The work of a Food Standards Officer

Interview with Patrick Sekitoleko

Just before he left for a meeting in Goa India, we spoke to Patrick about his work as a Food Standards officer in the Codex Alimentarius Secretariat.

Where are you from Patrick?

I come from Uganda

When did you join Codex?

I joined the Codex Secretariat in April 2013.

What is your professional background?

I am a graduate of Food Science and Technology from the University of Ghent Belgium; and I hold a degree in Chemistry from Makerere University, Uganda. I started my career in the food processing Industry as a quality control chemist before joining the Uganda National Bureau of Standards as a Food Standards Officer responsible for supporting the development of food standards in Uganda.

Why did you choose this type of work?

Food standards work focuses on establishing risk management tools that are used by stakeholders (including Governments, Industry and Commerce) to assure safe food for human consumption and also fairness in food trade. Food standards provide a better appreciation of the links that exist between the results of scientific research; the application of the results of science to address the challenge of adequate and wholesome food together with consumer protection.

What did you do before Codex?

Before Joining the Codex Secretariat, I was working with the Government of Uganda at the National Bureau of Standards where I was involved in assisting in coordinating Uganda’s participation in the regional and international standardisation initiatives such as: Codex; ISO; WTO SPS and TBT Committees; the East African Community and The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) standards harmonisation programmes.

What Codex committees are you involved in directly?

I am involved in the Codex Committees on Spices and Culinary Herbs; Fresh Fruits and Vegetables; Nutrition and Food for Special Dietary Uses; and Food Labelling. I also work with the Joint FAO/WHO Regional Coordinating Committees for Africa; for Europe and for Near East.

What do you do in a typical day?

A typical day involves working closely with Governments to ensure that work agreed by the different Committees is undertaken in accordance with the laid down procedures. The work involves monitoring the progress of work done by the different electronic working groups; providing responses on procedural matters and matters related to codex standards; following up on actions or matters as agreed between Committees; drafting Agenda Papers for Committees among others.

What will the spices committee be working on next week?

The Codex Committee on Spices and Culinary Herbs will be holding its 2nd Session in Goa India from the 14-18 September 2015. During the Session the Committee will consider: 4 new draft standards on Black White and Green Pepper (BWG), Cumin, Thyme and Oregano; discuss and prioritise 10 new project proposals submitted by members; Examine the feasibility of grouping spices and culinary herbs with a view to rationalising standardisation in this area. The Committee will also provide answers to the Commission and other subsidiary bodies on questions referred to it.

What have been the highlights of your career so far?

During the past two years, I have been able to fully explore the Codex Food Standardisation system and I have also gained an appreciation of the procedures in place along with the different approaches used by the Codex Committees to elaborate international food standards.

What is so important about Codex?

Codex provides a forum in which different governments negotiate on how best to protect consumers while at the same time promoting international trade through food standardisation. It provides a foundation for ensuring that safe and good food reaches the consumers that need it.

What are the major challenges in Codex?

The main challenges within Codex include limited resources to support the work of Codex in the provision of scientific advice. We also need to guarantee that translation and interpretation services are widely available in all UN working languages. Common regional positions can work towards consensus building and I also think the increased participation of developing countries in the issues under discussion will be extremely important as we move forward.