IBFAN attended the 48th Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) in Rome last week, once more raising the need for greater protection of children and due diligence in the scientific process. For the first time Ultra Processed Foods (UPF) were on the Codex agenda, reflecting the growing concern of the harm to human and planetary caused by these products. 

As the new Lancet report states: “UPFs are branded, commercial formulations made from cheap ingredients, with little or no whole food, designed to compete with the other three Nova groups and their preparation as dishes and meals, and maximise corporate profits.”.

As WHO announced its new work on a definition and guidance for UPFs, the Union of Food scientists and Technology (IUFoST) proposed that instead, Codex should take the  lead:  “Given the interconnectedness of health, agriculture, and trade policies, Codex leadership is essential to ensure that food classification systems remain evidence-based, fair, and harmonized at the international level.”   IBFAN, the EU and many countries strongly supported the WHO proposal so the IUFoST proposal was not taken up.  From a consumer perspective, the dual mandate of Codex – both to protect and consumer health and to facilitate fair trade – fundamentally compromises the credibility  of Codex for this task. Over the years the minimal warnings and marketing safeguards in Codex standards have boosted the global trade of these addictive, plastic wrapped products. It is a major challenge for Codex to properly follow a One Health approach and prioritise local food producers and traditional cultures rather than transnational corporations, dominated by a handful of companies such as Nestlé, PepsiCo, Unilever, and Coca-Cola. One thing Codex must do is acknowledge and limit the impact of UPFs on the environment – fossil-fuel-intensive agriculture, mono-cropping, deforestation, land-grabbing. (IBFAN Statement – DAY 3).