By Yasin Gungor
ISTANBUL (AA) - Turkish food safety expert Betul Vazgecer has been elected vice chair of the UN Food Standards Commission, marking the first time a Turkish representative has held this post.
Vazgecer, a food safety regulatory engineer at the Turkish Agriculture Ministry, was elected among six candidates during the 47th session of the Codex Alimentarius (Food Code) Commission in Geneva on Thursday.
“I would like to express my gratitude to all Codex Members and promise that values of impartiality, compromise, the protection of human health as well as following the science will be the pillars of my work,” said Vazgecer, according to UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
Vazgecer will be working with Allan Azegele, director of Veterinary Services in the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development of Kenya, who is elected as the 21st chairman.
Turkish Agriculture and Forestry Minister Ibrahim Yumakli congratulated Vazgecer, expressing hope for her contributions to safe food standards.
The Codex Alimentarius Commission, a joint initiative of the FAO and the World Health Organization, sets international food standards.
The commission comprises 188 member countries and the EU. Türkiye joined the commission in 1963.