LANGUAGE:
International Baby Food Action Network – IBFAN
IBFAN and ENCA at CCCF19: stronger safeguards for vulnerable populations
CCCF19 – At the 19th Codex Committee on Contaminants in Foods in Cairo, IBFAN and ENCA called for effective conflict of interest safeguards, independent public oversight and stronger protection for foods marketed for mothers, infants and young children.
19-23 October 2026 – Cairo, Egypt
Webcast
DAY 0 – Side events: English
DAY 1 – Plenary session: Arabic, English, French, and Spanish
DAY 2 – Plenary session: Arabic, English, French, and Spanish
DAY 3 – Plenary session: Arabic, English, French, and Spanish
DAY 4 – No plenary session
DAY 5 – Adoption of the Report: Arabic, English, French, and Spanish
The 19th Session of the Codex Committee on Contaminants in Foods (CCCF19) was held in Cairo, Egypt, with in-person and remote participation.
IBFAN was represented in person by Dr Ghada Sayed, while Patti Rundall represented ENCA online. Their joint comments were published by Codex as Conference Room Document CF19/CRD52.
IBFAN and ENCA overarching concerns
CRD52 addresses agenda items 3, 4.2, 10, 14 and 18.
IBFAN and ENCA state that their overarching concerns relate to the global food system in general and, in particular, to vulnerable populations and products marketed for mothers, infants and young children.
The document states that Multi-Stakeholder Initiatives inevitably prioritise trade interests over public and planetary health needs, increasing the importance of One Health principles.
IBFAN and ENCA call on Member States to take particular care over terminology, especially when referring to “Partnerships” and “Stakeholders”. They also call for Competent Authorities and National Food Safety Authorities to adopt effective conflict of interest safeguards that enable due diligence in the monitoring, detection and prevention of contamination.
CRD52 states that references to “partnerships” in oversight and verification mechanisms risk undue corporate influence on policy-setting, accountability mechanisms, independent monitoring and assessments.
The document also states that the partnership model promotes self-regulation rather than the adoption of regulations, international codes, conventions and treaties, and reduces the role of national governments as primary actors in the protection of public health.
The term “stakeholder” is also identified as problematic because it refers to individuals, groups or organisations with a vested interest in the success, failure or operation of a business, project or policy.
Products marketed for vulnerable populations
CRD52 highlights recent large-scale recalls of commercial formula products contaminated with spore-forming and toxin-producing bacteria. These recalls have eroded parents’ trust in commercial food systems and caused widespread fear and anxiety among families.
The document identifies systemic failures in formula production, regulatory surveillance, recall systems and crisis communication. It calls for consistent, regular, independent and transparent regulatory oversight of manufacturing facilities.
Risks increase when food systems depend on a small number of corporations and when a single ingredient from a single supplier is distributed globally to more than 130 countries.
Cross-border online promotion increases dependency on commercial products beyond actual need. The circulation of contaminated products in countries where they may not be registered also makes tracking and tracing more difficult.
Families in the Global South and in emergency contexts face the most severe risks, particularly where testing, detection, treatment and access to safe alternatives are severely limited.
IBFAN and ENCA call for
legislation in all Member States that fully implements the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes and subsequent relevant World Health Assembly resolutions and prohibits idealising and misleading marketing;
effective conflict of interest safeguards and due diligence in the monitoring, detection and prevention of contamination;
a One Health approach and recognition of the Triple Planetary Crisis: Climate Change, Biodiversity Loss, Pollution and Waste;
greater government oversight, transparency and independent oversight of food systems;
mandatory inspections of manufacturing facilities, with the findings made public;
enforceable sanctions;
protection and support for whistle-blowers;
timely and accurate information for health workers, parents and carers, together with monitoring systems whose results are publicly available;
dedicated resources for low-income and emergency-affected populations;
investigation and sanctions for companies that delay recalls, withhold information or mislead consumers across borders; and
the exclusion of foods for infants and young children from flexible labelling in the implementation of emergency preparedness policies.
Issues highlighted at CCCF19
Agenda item 4.2: matters of interest arising from other international organisations, including WTO/SPS and STDF, and concerns relating to public-private partnerships;
Agenda item 7: revision of the Code of Practice for the reduction of aflatoxin B1 in raw materials and supplemental feedingstuffs for milk-producing animals;
Agenda item 10: a proposal for a JECFA call for data on total aflatoxins in cereals and cereal-based foods, including foods for infants and young children;
Agenda item 11: review of the Code of Practice for the reduction of acrylamide in foods; and
Agenda item 14: development of guidelines on the safe use of recycled plastics in food packaging.
Outcomes reported by Codex
The official Codex summary states that CCCF19 completed three texts for submission to the Codex Alimentarius Commission for final adoption:
a new Code of Practice to prevent and reduce tropane alkaloid contamination in food and feed;
revisions to the Code of Practice on weed control to prevent and reduce pyrrolizidine alkaloid contamination in food and feed; and
revisions to the Code of Practice for the reduction of aflatoxin B1 in raw materials and supplemental feedingstuffs for milk-producing animals.
For total aflatoxins, the Committee agreed that the JECFA Secretariat should issue a call for data to assess the need and feasibility of revising existing Maximum Levels and establishing new Maximum Levels for certain cereals and cereal-based foods, including foods for infants and young children.
The Committee also agreed to submit three new work proposals to the Codex Alimentarius Commission:
revision of the Code of Practice for the reduction of acrylamide in foods;
development of a Code of Practice to prevent and reduce ochratoxin A contamination in dried fruits; and
development of guidelines on the safe use of recycled plastics in food packaging
CCCF19
Codex Committee on Contaminants in Foods
Information Notes for Delegates
For more information, visit the official website at CCCF19
Source: FAO, accessed on 29.10.2026
