The seventh regional Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations/WHO Coordinating Committee for the Near East was held in Beirut, Lebanon, 21–25 January 2013 and focused on regional capacity-building in food standards.
WHO is committed to food safety by recognizing that foodborne diseases significantly affects people’s health and well-being and have economic consequences, not only for individuals but for communities and countries as well.
Chemical hazards represent a significant source of foodborne illness, and that we must recognize the impact that certain ingredients in our food, such as salt and certain types of fat, may have on the development of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). The United Nations Political Declaration resulting from the high-level meeting on prevention and control of NCDs tasked WHO and Member States with developing action plans to reduce exposure to risk factors. Delegations are actively encouraged to work actively within the Codex system, as well as in their national capacities, to promote and adopt standards that contribute to the protection of public health.
