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- 05 September 1997 https://www.fwi.co.uk More in News US wants ban on unpasteurised soft cheese - 05 September 1997 >More in News
05 September 1997US wants ban on unpasteurised softcheese
THE US is to push for an international agreement banning trade inunpasteurised soft cheeses on the grounds they can cause food poisoning.
It will play its hand next month at a meeting in Washington of the foodhygiene committee of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, which setsinternational food standards.
It faces opposition from European dairy-exporting countries.Critics of the US action believe there is a hidden agenda. They believe the USis keen to avoid damage to its dairy industry from
any association with apotential food scare.
The issue is due to return to the full Codex commission in 1999, allowing“equivalent” production techniques to pasteurisation. A compromise on cheesewill be likely.
There are fears that Codex makes too many decisions behind closed doors.There are also complaints that its decision-making process is too slow at a timewhen food scares are driving rapid
change in hygiene rules and controls in theEuropean Union and the United States.
Financial Times 05/09/97 page 4
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