Experts call for safe food additive applications
ARUSHA: EXPERTS have called for increased investment in scientific capacity and data collection across Africa to ensure that the continent’s context is adequately reflected in international food standard decisions.
This call was made recently in Arusha during a joint meeting organised by the East African Business Council (EABC), the International Union of Food Science and Technology (IUFoST) and the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS).
According to a press statement issued by Mr Patrick Moshi, Communications, PR and Policy Advocacy Officer at the EABC, the meeting aimed to discuss how food regulators can adopt safe and scientifically justified food additive applications.
The meeting focused on the theme, “Effective Regulation through Harmonisation of Food Additive Standards in Africa: The FAO/WHO Risk Assessment Approach as a Sound Basis for Regulatory and Policy Decisions,” and was held during the 25th session of the FAO and WHO Codex Coordinating Committee for Africa (CCAFRICA25).
The event attracted over 150 participants, including industrialists, more than 40 food science students from Makerere University and over 60 delegates from across Northern, Central, Eastern, Western and Southern Africa.
During the event, Professor Samuel Godefroy of IUFoST emphasised the importance of Codex’s ongoing efforts, supported by the FAO/WHO Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA), in guiding food regulators on adopting safe and scientifically grounded food additive applications.
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He also called for increased investment in scientific capacity and data collection across Africa to ensure that the African context is better reflected in international food standard decisions.
CCAFRICA Coordinator and Principal Standards Officer at UNBS, Mr Hakim Mufumbiro, underscored the importance of adhering to Codex standards.
He pointed to food additives as a priority area and highlighted the role of the African Organisation for Standardisation (ARSO), the East African Community (EAC) and Codex in promoting harmonisation through engagement and policy advocacy.
Presenters at the event, including Technical Director at ARSO, Mr Reuben Gisore and Manager of the Food Standards Division at the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS), Mr Peter Mutua emphasised the importance of compliance with agricultural practices and food safety standards for both farmers and consumers.
They referenced WHO data indicating that foodborne illnesses affect 91 million Africans annually, resulting in 137,000 deaths, with 96 per cent of food markets being supplied by domestic sources. ARSO, which comprises 42 of the 54 African states, has harmonised 2,171 standards. Meanwhile, the EAC adheres to Codex Standard 192- 1995 for food additive harmonisation.
However, the use of Codex Notes has occasionally led to ambiguous interpretations among regulators, potentially creating Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs).
