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BULA!
In September of 2012 in Madang, Papua New Guinea, the "Joint Food and Agriculture of the United Nations" [FAO] and "World Health Organization's [WHO] Food Standards Programme", as well as the "FAO/WHO Coordinating Committee For North America" had a session to discuss the Development of a Standard for Kava Products.
Below is some selected text from the paper, (which will be attached at the bottom as a PDF).
This document includes many citations for various claims made in the paper that are excluded from the text below and are important, so while the text below is easily viewable, the original document is the best way to view this because there are also tables and charts that are not easily viewable (because of formatting issues) to copy and paste here.
Please download the PDF and read through this very important document.
While it is a little less than two years old, it is nonetheless incredibly important and contains immense amounts of helpful, informative and vital information for the kava lover.
Rest assured, more work is being done on this issue and we are hoping to have an update soon!
Below is selected excerpts from the paper.
Background for the meeting:
2. The Coordinating Committee discussed the proposal and concluded that it still needs more scientific evidence on the safety of kava products, and more clarity on the nature of the products to be standardized and the need to determine whether the proposal is for a regional or an international standard. The members agreed to establish an electronic Working Group, led by Tonga, to revise the discussion paper, including the project document, for consideration at it’s next session.
3. The electronic working group was held and three members concluded that it is still premature to develop the regional kava standard, while the rest of the electronic working group supports Tonga to present the reviewed discussion paper as new work to develop a regional standard for kava products."
They discussed the Rationale for having and developing a standard for kava:
Proposal to develop a Codex Standard for Kava
1. The Purpose and Scope of the Standard:
The purpose of this regional Codex standard for kava products intended for human consumption, is to protect the consumers and assure it’s quality to promote fair trade. The scope of the standard applies to kava products as define in (2). This proposal intended to cover kava products used as food or food ingredient and does not apply to products used for medicinal purposes.
2. Product Definition [edited format for ease of viewing cultivars from respective countries]
The roots, rhizomes and basal stems of “kava” plant Piper methysticum Forst. f. of the Piperaceae family, are process into kava dried products.
The kava plant varieties are select based on the traditional history of experience of safe use by each Pacific country with names in local vernacular languages of the country of origin:
Vanuatu “Noble” Kava varieties ( Melomelo, Asiyai, Biyaj, Palimet, Miela, Olitao, Kelai, Ge wiswisket, Ge gusug, Borogoru, Silese, Melmel, Borogu, Sese, Urukara, Bir Sul, Bir Kar, Palarasul, Palasa, Poivota, Pia, Ahouia, Leay, Amon, Puariki, Pualiu, Naga miwok, Ge vemea);
Fiji Kava varieties: (Matakaro, Matakaro balavu, Loa kasa leka, Loa kasa balavu, Vula kasa leka, Vula kasa balavu, Yaqona damu, Qila leka, Qila balavu, Yalu, Dokobana vula, Dokobana loa);
Samoa Kava varieties (Ava Lea, Ava La’au, Ava Loa, Ava Tonga);
Tonga Kava varieties (Lekakula, Lekakula ‘akau, Lekahina, Lekahina ‘akau, kava Tea, kava Kula, kava Fulufulu);
Solomon Islands Kava varieties (Melomelo);
Federated States of Micronesia Kava varieties (Rahmwahnger);
Papua New Guinea Kava varieties (Kau kupwe from Baluan Island).
2.1 Dried Kava products
Kava plants produce with Good Agricultural Practices for at least five years of growth. The kava are harvests and with Good Manufacture Practices, thoroughly cleaned with water to remove soil residues. The kava rhizomes of the main stump and basal stems including one node are removed, peeled and combine with the unpeeled lateral roots. The fresh kava products are sliced and sun dried or hot air dried or dried using other recognized methods. The kava dried products should have a maximum moisture content of 12%, and a minimum total kava lactones content of 10% in the roots and 5% in the rhizomes, and a minimum kavain content of 3% in the roots and 1% in the dried rhizomes. The dried kava products are then powdered and packaged.
