It enables IFAAO to provide expertise, guidance and advice to Codex – which was established by the World Health Organization (WHO) and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
IFAAO said there is a lack of proven methods to establish food authenticity and a need for authenticity assurance and technical improvements in methods by which the integrity of ingredients can be verified at source.
Codex grants Observer Status to only one organization of a similar interest per field of activity.
IFAAO will be able to participate in and contribute to discussions, capacity building and scientific research associated with food authenticity and integrity.
Mitchell Weinberg, IFAAO co-founder, said: "IFAAO's goal…is to be the leading voice on food authenticity, to fund research to establish and preserve food authenticity, and to advance the international awareness of, and technology to define, protect and promote the authenticity and integrity of every food and ingredient around the world."
IFAAO is an industry-driven non-profit organization pushing for the authentication of every ingredient in food.
Current focus commodities include milk, eggs, fruits and vegetables, honey, seafood, meat and poultry and spices, seasonings and flavourings.