Proposed draft Regional Standard for Doogh

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.