The Codex Classification of food and animal feed commodities moving in trade and the descriptions of the various items and groups of food and animal feedstuffs have been developed within the framework of the Codex Committee on Pesticide Residues. It was first adopted by the 18th Session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission in 1989.

The Codex Classification includes food commodities and animal feedstuffs for which Codex maximum residue limits will not necessarily be established. The Classification is intended to be as complete a listing of food commodities in trade as possible, classified into groups on the basis of the commodity’s similar potential for pesticide residues.