Proposed draft Regional Standard for Doogh

May 20, 2015, 09:43 AM by System

Doogh is a savory yogurt-based beverage popular in Iran, Afghanistan, Armenia, Iraq, and Syria. It is sometimes carbonated and seasoned with mint.

FAO/WHO Coordinating Committees develop regional standards for food products moving exclusively or almost exclusively in intra-regional trade. In February 2013 the FAO/WHO Coordinating Committee for the Near East began work redrafting the proposed regional standard for Doogh.

In Codex, in order to complete this kind of work, typically a small working group of interested parties is formed. In the case of Doogh, the group worked electronically and the countries involved were Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Jordan and the United States of America. The Codex Observer organisations that took part were the International Dairy Federation and the Association of Yoghurts & Live Fermented Milks.

In the Codex system this group is tasked with the drafting process and for providing comments before the proposed work comes before the Coordinating Committee at its following session (June 1-5 2015 in Rome). Comments can be on the actual need for the standard, on technical aspects, or may relate to the alignment of the proposed draft regional standard with existing standards. For example, in the case of Doogh, the working group looked to insure alignment of this work with the Standard for Fermented Milks where possible.

The proposed text for the draft regional standard can be viewed in the working paper for the meeting (Agenda Item 6).

Harmonising food safety and quality standards across a region improves intra-regional trade and gives countries a stronger, unified voice in the Codex Alimentarius Commission. It allows consumers to purchase foods they know and like with the confidence that they are safe and of good quality.    

At the heart of the Codex mandate are the core values of collaboration, inclusiveness, consensus building and transparency. Governmental and non-governmental, public and private organizations alike play a vital role in ensuring Codex texts are of the highest quality and based on sound science.

Codex would have little authority in the field of international standard setting if it did not welcome and acknowledge the valuable contributions made by observers. Expert technical bodies, industry and consumer associations contribute to the standard-setting process in a spirit of openness, collaboration and transparency.

Intergovernmental organizations (IGOs) and international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) can apply for observer status in Codex in order to attend and put forward their views at every stage of the standard-setting process.

Current Codex Alimentarius Commission

240
Codex Observers
60
IGOs
164
NGOs
16
UN

Proposed draft Regional Standard for Doogh

May 20, 2015, 09:43 AM by System

Doogh is a savory yogurt-based beverage popular in Iran, Afghanistan, Armenia, Iraq, and Syria. It is sometimes carbonated and seasoned with mint.

FAO/WHO Coordinating Committees develop regional standards for food products moving exclusively or almost exclusively in intra-regional trade. In February 2013 the FAO/WHO Coordinating Committee for the Near East began work redrafting the proposed regional standard for Doogh.

In Codex, in order to complete this kind of work, typically a small working group of interested parties is formed. In the case of Doogh, the group worked electronically and the countries involved were Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Jordan and the United States of America. The Codex Observer organisations that took part were the International Dairy Federation and the Association of Yoghurts & Live Fermented Milks.

In the Codex system this group is tasked with the drafting process and for providing comments before the proposed work comes before the Coordinating Committee at its following session (June 1-5 2015 in Rome). Comments can be on the actual need for the standard, on technical aspects, or may relate to the alignment of the proposed draft regional standard with existing standards. For example, in the case of Doogh, the working group looked to insure alignment of this work with the Standard for Fermented Milks where possible.

The proposed text for the draft regional standard can be viewed in the working paper for the meeting (Agenda Item 6).

Harmonising food safety and quality standards across a region improves intra-regional trade and gives countries a stronger, unified voice in the Codex Alimentarius Commission. It allows consumers to purchase foods they know and like with the confidence that they are safe and of good quality.    

Codex and Observer

Food is a sensitive commodity, which has travelled
around the world since ancient times.
We might not always know where it comes from,
but we expect it to be available, safe and of good quality.