Codex Committee on Spices and Culinary Herbs (CCSCH)

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Context

• The 7th session of the Codex Committee on Spices and Culinary Herbs (CCSCH) was held at Kochi.

Codex Committee on Spices and Culinary Herbs (CCSCH)

Establishment and Host Country:

• The CCSCH was established as one of the Commodity Committees under the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) in 2013.

• The Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC), jointly established by FAO and WHO, is an international, intergovernmental body with membership of over 194 countries, which is based in Rome and is tasked with formulating internationally accepted standards pertaining to human food. 
• India has been the host country for CCSCH since its inception.

Purpose and Mandate:

• The committee operates under the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC), which is jointly established by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO).
• CCSCH focuses on formulating internationally accepted standards related to spices and culinary herbs.

Organizational Structure:

• The Spices Board India serves as the Secretariat organization for CCSCH.
• The committee conducts its sessions in different member countries.

CAC Standards

• The standards of CAC are recognized by the WTO as  international reference points for the resolution of trade disputes concerning food safety and consumer protection.
• The standards developed by the Committees under the CAC, including the CCSCH, are voluntary in nature, which the member countries of the CAC adopt and use as reference standards to align their national standards.
• The works of CAC contribute to harmonization of food standards across the globe, facilitate fair global trade in food, and enhance food safety to safeguard the health of global consumers.

Sessions and Achievements:

• The committee holds periodic sessions to discuss and finalize standards for spices and culinary herbs.
• CCSCH7, for example, was recently held in Kochi, where it achieved significant results, finalizing quality standards for spices such as small cardamom, turmeric, juniper berry, allspice, and star anise.

READ: https://www.iasgyan.in/daily-current-affairs/spices-statistics-at-a-glance-2021

PRACTICE QUESTION Q. Discuss the significance and challenges of the spices sector in India. Examine the role of the Codex Committee on Spices and Culinary Herbs (CCSCH) in shaping international standards for spices and herbs. How can India leverage its position as the host country for CCSCH to enhance its global standing in the spice industry?