Similar to many Small Island Developing States, Mauritius predominantly imports the majority of the food consumed by its population while also relying on the export of certain local food products for economic stability. As a result, ensuring the safety of food imports and the competitiveness of exports is essential for the country. Recently, the Ministry of Agro-Industry and Food Security, along with WHO Mauritius, organized a workshop aimed at aligning the country’s food legislation with Codex standards. This initiative offers significant benefits for both public health and trade opportunities.
Through the Building Codex Mauritius project, the country is actively working to increase its participation in the standards-setting negotiations of the Codex Alimentarius Commission. Supported by the Codex Trust Fund and WHO Mauritius, this initiative has already achieved several significant results, such as the creation of a national Codex procedural manual, the establishment of a Codex Mauritius website, and the training of important decision-makers in Codex negotiations.
According to Dr. Anne Ancia, the WHO Representative, the harmonization of standards represents a “logical next step in Building Codex Mauritius.” The four-day workshop gathered nearly 60 participants from both the public and private sectors, leading to the formation of 19 thematic e-working groups. These groups are responsible for reviewing existing food standards, comparing them to Codex standards and those implemented in various developed and developing nations, and drafting new national food standards to be submitted to the Mauritius Food Standards Agency.
Given the extensive scope of the Codex Alimentarius, which includes approximately 15,000 food standards, the e-working groups will prioritize their tasks by first addressing the most consumed food items and those that pose the highest potential risks.
Indoomatee Ramma, Principal Research Scientist at the Food and Agricultural Research and Extension Institute, highlights the critical need to ensure the safety of imported food products. “Our job is to highlight where there are gaps so that we can develop the necessary standards. If not, we risk becoming a dumping ground. For the safety of the population, we are looking at what exists already, what needs to be improved upon (based on other internationally recognized standards), and the new standards that need to be developed.”
Source: https://www.afro.who.int/countries/mauritius/news/mauritius-puts-food-safety-high-menu