India Advocates for Global Harmonisation of Probiotic Food Guidelines at Codex Committee Meeting

India has called for unified guidelines for probiotic foods and supplements, considering recent scientific developments. The country participated in the 44th session of the Codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses (CCNFSDU) in Dresden, Germany, from 2nd to 6th October 2024. During this event, India shared insights on nutrient reference values for children aged 6-36 months and supported creating harmonised guidelines for probiotics.

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Probiotic Guidelines and Global Support

India played a crucial role in advocating for updated probiotic guidelines, noting that existing FAO/WHO documents are outdated by two decades. Countries like Canada, Chile, and New Zealand supported India's perspective. India stressed that the lack of international harmonisation in probiotic regulations could hinder global trade. The committee agreed to revisit these guidelines and requested FAO and WHO to review documents from 2001 and 2002 on probiotics.

Nutrient Reference Values and Sweetness Testing

India proposed that the combined NRV-R value for children aged 6-36 months should be calculated by averaging values from two age groups: 6-12 months and 12-36 months. This suggestion was accepted by the committee. In discussions about carbohydrate sweetness in follow-up formulas, India opposed the EU's proposal for sensory testing due to insufficient scientific validation for national legislation.

Support from International Delegates

The United States, Canada, and other countries backed India's stance on discontinuing the topic of sensory testing. It was noted that ISO 5495 or other methods could still be used without a harmonised method. Delegates from India's Food Safety and Standards Authority, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, and Ministry of Women and Child Development supported India's positions on food safety, consumer health, and trade issues.

During the session, FAO/WHO announced plans for a joint statement on Healthy Diet Principles. They also shared updates on reviewing the benefits and risks of Alternative Animal Source Foods (A-ASFs). Additionally, FAO introduced a new Food and Diet domain on its FAOSTAT database. India's contributions were officially included in the final report, marking a significant impact on global food safety and nutrition standards.