A survey of members found good support for Codex standards, but again concerns about timeliness.
The Codex Alimentarius, or “Food Code”, is a collection of international standards, guidelines and codes of practice adopted by the Codex Alimentarius Commission. The Commission, also known as the CAC, was created to protect consumer health and promote fair practices in the food trade. The first meeting took place in 1963.
The 2024 survey report has been published to help the Codex understand how its members apply standards, guidance and codes of practice.
A total of 134 Codex members participated, representing a 71 percent response rate, up from 69 percent in 2023. All 17 members from the Middle East region attended the event, but only eight of the 14 in North America and the Southwest Pacific contributed. This was due to survey fatigue and poor understanding of the objectives.
More than 80 percent of respondents from low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) and high-income countries (HIC) said the Code's texts met their requirements mostly or completely. Key needs for food safety and quality. Low- and middle-income countries rely on these texts as key references for regulatory development, institutional capacity building, and education.
Regional differences
Satisfaction with the format and structure of texts is high. However, responses from high-income countries show a desire for greater efforts to achieve greater coverage.
The Codex texts are considered authoritative and trustworthy, but HIC respondents were less satisfied with the timeliness of their development. Most respondents reported that they gained new knowledge from the texts. Knowledge acquisition was higher among low- and middle-income countries.
Barriers to the implementation of texts include the lack of local implementation capacity, their voluntary nature, limited resources, technical complexity and development time.
Allan Azegele, Chairman of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, said the findings reflect a commitment to ensuring that Codex standards remain relevant, authoritative and effective in protecting consumer health and promoting fair food trading practices.
“The data collected not only informs our strategic direction, but also strengthens our accountability to members and partners. It is through these science-based approaches that we can better align our work with the changing needs of the global food safety community,” he said.
According to respondents in low- and middle-income countries, Codex texts mostly or fully support domestic food trading standards and access to international markets. LMICs also reported higher levels of use of texts, while HICs used them selectively, often as secondary reference materials rather than primary sources.
Farid El-Haffar, Technical Specialist, said: “The 2024 study results confirm the central role of Codex texts in shaping national food safety systems, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. They also highlight the ongoing need for timely development, effective dissemination and increased stakeholder engagement to maximize the usefulness of Codex standards.”
FAO and WHO updates
In anticipation of the November meeting of the Codex Food Commission, an executive committee meeting was held in July.
Those present heard that FAO's budget adjustments will be presented to the FAO Council in December 2025. A WHO spokesman said the agency was undergoing a major restructuring that included significant budget cuts. However, Codex's work remained a high priority and was part of WHO's core functions. The work of providing scientific advice on food safety and nutrition issues will continue to rely heavily on voluntary contributions.
WHO has prepared an investment case for foodborne disease surveillance, which is being prepared for publication. Reports of meetings on food virus prevention and risk assessment models for Listeria monocytogenes are expected to be available shortly. The full report of the meeting on water quality in agri-food systems and food safety is also expected to be published.
In 2024, the International Food Safety Authorities Network (INFOSAN) was involved in 195 food safety incidents and 179 alerts through September 2025.
FAO and IAEA have prepared a report on tools to combat food fraud in the water sector. It is expected to be published at the end of 2025. Other pending reports concern cell-based foods and precision fermentation, as well as artificial intelligence in food safety.
FAO, IAEA and UNESCO's Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) held an expert meeting on marine biotoxins and harmful algal blooms (HABs) earlier this month in Rome, Italy. The objective of the event was to develop new technical guidance on marine biotoxins and HABs, including aspects such as classification, monitoring and management of production areas, as well as sampling and testing.
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