The Codex Alimentarius Commission

This chapter provides an overview of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC), an international body established to develop food safety standards that protect consumer health and ensure fair practices in global food trade. The chapter outlines the dual objectives of the CAC: promoting health by setting science-based food safety benchmarks and fostering trade harmonization to prevent discriminatory practices. It details the organizational structure of the CAC, which consists of the Commission, the Executive Committee, subsidiary committees, expert scientific bodies and national contact points. The standard-setting process is a multi-step procedure involving risk assessment, stakeholder consultation and member state review before final adoption by consensus or majority vote. While the standards lack formal binding force, their quasi-binding status supports international trade compliance under WTO law. The chapter highlights the collaborative framework for balancing science, trade and health priorities in efforts to create globally harmonized standards for food safety and quality.