3. Safety of kava products
The safety of kava products stems from the long-term experience of safe use by the people of the Pacific countries that defines the kava method of production, plant species, plant varieties, plant maturity, plant parts to be processed and the water extraction process. The safety of the kava products should be closely adhere to the history of safe use in the Pacific as reflected in the criteria layout in (2) and substantiated with scientific evidences. The kava species and varieties can be verified by the HPLC analysis of kava into chemotype groups, that is, the proportion of the kava’s six main lactones: desmethoxyyangonin, DMY; dihydrokavain, DHK; yangonin, Y; kavain, K; dihydromethysticin; DHM; and methysticin, M (Tesche and Lebot 2011).
This will avoid misidentifications of kava species or varieties, adulterants, impurities and contaminants. The daily use of traditional kava drinks has been evaluated and recommended a maximum daily intake of 250 mg kava lactones per day for not more than 4 weeks. These results are supported scientifically by SPC, WHO13 and many reports and further supported by established national legislations and by food standards. Based on available scientific information it can be inferred that kava as a traditional beverage is safe for human consumption.
4. Its Relevance and Timeliness:
Kava has been cultivated in the Pacific Region including Fiji, Federated States of Micronesia, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tonga and Vanuatu for many years. Kava is a major source of income for thousands of small farm holders in these Pacific countries. With the increasing migration of Pacific Islanders to New Zealand, Australia and the United States, the export of kava has increased over the past 30 years, making it a major export commodity and contributes significantly to the local island economies. Table 2 show the total volume and value of export of kava by Vanuatu, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa. However, Vanuatu produced and export an average of about 69% of total, Fiji about 27%, Tonga about 2% and Samoa about 1% of the total production and export. The value of these kava exports is also highest for Vanuatu with about the same proportion as for the volume.
The export market price of kava fluctuates from approximately US$ 3,658 in 2002 to the highest of US$ 14,363 in 2008. From Table 3, approximately 86% of the total kava exported are imported into countries of the region. Hence the justification of the proposal of the regional rather than the international kava standards.
Therefore, due to the increasing volume and value of the kava products trades in the Pacific, it quite timely and critical to establish a regional standard for kava to protect consumer’s health and also to ascertain it’s quality to promote fair trade. With a regional Codex kava standard, the confidence of consumers in the kava products is assured and the demand is projected to increase two to ten folds. The price is projected to increase and then decrease to a new equilibrium price which will also increase the earnings of farmers respectively by two to ten folds. The countries and the farmers producing of kava in the Pacific will also increase likewise.
The paper then goes on to discuss
Happy viewing, and I hope this helps to inform any curious members about the background behind the kava industry as well as the ever-important goal of developing a global "Standard" for Kava products!
Below is some selected text from the paper, (which will be attached at the bottom as a PDF).
This document includes many citations for various claims made in the paper that are excluded from the text below and are important, so while the text below is easily viewable, the original document is the best way to view this because there are also tables and charts that are not easily viewable (because of formatting issues) to copy and paste here.
Please download the PDF and read through this very important document.
While it is a little less than two years old, it is nonetheless incredibly important and contains immense amounts of helpful, informative and vital information for the kava lover.
Rest assured, more work is being done on this issue and we are hoping to have an update soon!
Below is selected excerpts from the paper.
Background for the meeting:
"At its 11th session of the Coordinating Committee for North America and the South West Pacific (CCNASWP) held in Tonga in 2010, the Coordinator (Tonga) presented the discussion paper on a proposal for new work on the development of an international standard for kava products.
2. The Coordinating Committee discussed the proposal and concluded that it still needs more scientific evidence on the safety of kava products, and more clarity on the nature of the products to be standardized and the need to determine whether the proposal is for a regional or an international standard. The members agreed to establish an electronic Working Group, led by Tonga, to revise the discussion paper, including the project document, for consideration at it’s next session.
3. The electronic working group was held and three members concluded that it is still premature to develop the regional kava standard, while the rest of the electronic working group supports Tonga to present the reviewed discussion paper as new work to develop a regional standard for kava products."
They discussed the Rationale for having and developing a standard for kava:
"4. Kava (Piper mythesticum) is an important agricultural commodity for Pacific Island Countries, forming an integral part of cultural, economic and social life. It has been domesticated for around 3000 years, and is being traded within and outside of the region in important quantities and value.
