The 47th session of the Codex Committee on Food Labelling focused on several key items on the agenda that were significant for the coeliac community. These included discussions on food allergen labelling standards, the status of oats as a priority allergen and proposed guidelines regarding the use of precautionary allergen labelling.
Emily Hampton, Coeliac UK’s Head of Food Policy, participated in the session on behalf of the Association of European Coeliac Societies (AOECS). The global gathering, held in Gatineau, Canada, brought together delegates from 49 member countries and 23 observer organisations with the common objective of shaping food labelling standards that prioritize consumer health and ensure fair practices in the global food trade.
CCFL47 concentrated on the Codex General Standard for the Labelling of Prepacked Foods (GSLPF). This standard provides guidance on how food allergens, including cereals containing gluten, should be appropriately labelled on packaging.
A major achievement for our community at CCFL47 was the inclusion of a definition of coeliac disease within the GSLPF. This significant improvement ensures that coeliac disease is acknowledged and taken into consideration by governments and food safety authorities worldwide, promoting a greater understanding of the needs of individuals with coeliac disease.
Status of Oats in Priority Allergen List
The session hosted extensive debates surrounding the status of oats within the existing priority allergen list. A proposal from an expert scientific committee suggested removing oats from the priority allergen list and assigning them to a secondary list. This would grant national authorities the responsibility of determining their allergen status.
The AOECS strongly advocated for retaining oats as a priority allergen given the known high-level contamination of oats with gluten containing cereals. While oats remain on the secondary list going forward, AOECS will be an active part of ongoing discussions on this issue in the future.
Precautionary Allergen Labelling (PAL)
Prior to CCFL47, AOECS expressed concerns regarding the proposed guidelines on precautionary allergen labelling (PAL), which failed to adequately address coeliac disease and the standards for labelling gluten free foods. AOECS successfully secured a comment in the report to ensure that future work on these guidelines takes into account the needs of individuals with coeliac disease and the interaction of PAL with gluten free labelling standards.
The outcomes of CCFL47 reflect substantial progress in improving allergen labelling standards and better protection for consumers with coeliac disease. AOECS will continue to ensure the voices and concerns of the coeliac community are heard in global discussions on food labelling, to ensure a safer environment for individuals with coeliac disease and those following a gluten free diet.
CODEX
Codex, established by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO), serves as the leading international food standards body. It plays a pivotal role in developing guidelines, standards and codes of practice to protect consumer health.