Milk and Milk Products' (CAC/RCP 57-2004) by adding: "Any trade in milk treated by the lactoperoxidase system should only be on the basis of mutual agreement between countries concerned, and without prejudice to trade with other countries".

Last Meeting

The Codex Committee on Milk and Milk Products held its 9th Session in Auckland, New Zealand from 1-5 February 2010.
At this meeting the committee recommended:
- To forward the Draft Amendment to the Standard for Fermented Milks (CODEX STAN 243-2003), pertaining to Drinks based on Fermented Milk to the Commission for adoption at Step 8.

The Committee also agreed to forward to the Commission for adoption:
- Updated List of Methods of Analysis and Sampling in Codex Standards for Milk and Milk
Products (see para. 62 and Appendix III);
- Revised Food Additive Listings in Standards for Milk and Milk Products (see para. 74 and Appendix IV);
- Revised Model Export Certificate for Milk and Milk Products (CAC/GL 67-2008) (see para. 95 and Appendix V);
- Revised Section on Contaminants in Standards for Milk and Milk Products (see para. 105).

The Committee agreed to recommend to the Commission the revocation of:
- General Standard for Processe(ed) Cheese and Spreadable Process(ed) Cheese (CODEX STAN 286- 1978);
- General for Processe(ed) Cheese Preparations (Process(ed) Cheese Food and Process(ed) Cheese Spread) (CODEX STAN 287-1978); and
- General Named Variety Processe(ed) Cheese and Spreadable Process(ed) Cheese (CODEX STAN 285- 1978) (see para. 41).

The Committee agreed to discontinue work on the proposed draft Standard for Processed Cheese (see para. 41).

Matters of Interest

Reference to voluntary application of provisions in Codex Commodity standards
The Committee agreed to retain the annexes / appendices in all 13 standards for milk and milk products and to amend their title and the introductory paragraph (see para. 17).

Matters referred to other Committees / Task Forces

Committee on Food Labelling (CCFL)
The Committee agreed that nutrition claims in standards for milk and milk products would not benefit from horizontal guidance developed by CCFL on this matter (see para. 24);

Committee on Food Additives (CCFA)
The Committee agreed to request the CCFA to consider additions/changes to the Class Names and International Numbering System (CAC/GL 36-1989) (see paras 71 and 73); and to provide to the CCFA the clarification concerning lycopenes (see para. 75).

Committee on Food Import and Export Inspection and Certification Systems (CCFICS)
The Committee recommended that the CCFICS take into account the specificities of the Model Export Certificate for Milk and Milk Products in any future revision of the Generic Model Official Certificate (Annex to the Guidelines for Design, Production, Issuance and Use of Generic Official Certificate (CAC/GL 38-2001)) (see para. 94).

Committee on Methods of Analysis and Sampling (CCMAS)
The Committee forwarded recommendations to the CCMAS concerning the revision of the Guidelines on Measurement Uncertainties (see para. 109).

Next Meeting

The Committee agreed to propose to the 33rd Session of the Commission to adjourn the Committee sine die until such a time as the Commission would require it to undertake new work (see para. 111).