For Codex Alimentarius producers

As part of the virtual 32^nd session of the FAO/WHO Regional Coordinating Committee for Europe (CCEURO), on May 19, 2022, FAO/WHO Side Event dedicated to the issues of food fraud has been held. This event was conducted as an outcome of the agreements reached at the 31^st session of CCEURO in Almaty, on enhancing actions and increasing cooperation across sectors and countries and the important role of the Codeх on this issue.

The presentation was made by Carmen Bullon (Representative of the FAO Legal Unit) on the joint work of FAO and the University of California at Los Angeles to develop regulatory strategies to counter food fraud. The panel discussion was attended by representatives of the Directorate General of Health and Food Safety of the European Commission, the Food and Veterinary Agency of North Macedonia, the Directorate General of Food Control of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of the Republic of Turkey, Laboratory of the Government Chemist (LGC) of United Kingdom. On behalf of the RSE «National Center of Expertise» of the CSEC of the Ministry of Healthcare of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Director of the Department for Methodological and Metrological Support M.B. Kantarbaeva have been participated.

All participants emphasized the importance and necessity of forecasting, preventing and controlling food fraud. For these purposes, international cooperation, data exchange, identification of gaps and control of food fraud, including with the use of modern information technologies, are of particular importance for these purposes. In combating food fraud, there is a need to develop a concerted approach to improving legislation against fraud, the use of validated methods and standards to detect fraud and to raise consumer awareness.