Codex Alimentarius
The Codex Alimentarius Commission was established in 1963 by the World Health Organization and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations to develop international food standards to protect consumer health and to facilitate fair trading practices in foods. Today, there are 185 member governments including Canada. Canada's participation in Codex is coordinated through the Office of the Codex Contact Point for Canada, located in the Food and Nutrition Directorate, Health Products and Food Branch of Health Canada.
The Codex Program in Canada is managed by an interdepartmental Committee consisting of senior officials from Health Canada (including the Veterinary Drugs Directorate), the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, the Pest Management Regulatory Agency, Global Affairs Canada and Agriculture and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.