​The 53rd Session of the Codex Committee on Food Additives (CCFA) opened in Hong Kong today (March 27) and the Centre for Food Safety of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department assists to organise the event. It is the second time for the CCFA meeting to be held in Hong Kong since China started serving as the host country of the CCFA in 2006. The previous CCFA meeting held in Hong Kong was the 46th Session in 2014.
      
     The 53rd Session of the CCFA takes place from today to March 31 at the Regal Airport Hotel. Vice Minister of the National Health Commission Mr Lei Haichao, and the Secretary for Environment and Ecology of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), Mr Tse Chin-wan, officiated and addressed the opening ceremony of the session today.
      
     Speaking at the opening ceremony, Mr Lei emphasised the significance of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC), highlighting its role in protecting consumer health in different nations and fostering the global food trade. He stated that China, as the CCFA's host country, has successfully hosted 15 committee meetings and is dedicated to working with all stakeholders to continuously improve the Codex General Standard for Food Additives. He thanked the HKSAR for its assistance in organising this world-class event, and hoped to strengthen and foster exchanges and co-operation between the Mainland and Hong Kong on improving food safety management. Mr Tse said it is a great honour for the HKSAR Government to have the opportunity to organise this important event. He also reiterated that ensuring food safety has all along been a top priority for the HKSAR Government, and the CCFA meeting has enabled Hong Kong to contribute to food safety in the international arena.
      
     Representatives from 51 member countries and one member organisation (the European Union) as well as 25 international organisations worldwide have participated in this year's session to have in-depth discussions and exchanges on various issues in relation to the General Standard for Food Additives and other matters connected with the safety regulations of food additives. In addition, about 200 more participants joined the meeting online.
      
     Upon completion of the session, the Report of the 53rd Session of the CCFA including conclusions and recommendations will be submitted to the 46th Session of the CAC for deliberation and adoption in November this year.
      
     The CCFA, as a subsidiary body of the CAC, is responsible for the use and safety of food additives, as well as establishing regulatory standards for individual food additives that are coherent and practicable, and have a scientific foundation for adoption by its member countries and organisations. The CAC, established jointly by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the World Health Organization, develops food safety standards, codes of practice, and guidelines that have become global reference points for consumers, food producers and processors, national food control agencies, and the international food trade.
      
     China has been responsible for organising and chairing the annual session of the CCFA since it was elected as the host country of the CCFA in 2006.

Ends/Monday, March 27, 2023
Issued at HKT 16:00

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