Rome, July 4 (Xinhuanet) -- The 28th session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) started on Monday to adopt a number of new or revised food safety and quality standards that will safeguard the health of consumers worldwide and improve food quality and agricultural trade opportunities.

    The meeting with representatives from more than 100 countries present runs from 4 to 9 July at FAO Headquarters in Rome.

    According to the FAO's statement that one of the draft standards up for consideration, on vitamin and mineral labeling, has sparked controversy recently.

    It is designed to give consumers information about maximum consumption levels for vitamin and mineral food supplements - taking into account the fact that too high an intake of such substances can cause health problems - and to guarantee that the minimum levels of the vitamins and mineral supplements claimed to be present in a product are actually present.

    Codex, a joint Commission of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO), will also consider two new codes of practice covering hygienic practice for meat and minimizing and containing antimicrobial resistance.

    Some 10 individual codes for hygienic meat practices are likely to be replaced by a new science-based meat-hygiene code.

    Both the new codes were prepared in cooperation with the World Organization for Animal Health, the OIE, as well as FAO and WHO, the statement said.

    The Codex meeting will also consider new safety standards for the prevention and reduction of aflatoxin contamination in tree nuts, and is expected to adopt principles for food certification by electronic means, which would ease red tape in international food trading. Enditem