Secretary for Environment & Ecology Tse Chin-wan and National Health Commission Vice Minister Lei Haichao opened the 53rd Session of the Codex Committee on Food Additives (CCFA) in Hong Kong today.

Representatives from 51 member countries, one member organisation and 25 international organisations joined the session to discuss food additive standards and regulations. Another 200 participants joined the meeting online.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Mr Tse said it is a great honour for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government to have the opportunity to organise this important event.

Mr Tse reiterated that ensuring food safety has all along been a top priority for the Hong Kong SAR Government, and the CCFA meeting has enabled Hong Kong to contribute to food safety in the international arena.

The session lasts until March 31. Its report with conclusions and recommendations will be submitted to the 46th Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) in November for deliberation and adoption.

As a CAC subsidiary body, the committee is responsible for the use and safety of food additives, as well as establishing regulatory standards for individual food additives that are coherent and practicable.

China has been responsible for organising and chairing the CCFA’s annual session since it was elected as the committee's host country in 2006.

The Centre for Food Safety of the Food & Environmental Hygiene Department assists to organise the current event.