substance performs a technological function in the food. See the definition of the term aid’ in clause 1 of that Standard. ‘processing The irreversible fixing or altering the colour of the flesh in fish flesh is a technological function. As such, Standard 1.3.3 does not permit the use of carbon monoxide as a processing aid to fix or alter the colour of the flesh of the fish as a final food. 2.2.2 Standard 1.3.1 Standard 1.3.1 regulates food additives. The Standard provides that a substance that is a food additive cannot be added to food unless the substance is listed in that Standard. A food additive is defined by the Code to include – a substance not normally consumed as a food in itself and not normally used as an ingredient of food, but which is intentionally added to a food to achieve one or more of the technological functions specified in Schedule 5. Schedule 5 of Standard 1.3.1 specifies colouring (i.e. adds or restores colour to foods) and colour fixative (i.e. stabilises, retains or intensifies an existing colour of a food) as technological functions. Unlike a processing aid, a food additive can perform a technological function in a final food. is no permission listed in Standard 1.3.1 for carbon monoxide to be used as a food additive. As such, the Code does not currently permit the use of carbon monoxide as a food additive to fix or the colour of the flesh of the fish as a final food. 2.2.3 International standards Codex Alimentarius does not list carbon monoxide as a food additive, and in the Codex Inventory of Processing Aids, carbon monoxide is only listed as minor component of a combustion product gas. The use of carbon monoxide to treat fish is undertaken in some Asian countries. The treatment of fish with carbon monoxide gas is not permitted in countries/regions, such as USA (see Acheson, D (2007) for the USA position), Singapore, Canada, the European Union (EU) and Japan. 2.3 Reasons for preparing the Proposal The Proposal was prepared following requests by regulators and some in industry for regulatory certainty. That is, to clarify the Code’s existing prohibition on the use of the carbon monoxide treatment in order to fix or alter the colour of fish. 2.4 Procedure for assessment The Proposal was assessed under the General Procedure.
substance performs a technological function in the food. See the definition of the term ‘processing aid’ in clause 1 of that Standard. The irreversible fixing or altering the colour of the flesh in fish flesh is a technological function. As such, Standard 1.3.3 does not permit the use of carbon monoxide as a processing aid to fix or alter the colour of the flesh of the fish as a final food. 2.2.2 Standard 1.3.1 Standard 1.3.1 regulates food additives. The Standard provides that a substance that is a food additive cannot be added to food unless the substance is listed in that Standard. A food additive is defined by the Code to include – a substance not normally consumed as a food in itself and not normally used as an ingredient of food, but which is intentionally added to a food to achieve one or more of the technological functions specified in Schedule 5. Schedule 5 of Standard 1.3.1 specifies colouring (i.e. adds or restores colour to foods) and colour fixative (i.e. stabilises, retains or intensifies an existing colour of a food) as technological functions. Unlike a processing aid, a food additive can perform a technological function in a final food. is no permission listed in Standard 1.3.1 for carbon monoxide to be used as a food additive. As such, the Code does not currently permit the use of carbon monoxide as a food additive to fix or the colour of the flesh of the fish as a final food. 2.2.3 International standards Codex Alimentarius does not list carbon monoxide as a food additive, and in the Codex Inventory of Processing Aids, carbon monoxide is only listed as minor component of a combustion product gas. The use of carbon monoxide to treat fish is undertaken in some Asian countries. The treatment of fish with carbon monoxide gas is not permitted in countries/regions, such as USA (see Acheson, D (2007) for the USA position), Singapore, Canada, the European Union (EU) and Japan. 2.3 Reasons for preparing the Proposal The Proposal was prepared following requests by regulators and some in industry for regulatory certainty. That is, to clarify the Code’s existing prohibition on the use of the carbon monoxide treatment in order to fix or alter the colour of fish. 2.4 Procedure for assessment The Proposal was assessed under the General Procedure.