Close to 300 experts from 61 countries were expected to attend the 28th session of the Codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses.

Codex was established in 1962 as a joint instrument of the United Nations' World Health and Food and Agriculture organisations.

Its primary goal is to protect the health of consumers by elaborating international food standards and to guarantee fair practices in the international food trade.

The conference is being hosted by the Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry.

The agenda includes standards for infant formulas, whole-wheat food supplements for infants and young children and recommendations on claims of scientific health benefits, said Somchai Charna-rongkul, acting director of the National Bureau of Agricultural Commodity and Food Standards.

Thailand will propose reducing sugar content in infant formulas and the listing of nutrient compounds, Somchai said.

It would also seek conditions for nutrition claims in all types of food labelled "high fibre" and revision of regulations regarding food additives, he said.