The virtual 44th session of the Codex Committee on Methods of Analysis and Sampling (CCMAS) has concluded with the adoption of the report and the hope on the part of the Committee Chairperson, Dr Attila Nagy, that CCMAS45 – planned for March 2026 – will meet physically in Budapest. In addition to expressing his hopes for next year, the Committee Chairperson wound up the session with thanks to the many people who worked behind the scenes to make this meeting a success.

Over the course of the Session, CCMAS44 worked through a comprehensive agenda. Starting with work to endorse methods of analysis provisions and sampling plans in Codex standards, the Committee agreed on all agenda items, which included provisions referred the FAO/WHO Coordinating Committee for Africa, the Codex Committee on Food Additives, and the Codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses.    

As part of its ongoing work to ensure that the Recommended methods of analysis and sampling (CXS 234-1999), known by its reference number simply as “234”, the single refence for methods in Codex remains up to date and current, the Committee then considered reviews of its fruit juices workable package and cocoa products and chocolate workable package. Some analytical methods for determining the quality of fruit juices and nectars are to be forwarded to CAC48 for endorsement and revocation as agreed, while others, without numerical provisions, especially for determination of authenticity of fruit juices and nectars will undergo further consideration by an expert group. It was agreed to establish an expert group under the leadership of the International Fruit and Vegetable Juice Association (IFU), which committed to ensuring “a diverse but focused group of global experts”, which would “be international and diverse but limited in size to maintain effectiveness” to assist CCMAS in its further review work. The Committee agreed on methods for a range of cocoa products and chocolate categories, although some have been referred back to the electronic working group for further review. CCMAS44 also agreed to start the review of methods in the sugars and honey workable package.

Regarding sampling plans, the Committee agreed to publish the information document that has been in development over several sessions and that will provide further information on the sampling plans

referred to in the General guidelines on sampling (CXG 50-2004) and includes apps for the design and evaluation of sampling plans. The review of sampling plans in “234” saw agreement to continue development of discussion papers related to the review and to the development of sampling plans for bulk materials/heterogenous lots, including mycotoxins.

The Committee also agreed on numeric performance criteria for the determination of nitrate and nitrite ions in food matrices to support work in the Codex Committee on Food Additives and will continue with work on methods for precautionary allergen labelling to support the work of the Codex Committee on Food Labelling.

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CCMAS44 webpage