Updated: The content was reviewed against the WHO page cited at the time of editing. Information on the source page may be updated over time.
What role does WHO play in international food safety standards?
When F&B businesses monitor changes in food regulations, the common question is not only “which standards are currently being applied”, but also what scientific basis lies behind those standards. According to WHO, the Standards and Scientific Advice on Food and Nutrition unit leads the organisation’s work on developing international standards in the fields of food safety and nutrition.
This unit provides scientifically based food safety risk assessments, together with evidence-based guidance on foodborne hazards, nutritional requirements and policy recommendations. For gelato and F&B businesses, this is an important perspective for understanding why international food safety standards are not merely a set of operational requirements, but are also based on the risk assessment processes of specialist bodies.
The information was cross-checked against WHO’s Standards and Scientific Advice on Food and Nutrition page at the time of editing.
How do the WHO/FAO committees provide a scientific basis?
Four expert groups and their assessment areas
WHO works with FAO to oversee several joint committees and expert meetings. Each group focuses on a different area of assessment, rather than handling all food safety issues in the same way.
| Expert group | Scope stated by WHO |
|---|---|
| JECFA | Food additives |
| JMPR | Pesticide residues |
| JEMRA | Microbial risk assessment |
| JEMNU | Nutrition |
Based on the work of these groups, WHO describes the development of scientific risk assessments intended to determine safe exposure levels for certain chemicals and microorganisms in food, while also supporting the development of standards relating to nutrition. This describes the system’s scientific role, not specific legal guidance for each product or market.
The scopes of JECFA, JMPR, JEMRA and JEMNU are presented in WHO’s technical information on the WHO/FAO committees.
From risk assessment to Codex standards
The relationship between scientific advice and standards development
One notable point in WHO’s information is the relationship between scientific advice and standards development. WHO states that scientific advice from the joint WHO/FAO committees provides the basis for the Codex Alimentarius Commission to develop international standards on food safety and quality.
The same source also states that these scientific assessments and forms of advice provide a basis for food safety standards development in many member countries. In other words, Codex and national standards systems may use this scientific assessment foundation when developing standards; this article does not equate international standards with mandatory regulations in every country.
For people researching market news or following F&B industry news, this distinction helps avoid the assumption that scientific information from WHO automatically replaces local regulations. A business’s specific obligations still need to be checked against the relevant market, product and authoritative documents.
What should gelato and F&B businesses monitor?
People who are new to opening a shop often ask where to start when terms relating to standards and risk assessment appear in industry news. Within the scope of the available sources, the cautious answer is to begin by understanding how WHO divides the expert groups and the relationship between scientific assessment, Codex and national standards development.
- Distinguish scientific sources from legal requirements: risk assessments and scientific advice provide a reference basis for standards development, but are not compliance guidance for every establishment.
- Identify the relevant area of concern: food additives, pesticide residues, microbial hazards and nutrition are organised by WHO/FAO into different areas of expertise.
- Read news through the chain of links: when a standard is mentioned, check whether it is a Codex standard or a regulation of a specific market, rather than relying solely on the WHO name.
- Ask questions that fit the business activity: businesses can continue to consult F&B business guidance and Gelato knowledge, but should not regard this article as legal advice or a food safety procedure.
What this article cannot conclude
Limits of the general information
The accepted sources only describe the role of WHO, the joint WHO/FAO committees and the relationship between scientific advice and Codex, as well as standards development in many countries. The sources do not provide a list of specific requirements for a gelato product, recipe, storage conditions, shelf life, limit levels for individual substances or control procedures at the shop.
Therefore, the article does not draw any conclusion as to whether a specific product or facility has met any particular standard. When assessing compliance, businesses should identify the relevant market and consult the appropriate official documents rather than infer conclusions from WHO’s general information.
Market insights for F&B professionals
WHO’s role in this system is worth following because it shows how international food safety standards are connected with scientific assessments of chemicals, microbiology and nutrition. For the gelato and F&B community, understanding the WHO/FAO–expert committee–Codex chain can help people read market news more objectively, especially when distinguishing between the scientific basis and practical implementation requirements.
This is guidance based on the WHO sources cited in the article and reviewed against the information currently published by WHO at the time of editing. Information on specific regulations, certification, product documentation or operational controls should be considered separately according to the relevant legal context.
References
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