Research Chemist/Lead Scientist USDA/ARS Peoria, Illinois, United States
Abstract: Codex Alimentarius is a collection of international food standards aimed at protecting human health and removing barriers to international trade. The Codex Committee on Fats and Oils (CCFO) is responsible for the elaboration of world-wide standards for fats and oils of animal, vegetable, and marine origin. With the rapid increase in the production, international trade, and value of avocado oil, an international standard is needed to ensure the authenticity and purity of avocado oil. The CCFO has undertaken work on a revision to the Codex Standard for Named Vegetable Oils to include a definition and provisions for the chemical and physical characteristics of avocado oil. This includes provisions for fatty acid composition, chemical and physical characteristics, sterol content and composition, as well as tocopherol and tocotrienol content and composition. The draft provisions were agreed upon at the CCFO meeting in 2021, and recently finalized. This talk will provide an overview of the progress of the committee, the current draft provisions, and the upcoming work and data that are needed in order to finalize and adopt avocado oil into the Standard for Named Vegetable Oils.
