Govt to review food law...
(N.Z. Press Association} : WELLINGTON, j January 13. | The Government had decided to review New', Zealand food law in the light of international: Codex standards, said the Minister of Health (Mr McGuigan) today. “The review is intended: to ensure that food, standards in this country pro-1 tect consumers to the maxi-: mum practicable degree, and as a back-up to our export:
! trade,” Mr McGuigan said. ; Codex standards reprejsented the best which were : reasonably possible within existing techniques of pro- ■ duction and were a more ,'ideveloped concept of consumer protection than now 'embodied in New Zealand; food law, he said. The review would be made by the Food Standards Committee, in consultation I with manufacturers and I.other parties concerned. The committee comprises experts ■ appointed to advise the Minister on all matters relating ; to food standards. ’ Mr McGuigan said that, in [many respects, there were i already close correlations between the New Zealand and j Codex standards. General legislation on food hygiene complied with or was better /than Codex codes. COMMISSION l ( Some food legislation and 'standards, however, would need to be brought into ■ 'line if Codex requirements
were to be accepted. This could not be done immediately and would probably extend over some years. Codex standards and principles are laid down by the Codex Alimentarius Commission, set up in 1962 by (the Food and Agriculture Organisation and the World Health Organisation. New Zealand has been a member of the commission since its inception and has taken part in all 10 sessions held so far. This country has also participated in the work of most of the subsidiary bodies and is host to the Codex committee on meat hygiene. The commission’s objectives are to eliminate or reduce differences in food standards between countries, to protect the interests of (consumers, and to ensure fair practices in the food trade.
Membership does not oblige New Zealand to accept any Codex standard.
It may do so, either in full or with specified deviations, or not.
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Bibliographic details
Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33741, 14 January 1975, Page 2
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334Govt to review food law... Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33741, 14 January 1975, Page 2
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