b'P residentsn oteASPARTAME, PESTICIDES, AND NEW CODEX LEADERSHIPLooming on the Horizon is also a Scheme toRegulate Supplements GloballyBY SCOTT C. TIPS, NHF PRESIDENTdards being discussed for aspartame, On my way to Geneva. pesticide residues, and the new work proposed by India to set global stan-dardsfordietarysupplements.Of those three, the aspartame food stan-dard setting an Acceptable Daily In-take (ADI) for the sweetener came up for discussion first.Aspartame Food StandardLets be clear. To most of the Codex delegates, the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) is a science God, and they continually genuflect at its altar. And any heretic who dares to question JECFA science risksexcommunication,oratleast U nderovercastskiesbutwho spent the first part of his speechpublichumiliation.Ataminimum, withgroup-thinkrampantatthese meetings, anyone challenging JECFA with Winters icy grip notbeating the tired old drum of climatescience has got to be mad. So, being yetpresent,the47thses- change. After the speech-making, themad, I challenged the JECFA risk as-sion of the Codex Alimen- rest of the meeting followed its famil- sessments on aspartame, both of which tarius Commission (CAC) met for sixiar pattern of being well-run and onstate that consuming aspartame up to daysfromNovember25-30,2024,inschedule as Mr. Wearne methodicallythe level of 40 mg/kg of body weight Geneva, Switzerland at the CICG hall.took the assembled delegates throughis perfectly safe.CACChairmanSteveWearnepre- one agenda item after another. Numer- NHF submitted a Conference Room sided over his last meeting as he wasous food standards were consideredDocument (CRD 47) on aspartame and unfortunatelytermedoutafterthreeand either adopted or else advancedalso, when the time came, asked for years and could not remain Chairmanup the eight-step process towards finalthe floor to emphasize its opposition any longer despite the wishes of mostadoption. to aspartame as a toxic food additive. delegations there. TheNationalHealthFederationNHF also challenged the objectivity of The meeting began on Monday, No- (NHF)in attendance at these Com- the JECFA risk assessment panel, given vember 25th, with several speeches,mission meetings for over two decadesthat 6 of its 13 members had connec-the first of which was by WHO Di- asaCodex-accreditedINGOwastions with a food industry front group rector-GeneralTedrosGhebreyesus,primarily interested in the food stan- founded by a Coca-Cola executive. 6 H ealtHF reedomN ews /w iNter2024'