India re-elected to Codex Executive Committee with unanimous backing

New Delhi, Nov 18 (PTI) India has concluded a productive session at the 48th Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC48), securing a unanimous mandate that underscores its commitment to collaborative global food governance with a focus on efficiency, data management, and development of equitable standards, officials said on Tuesday.

The Indian delegation, led by Rajit Punhani, Chief Executive Officer of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), along with representatives from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and technical experts, achieved several key strategic outcomes, the health ministry said in a statement.

The most prominent was the re-election of India to the Executive Committee (CCEXEC) for the Asia region, the statement said.

The unanimous decision by the global membership confirms India's collaborative leadership role until the end of CAC50 (2027), ensuring the technical and trade priorities of the Asian continent are represented at the highest level, it added.

Earlier, at the CCEXEC89 session, India strongly contributed to discussions on Codex efficiency and future challenges. It particularly emphasised the updating and developing databases on food additives, pesticide residues, veterinary drugs, methods of analysis, and contaminants in food, the ministry said.

India also supported the use of modern technologies, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), to improve the efficiency of Codex operations, particularly in relation to document translation, the statement said.

The delegation was active in defending national and regional interests, highlighting the necessity to consider regional data when developing standards. PTI PLB RHL