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Codex Meeting Report, 19 - 24 October 2015

The summary and conclusions of the 34th Session of the Codex Committee on Fish and Fishery Products are as follows:

Matters for adoption by the Commission:

The Committee:

Advanced to Step 8 or 5/8 the sections on processing of: (i) fish sauce (para. 18, Appendix III); (ii) fresh and quick frozen raw scallop products (para. 24, Appendix IV); and (iii) sturgeon caviar (para. 29, Appendix VI)for inclusion in Code of Practice for Fish and Fishery Products (CAC/RCP 52-2003).
Forwarded: (i) sampling plans (para. 8) and amendments to the food additive provisions of several standards for fish and fishery products (para. 56, Appendix VI); (ii) Section 7.4 - Estimation of fish content of the Standard for Quick Frozen Fish Sticks (Fish Fingers), Fish Portions and Fish Fillets – Breaded or in Batter (CODEX STAN 166-1989) (para. 63, Appendix VII); and (iii) Section 11 – Processing of salted and dried salted fish of the Code of Practice for Fish and Fishery Products (CAC/RCP 52-2003) (para. 66a, Appendix VIII).

New work

The Committee agreed to:

Start new work on specific guidance on histamine control in the Code of Practice for Fish and Fishery Products (CAC/RCP 52-2003) and sampling plans for histamine in relevant standards for fish and fishery products (para. 72).

Other matters of interest to the Commission:

The Committee agreed to:

Discontinue work on Appendices 1 - 11 to the Code of Practice for Fish and Fishery Products (para. 66b); and consideration of work on a standard for fresh chilled pirarucú fillet or whole fish (para. 75); and
Suspend physical meetings of the Committee and to continue working by correspondence (paras 80a and 81).

Matters of interest to Other Committees

Committee on Food Additives (CCFA)

The Committee agreed to request CCFA to:

Align the provision of ethylene diamine tetra acetates (INS 385-386) in food category 9.4 of the GSFA with that of the Standard for Canned Shrimps or Prawn (CODEX STAN 37-1981) (para. 56b, i); and
Revise the text of Note 299 of the GSFA (para. 56b, ii).

Committee on Methods of Analysis and Sampling (CCMAS)

The Committee agreed to:

Include the sampling plans in the relevant standards for fish and fishery products proposed by CCMAS except for the sampling plans for parasites (para. 8); and
Propose CCMAS consider improving the user-friendliness of making the General Guidelines on Sampling (CAC/GL 50-2004) (para. 9).

Matters for FAO

The Committee requested FAO to:

Develop a table of nitrogen factors for the chemical analysis method in Section 7.4 of the Standard for Quick Frozen Fish Sticks (Fish Fingers), Fish Portions and Fish Fillets – Breaded or in Batter (CODEX STAN 166-1989); and
Develop a uniform procedure for sampling and analysis to conduct nitrogen factors (para. 63b).