Question

Given below are two statements, one is labelled as Assertion (A) and other one labelled as Reason (R).
Assertion (A): The Codex Alimentarius Commission was established in the year 1963 by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and World Health Organization (WHO) of the United Nations.
Reason (R): It was developed to harmonized international food standards, guidelines and codes of practice to protect the health of consumers and ensure fair trade practices in the food trade.
In light of the above statements, choose the correct answer from the options given below.

• A. Both (A) and (R) are true and (R) is the correct explanation of (A).
• B. Both (A) and (R) are true but (R) is NOT the correct explanation of (A).
• C. (A) is true but (R) is false.
• D. (A) is false but (R) is true.

Hint:

Codex standards are not legally binding themselves, but they are used as the benchmark for food safety by the World Trade Organization (WTO) under the SPS Agreement.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
The Codex Alimentarius (Latin for "Food Code") is a collection of internationally recognized standards, codes of practice, and guidelines relating to food, food production, and food safety. It is the global reference point for consumers, food producers, and international trade regulators.
Detailed Explanation:
Analysis of Assertion (A): The Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) was indeed established by the FAO and WHO in 1963. Its creation was a response to the growing need for international coordination in food standards to facilitate safe global trade. Therefore, Assertion (A) is factually true.

Analysis of Reason (R): The primary objectives of the CAC are twofold: protecting the health of consumers (by ensuring food safety) and ensuring fair practices in the food trade (by preventing trade barriers based on inconsistent national standards). By "harmonizing" standards, it ensures that a product safe in one country meets the safety expectations of another. Therefore, Reason (R) is true.

Evaluating the Relationship: The Reason (R) explains the motivation and the functional goal behind the establishment mentioned in the Assertion (A). The commission was created (A) specifically because there was a need to harmonize standards and protect consumers (R).

Step 2: Final Answer:
Both statements are true and the reason provides the functional justification for the commission's existence.