Myths and Facts on Codex and WTO

The Codex Alimentarius is the United Nations-based food standard setting organization recognized by the World Trade Organization as the international authority for trade disputes on food safety standards. As such, Codex standards and guidelines could set limits for vitamins and minerals in international trade but not for domestic regulations in any country, unless that country decides to adopt Codex documents as its domestic policy.

For several years the Codex nutrition had debated whether maximums for vitamins and minerals in supplements should be based on the Recommended Dietary Allowances or risk assessment. CRN has strongly supported the risk assessment approach. CRN recognizes that risk assessment could be done incorrectly to give unnecessarily restrictive limits, but points out that RDA-based limits are by definition too restrictive.

At its November 2004 meeting, Codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses (CCNFSDU) promoted the "Vitamin and Mineral Supplement Guideline" to Step 8, ready for Commission approval in July 2005. The guideline requires that limits be identified on the basis of risk assessment, not RDAs. Since the November 2004 meeting, the internet and emails have been flooded with allegations that the World Trade Organization (WTO) is going to "take away your vitamins." The Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN) believes that these claims are inaccurate and offers the following explanation in a "Myth and Fact" format:

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