Codex Vitamin and Mineral Supplement Guidelines adopted in the Codex Commission session in Rome this summer leave little doubt that nutrition - that is, sufficiency of nutrients for individual good health - is not one of the priorities of this international organisation charged with developing food standards and food hygiene rules. The Codex Nutrition and Special Foods Committee hosted by Germany has come up with a rather bland document, but the effects - as is often the case - will be seen only years down the road - when other, secondary pieces of the legislation are in place, such as a "risk assessment" on the supposed dangers of vital nutrients.

There was a brief moment of hope I had also reported on at the time as it seemed that some comments in the Rome Codex session were indicating a more nutrition-friendly approach as a definite possibility. While it would be good to see such a change, it seems that much of the elation was based on misinterpretation of what was actually said.

The Rath Foundation has posted a well researched account of what actually transpired. There seems to be little likelyhood for a new and more nutrition-friendly approach of Codex any time soon.