Spices webinar encourages compromise for achieving consensus on saffron and nutmeg
In a preview webinar held on 22 September 2022 ahead of the 6th session of the Codex Committee on Spices and Culinary Herbs (CCSCH), taking place from 26 September to 3 October, Chairperson Dr M.R. Sudharsan, India, said the committee had learnt from its experience of operating virtually and many issues on standards being considered had been resolved by working groups meeting before the plenary sessions. “Now we are more focused, and hope delegates also have gained experience by attending other virtual meetings to help the committee discuss the important issues and make progress,” he said.
With a potentially never-ending workload of over 100 spices and herbs to develop standards for, the committee has grouped products based on the part of the plant from which the spice or herb is derived. Through these groupings and the development of a template it is expected that a series of standards for important spices could be completed in a reasonable amount of time.
The webinar heard from experts leading work on several spices in the Codex Step process including saffron and nutmeg which are close to being recommended for final adoption by the Codex Alimentarius Commission in November 2022 as well as ongoing work on chili peppers and paprika, small cardamom and turmeric. When setting standards for these products trade data and other published data are vital for the committee to be able to elaborate texts based on science, the webinar heard.
“Working virtually there is a time constraint,” said Sudharsan, encouraging delegates to plan their interventions on substantive issues and to be “prepared for some compromises in the interest of achieving consensus and making progress.”
Learn more
Working papers and provisional timetable on the CCSCH6 web pages
Related content
Regional workshop equips countries to generate the science behind Codex pesticide MRLs
How can countries in Asia make sure their most important crops, especially tropical fruits and vegetables, are covered by Codex standards? That question drove a lively and highly interactive Regional Workshop...
Codex strategic plan takes centre stage at the 2026 Shenzhen Food Safety Forum
The 2026 Shenzhen Food Safety Forum took place in Shenzhen (China) on 15 September 2026 under the theme of “Sustainable Food Safety”, in response to the Codex Alimentarius Commission strategic plan 2026–2031...
Codex coordinators prepare for new regional meeting cycle, stress stronger coordination and capacity building
The Codex coordinators met with representatives of the Codex Secretariat, FAO and WHO, to prepare for a new cycle of FAO/WHO coordinating committee meetings, with six regional sessions scheduled between...
.tmb-thb5x4.jpeg?Culture=en&sfvrsn=33d295f8_1)
The 6th Global Conference on Foodborne AMR successfully held in Seoul, highlighting the achievements of the ACT Project
The 6th Global Conference on Foodborne Antimicrobial Resistance (GCFA) was successfully held on 13 May 2026 in Seoul, Republic of Korea. The conference has become an important international platform for...
ACT project to share experiences at the 6th Global Conference on Foodborne AMR
The FAO-implemented Action to support implementation of Codex AMR texts (ACT) project will share its experiences and challenges at the 6th Global Conference on Foodborne Antimicrobial Resistance (GCFA),...
.tmb-thb5x4.jpeg?Culture=en&sfvrsn=de5f6081_1)
ACT / Pakistan strengthens One Health response to foodborne antimicrobial resistance at national conference
Pakistan is stepping up efforts to address foodborne antimicrobial resistance (AMR), one of the most pressing threats to public health, food safety and sustainable agriculture, through a strengthened One...
CTF / New success story from the Maldives shows a strengthened national food safety system
A new Success Story published by WHO and FAO demonstrates how support from the Codex Trust Fund (CTF) has helped the Maldives strengthen its national food safety system and improve its effective participation...
-jpg.tmb-thb5x4.jpeg?Culture=en&sfvrsn=73645107_1)
ACT / Cambodia Strengthens Capacity on Costing and Budgeting for its Multi Sectoral Action Plan on AMR
Siem Reap, Cambodia – 25 February 2025 The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), through the Action to support implementation of Codex AMR texts (ACT) project funded by the Ministry...
-(cropped).tmb-thb5x4.jpeg?Culture=en&sfvrsn=7dba5d40_1)
ACT / Cambodia strengthens feed inspection capacity to combat antimicrobial resistance
Cambodia is stepping up efforts to curb antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in livestock production by improving the skills of its feed inspectors. From 3–5 December 2025, the Food and Agriculture Organization...