5. The kava drink, has been consumed in Pacific Island Countries for centuries without any reported ill-effects on the liver, is made from a water extract of the root and/or rhizome of Piper methysticum. A recent WHO risk assessment concluded that “clinical trial of kava have not revealed hepatoxicity as a problem suggesting that “water extracts are devoid of toxic effects” and recommending that “products should be developed from water-based suspensions of kava”. The safety of water based kava drinks is supported by long-term ethno-pharmacological observations.
6. The said WHO risk assessment recommended that “adequate quality control measures standardized across the producing countries with agreed standard operating procedures should be instituted for growth, harvesting and processing of the kava root or rhizome”.
7. Pacific producing countries are currently at various stages of establishing national level legislation on kava to ensure fair trade in high quality kava products and to protect the health of consumers. In view of harmonizing these national standards, the development of a codex standard for kava has been proposed by member countries to regulate the use of varieties and parts of the plant which have been identified as a safe food for human consumption."
The Recommendation on proposed work was as follows:5. The kava drink, has been consumed in Pacific Island Countries for centuries without any reported ill-effects on the liver, is made from a water extract of the root and/or rhizome of Piper methysticum. A recent WHO risk assessment concluded that “clinical trial of kava have not revealed hepatoxicity as a problem suggesting that “water extracts are devoid of toxic effects” and recommending that “products should be developed from water-based suspensions of kava”. The safety of water based kava drinks is supported by long-term ethno-pharmacological observations.
6. The said WHO risk assessment recommended that “adequate quality control measures standardized across the producing countries with agreed standard operating procedures should be instituted for growth, harvesting and processing of the kava root or rhizome”.
7. Pacific producing countries are currently at various stages of establishing national level legislation on kava to ensure fair trade in high quality kava products and to protect the health of consumers. In view of harmonizing these national standards, the development of a codex standard for kava has been proposed by member countries to regulate the use of varieties and parts of the plant which have been identified as a safe food for human consumption."
"8. It is recommended to request the Codex Alimentarius Commission to initiate work to develop a codex standard for kava.
9. The 12th Session of the FAO/WHO Coordinating Committee for North America and the South West Pacific is invited to consider the document provided in the attachment and to forward the request for new work to the 36th Session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission for its consideration.
The Project Documentation was as follows: 9. The 12th Session of the FAO/WHO Coordinating Committee for North America and the South West Pacific is invited to consider the document provided in the attachment and to forward the request for new work to the 36th Session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission for its consideration.
Proposal to develop a Codex Standard for Kava
1. The Purpose and Scope of the Standard:
The purpose of this regional Codex standard for kava products intended for human consumption, is to protect the consumers and assure it’s quality to promote fair trade. The scope of the standard applies to kava products as define in (2). This proposal intended to cover kava products used as food or food ingredient and does not apply to products used for medicinal purposes.
2. Product Definition [edited format for ease of viewing cultivars from respective countries]
The roots, rhizomes and basal stems of “kava” plant Piper methysticum Forst. f. of the Piperaceae family, are process into kava dried products.
The kava plant varieties are select based on the traditional history of experience of safe use by each Pacific country with names in local vernacular languages of the country of origin:
Vanuatu “Noble” Kava varieties ( Melomelo, Asiyai, Biyaj, Palimet, Miela, Olitao, Kelai, Ge wiswisket, Ge gusug, Borogoru, Silese, Melmel, Borogu, Sese, Urukara, Bir Sul, Bir Kar, Palarasul, Palasa, Poivota, Pia, Ahouia, Leay, Amon, Puariki, Pualiu, Naga miwok, Ge vemea);
Fiji Kava varieties: (Matakaro, Matakaro balavu, Loa kasa leka, Loa kasa balavu, Vula kasa leka, Vula kasa balavu, Yaqona damu, Qila leka, Qila balavu, Yalu, Dokobana vula, Dokobana loa);
Samoa Kava varieties (Ava Lea, Ava La’au, Ava Loa, Ava Tonga);
Tonga Kava varieties (Lekakula, Lekakula ‘akau, Lekahina, Lekahina ‘akau, kava Tea, kava Kula, kava Fulufulu);
Solomon Islands Kava varieties (Melomelo);
Federated States of Micronesia Kava varieties (Rahmwahnger);
Papua New Guinea Kava varieties (Kau kupwe from Baluan Island).
