CAC48 / From Code to Codex: Saudi Arabia hosts a side event on artificial intelligence

On the sidelines of the 48th Session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC), the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, represented by the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA), hosted a high-level side event titled "From Code to Codex: AI’s Role in Shaping the Future of Food Safety."

Held at FAO Headquarters in Rome, the session brought together Codex leaders and international experts to explore how artificial intelligence (AI) is shaping global food safety systems, from inspection and regulatory control to traceability, risk assessment, and innovation in governance.

Moderated by Hind Alajaji from SFDA, the session opened with a light-hearted “AI or Real” interactive segment, highlighting the growing sophistication of generative AI and setting the tone for a forward-thinking dialogue. The event featured presentations by:

• Cornelia Boesch, FAO Food Safety Officer, who presented a proof-of-concept using AI and computer vision to assess hygiene conditions in street food environments, illustrating how digital tools can strengthen Codex-aligned practices in traditional and urban markets.
• Khalid Al Zahrani, Vice-Chairperson, Codex Alimentarius Commission, who highlighted an AI-driven translation experiment for Codex texts, showcasing improved efficiency and accessibility, while noting data privacy and regulatory considerations.
• Tom Black, Chairperson of the Codex Committee on Food Import and Export Inspection and Certification Systems (CCFICS), who outlined how Australia is modernizing food control systems through digitalization and AI-powered risk assessments, emphasizing Codex’s role in supporting international digital collaboration.
• Philip Flahertyfrom theUK Food Standards Agency, who demonstrated the United Kingdom’s AI-based surveillance dashboard for monitoring emerging food risks, enabling faster detection and preventive regulatory action.
• Aysha Alkaabi of the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority – Shared the United Arab Emirates’ AI initiatives in food safety, including visual inspections, drone monitoring, and predictive analytics to enhance traceability and oversight.

In the panel discussion, titled “Voices from the Field,” speakers reflected on how AI can enhance food safety oversight, promote international alignment, and support national capacities. They also shared lessons from implementation and explored how Codex and FAO can further support innovation and equitable digital transformation in food regulatory systems.

The event concluded with a warm invitation for continued collaboration between Codex members and observers in leveraging digital technologies to build future-ready food safety systems that are smarter, faster, and more inclusive, turning code into Codex, and innovation into impact.

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Main photo © SFDA
Embedded photos © FAO/Roberto Sciotti