Function and role of the FAO/WHO expert bodies in activities of the Codex Alimentarius Commission

This paper aims to help understand the function and role of the FAO/WHO expert bodies within the framework of the Codex. For this, it included information on the following three subjects: first, working principles for risk analysis and its system in the Codex; second, present activities of the FAO/WHO expert bodies; third, main principles in developing scientific advice and selection of experts. From the information, it can be easily seen that FAO/WHO and Codex strictly adhere to the following crucial points: there should be a functional separation of risk assessment (conducted by FAO/WHO expert bodies) and risk management (led by the Codex and its subsidiary bodies); the FAO/WHO expert bodies should develop their scientific advice according to the main principles of excellence, independence, transparency, and universality.