2.1 Dried Kava products
Kava plants produce with Good Agricultural Practices for at least five years of growth. The kava are harvests and with Good Manufacture Practices, thoroughly cleaned with water to remove soil residues. The kava rhizomes of the main stump and basal stems including one node are removed, peeled and combine with the unpeeled lateral roots. The fresh kava products are sliced and sun dried or hot air dried or dried using other recognized methods. The kava dried products should have a maximum moisture content of 12%, and a minimum total kava lactones content of 10% in the roots and 5% in the rhizomes, and a minimum kavain content of 3% in the roots and 1% in the dried rhizomes. The dried kava products are then powdered and packaged.
3. Safety of kava products
The safety of kava products stems from the long-term experience of safe use by the people of the Pacific countries that defines the kava method of production, plant species, plant varieties, plant maturity, plant parts to be processed and the water extraction process. The safety of the kava products should be closely adhere to the history of safe use in the Pacific as reflected in the criteria layout in (2) and substantiated with scientific evidences. The kava species and varieties can be verified by the HPLC analysis of kava into chemotype groups, that is, the proportion of the kava’s six main lactones: desmethoxyyangonin, DMY; dihydrokavain, DHK; yangonin, Y; kavain, K; dihydromethysticin; DHM; and methysticin, M (Tesche and Lebot 2011).
This will avoid misidentifications of kava species or varieties, adulterants, impurities and contaminants. The daily use of traditional kava drinks has been evaluated and recommended a maximum daily intake of 250 mg kava lactones per day for not more than 4 weeks. These results are supported scientifically by SPC, WHO13 and many reports and further supported by established national legislations and by food standards. Based on available scientific information it can be inferred that kava as a traditional beverage is safe for human consumption.
4. Its Relevance and Timeliness:
Kava has been cultivated in the Pacific Region including Fiji, Federated States of Micronesia, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tonga and Vanuatu for many years. Kava is a major source of income for thousands of small farm holders in these Pacific countries. With the increasing migration of Pacific Islanders to New Zealand, Australia and the United States, the export of kava has increased over the past 30 years, making it a major export commodity and contributes significantly to the local island economies. Table 2 show the total volume and value of export of kava by Vanuatu, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa. However, Vanuatu produced and export an average of about 69% of total, Fiji about 27%, Tonga about 2% and Samoa about 1% of the total production and export. The value of these kava exports is also highest for Vanuatu with about the same proportion as for the volume.
The export market price of kava fluctuates from approximately US$ 3,658 in 2002 to the highest of US$ 14,363 in 2008. From Table 3, approximately 86% of the total kava exported are imported into countries of the region. Hence the justification of the proposal of the regional rather than the international kava standards.
Therefore, due to the increasing volume and value of the kava products trades in the Pacific, it quite timely and critical to establish a regional standard for kava to protect consumer’s health and also to ascertain it’s quality to promote fair trade. With a regional Codex kava standard, the confidence of consumers in the kava products is assured and the demand is projected to increase two to ten folds. The price is projected to increase and then decrease to a new equilibrium price which will also increase the earnings of farmers respectively by two to ten folds. The countries and the farmers producing of kava in the Pacific will also increase likewise.
- Total value of export of kava products from Vanuatu, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa in US dollars
- Total volume of kava products exported from Vanuatu, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa in metric tons.
- The countries and the total volume of kava products imported from 2000 to 2009
- Volume, Value and Pattern of Trade of Kava from the Pacific Countries
- Diversity of national legislations and apparent resultant or potential impediments to international trade.
- Relevance to the Codex Strategic Objectives: (Several "Goals")
- The Proposed Time-line for Completion the New Work, Including the Start Date, the Proposed Date for Adoption at Step 5, and the Proposed Date for Adoption by the Commission”
Happy viewing, and I hope this helps to inform any curious members about the background behind the kava industry as well as the ever-important goal of developing a global "Standard" for Kava products!
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