What is Codex Alimentarius?

Codex Alimentarius "Codex Alimentarius," which refers to a set of strict regulations covering all aspects of food, is Latin for "food code" or "food regulations." This collection of food rules in Europe dates back to standards enacted between 1897 and 1911 by the Austro-Hungarian Empire. They were used as a legal reference by the courts, although the Codex Alimentarius itself had no legal standing. Modern Codex regulations are prepared by the Codex Alimentarius Commission (herein referred to as "Codex"), which works with the EU and UN in an attempt to regulate every aspect of food production, packaging, preparation, preservation, and presentation of food "from farm to fork." Codex also attempts to regulate supplemental nutrients. It even goes so far as to eliminate "organic produce" standards (through dilution)! Codex's reach Because the U.S. is a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO), and because the WTO and other treaty agreements require the United States to adhere to Codex standards, any changes approved in Europe, and implemented in the EU-dominated Codex meetings, could subject the United States to WTO-enforced trade sanctions. Codex will control: 1. Vitamins, minerals and nutrients, 2. Genetically modified organisms, 3. Toxic residues, 4. Antibiotics, drugs, growth stimulants, and other hormones in food animals, 5. Organic foods, and 6. Irradiation of food.