CODE OF PRACTICE ON FOOD ALLERGEN MANAGEMENT FOR FOOD BUSINESS OPERATORS CXC 80-2020
Document Location: GMP & GHP - Food Safety Risk Mitigation and GHP
Alternate Name: CXC 80-2020
Date Document Last Updated: 2020
Publisher: Codex Alimentarius
Date Uploaded to Website: June 5, 2024
Overview
CXC 80-2020 discusses the allergenic nature of foods, and presents a code of practice on how to control allergens for food business operators. Allergens need to be managed throughout the food supply chain and the importance of minimizing allergen cross contamination in production processes is highlighted. While many different foods can cause allergic reactions in susceptible individuals, the majority of food allergies on a global basis are caused by a variety of proteins in eight foods/ food groups (and derived products). These are cereals containing gluten (i.e. wheat, rye, barley, oats, spelt or their hybridized strains) crustaceans; eggs; fish; milk; peanuts; soybeans; and tree nuts.
The risk of undeclared allergens to susceptible individuals is highlighted in this document, as is the role of food businesses in following good hygiene and manufacturing practices and implementing standard operating procedures for allergen management and labeling. The document also follows the format of the General Principles of Food Hygiene (CXC 1-1969) and should be used in conjunction with it, as well as with other applicable codes and standards such as the General Standard for Labeling of Prepackaged Foods (CXS 1-1985) and Code of Hygienic Practice for the Transport of Food in Bulk and SemiPacked Food (CXC 47-2001).
Overall, the document aims to highlight risk mitigation strategies that can be implemented to declare, control, and minimize food allergens.