ISO Aims Standards at Meeting World Food Day 2008 Challenges of Climate Change, Impacts on Food Security
October 15, 2008 // Published as a news service by IHS
The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) said its international standards on food-related issues and standards targeted at quantifying and mitigating climate change are poised to address World Food Day 2008 challenges of climate change and its impact on food security.
World Food Day is slated for Oct. 16.
ISO said the following environmental standards provide tools for addressing global warming and the consequences of increased demand for bioenergy:
- ISO 14001, which provides a benchmark for environmental management systems.
- ISO 14064, which gives the requirements for quantifying, monitoring and reporting on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
- ISO 14065, which specifies accreditation requirements for organizations validating or verifying GHG emission assertions.
Issues directly related to food are mainly addressed through ISO/Technical Committee (TC) 34, which develops standards on food products. The committee currently offers 725 standards and related documents.
Its work covers agricultural products for human consumption and animal feeding stuffs ranging from fruits to cereals to poultry and coffee. About 65% of its standards concern testing and analytical methods and are targeted at agricultural producers, food manufacturers, laboratories, merchants/retailers, consumers and regulators.
Among recent ISO developments relating to World Food Day are the following:
- A new subcommittee of ISO/TC 34 to develop standards on the topical subject of biomarkers.
- The ISO 22000 series of standards for safe food supply chains, already implemented by an estimated 4,000 organizations in 93 countries at the end of 2007.
- Standards for the detection of genetically modified organisms and derived products in food.
- Guidelines for quantitative ingredient declarations aimed at helping consumers know what they are eating.
- Waste reduction by biotechnological methods and enhancement of the conversion of waste materials for the manufacturing of new added value products.
Other ISO committees develop standards that can contribute to the goals of World Food Day, including ISO/TC 234, a recently formed committee developing standards for sustainable fishing and aquaculture.
Source: International Organization for Standardization (ISO).