Among the proposed changes are regulations dealing with nutrition, health and related claims, the labelling of ice cream products, two new genetically modified corn varieties, use of an intense sweetener in food, and a national safety standard for poultry meat.
Once changes have been made to food standards in the Code, food businesses must comply immediately with the new regulations, unless a phase-in period has been allowed.
Enforcement agencies in the States and Territories and the New Zealand Food Safety Authority (NZFSA) continually monitor the food supply to ensure compliance with the Code. They can take action in the courts if the regulations have been breached.
Imported foods must also comply with the provisions of the Code.
In Australia, the checks food at the border, while NZFSA carries out this task in New Zealand.
The proposed changes are as follows. Submissions close on 1 February 2006, except for P293, which closes on 22 February 2006.
Nutrition, health and related claims
(Proposal P293 -Draft Assessment)
The Food Regulation Ministerial Council has asked FSANZ to develop a mandatory nutrition and health claims system for Australia and New Zealand.
FSANZ is proposing a new standard for nutrition, health and related claims that will permit a wider range of health claims to be made than is currently allowed.
At present, food manufacturers cannot make a claim on a food label linking a nutrient or substance in the food with a disease, with the exception of folate and neural tube defects in babies.
Primary production and processing standard for poultry meat
(Proposal P282 -Draft Assessment) - Australia only
FSANZ is in the process of developing national food safety regulations for Australia’s primary industries.
FSANZ is proposing a new standard for poultry meat to ensure that strict food safety controls cover the entire poultry meat industry, from farm to fork.
Poultry farmers will be required to control food safety hazards on-farm.
Poultry processors will only be able to accept poultry from farms that comply with the regulations and must control food safety hazards during the slaughtering process.
The draft standard for poultry meat also refers poultry processors to their existing legal obligations for limiting the uptake of water during the slaughtering process, which involves using water at the lowest level necessary to perform the processing function.
Lipase from Penicillium roquefortiias a processing aid
(Application A519 -Draft Assessment)
Biocatalysts Ltd has applied for approval to use an enzyme from a new microbial fungal source as a processing aid.
The applicant claims that the enzyme, lipase, triacylglycerol, obtained from Penicillium roquefortii, produces blue-cheese odours during the production of certain types of cheeses and cheese-flavoured products.
FSANZ does not believe this processing aid raises any public health and safety concerns and that use of the enzyme is technologically justified.
Phospholipase A1 as a processing aid
(Application A561 -Draft Assessment)
Novozymes A/S want the Code amended to allow the use of a new enzyme, phospholipase A1, as a processing aid.
The enzyme, obtained by recombinant DNA techniques, would be used in the manufacture of cheese to improve process efficiencies and cheese yields.
FSANZ’s pre-market assessment has raised no safety concerns and has confirmed that use of the enzyme is technologically justified.
Tara gum as a food additive
(Application A546 -Draft Assessment)
Unipektin AG (Switzerland) has requested a change to the Code to allow the use of tara gum as a new food additive, to act as a thickener and stabiliser for a wide variety of foods.
Food additives must undergo a pre-market assessment by FSANZ before they can be approved.
After examining chemical, biochemical and toxicological information and the intended level of use in a range of food products, FSANZ concluded that tara gum does not pose a public health or safety risk.
Corn rootworm-protected and glyphosate-tolerant corn MON 88017
(Application A548 -Draft Assessment)
has produced a genetically modified corn variety that protects against corn rootworm and is tolerant to glyphosate herbicide.
Monsanto has applied to FSANZ for approval for food derived from this GM corn to enter the food supply.
GM foods must undergo a pre-market safety assessment before they can be sold as food in Australia and New Zealand.
FSANZ has conducted this assessment and concluded that this GM corn is as safe as corn produced by conventional means.
Insect-protected corn MIR604
(Application A564 -Draft Assessment)
Syngenta Seeds Pty Ltd is seeking approval for food derived from a corn variety that has been genetically modified to protect against a number of insect pests, including three species of corn rootworm.
FSANZ has examined the toxicity, allergenicity and other characteristics of this GM corn and have concluded that it is as safe to consumers as non-GM varieties of corn.
FSANZ intends to approve its use in the food supply.
If the novel DNA and/or novel protein is present in the food, its GM status will be identified on the food label, as required by existing regulations.
Maximum residue limits
(Application A568 -Draft Assessment) - Australia only
The has applied to FSANZ seeking to amend maximum residue limits (MRLs) for a number of chemicals in the Code.
FSANZ has reviewed the estimated dietary exposure assessments for these applications.
These assessments indicate that the residues associated with the proposed MRLs do not represent an unacceptable risk to public health and safety.
Steviol glycosides as intense sweeteners
(Application A540 -Initial Assessment)
The and Australian Stevia Mills Pty Ltd are seeking approval for the use of steviol glycosides as an intense sweetener for a wide variety of foods.
Steviol glycosides, extracted from the herb Stevia rebaundiana,are 250-300 times sweeter than sucrose.
Food additives must undergo a pre-market assessment before approval is granted.