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FOOD STANDARDS NOTIFICATION SERVICE

NOTIFICATION CIRCULAR 14-03

17 December 2003

This Notification Circular includes notices that are required to be given to the public, submitters and appropriate government agencies, under the Food Standards Australia New Zealand Act 1991 (FSANZ Act). All references below to sections of legislation, are to the FSANZ Act unless otherwise indicated.

Further information about the applications and proposals mentioned below, including assessment reports and - where applicable - reasons for decisions, can be accessed on the FSANZ website at www.foodstandards.gov.au  under <Standards Development >and then < Notification Circulars >(links to the documents are contained in the relevant numbered Notification Circular). Persons may contact FSANZ at one of the addresses below to arrange alternative access to these documents:

 

The Information Officer	The Office Administrator
Food Standards Australia New Zealand	Food Standards Australia New Zealand
PO Box 7186	PO Box 10559
CANBERRA BC   ACT   2610	WELLINGTON   6036
AUSTRALIA	NEW ZEALAND
Tel   (02) 6271 2241      Fax   (02) 6271 2278	Tel   (04) 473 9942        Fax   (04) 473 9855
Email:   info@foodstandards.gov.au	Email:   info@foodstandards.govt.nz

General questions on the work of FSANZ should be directed to the Information Officer at the address above. Queries concerning the matters in this Circular or application or submission processes should be directed to the Standards Liaison Officer at slo@foodstandards.gov.au .

PROGRESS ON APPLICATIONS AND PROPOSALS

NOTICES.  The notice below was published on 17 December 2003 in The Australian and TheNew Zealand Herald newspapers as well as on the Food Standards Australia New Zealand website.

INITIAL ASSESSMENT - APPLICATIONS [s.14(1)]

FSANZ received applications for the development or variation of the following food regulatory measures; accepted the Applications after making Initial Assessments of them; will make Draft Assessments of these Applications; and invites written submissions on matters relevant to the Applications to be made to FSANZ by 28 January 2004 for Applications A479 and A494 and by 11 February 2004 for Applications A487, A513 and Application A518:

• Application A479–NIP Alternative Formats: to amend Standard 1.2.8 to enable nutrients to be presented in a different order and expressed in different terms in order to accommodate nutrition information panels (NIPs) on a wider range of imported products. (Received 4 September 2002)
  
  
• Application A487–Bromate Levels in Packaged Water: to vary Standard 2.6.2 to include a maximum limit for bromate in packaged water. (Received 22 October 2002)
  
  
• Application A494–Alpha-Cyclodextrin as a Novel Food: to approve alpha-cyclodextrin as a novel food. Alpha-cyclodextrin is a cyclic glucose polymer produced from starch by an enzymatic process and can function as a carrier, solubiliser, stabiliser or modifier in a wide variety of processed foods. (Received 14 March 2003)
  
  
• Application A513 – Octanoic Acid as a Processing Aid:  to permit the use of octanoic acid as an antimicrobial agent on red meat, poultry carcasses and parts, fresh fruits and vegetables. (Received 7 October 2003)
  
  
• Application A518 – Food derived from Insect-protected Cotton Line MXB-13:  to permit the use in food of a cotton genetically modified to be resistant to cotton bollworm, pink bollworm and tobacco budworm. (Received 6 November 2003)

INITIAL ASSESSMENT - PROPOSALS [s.14A(1)]

FSANZ has prepared a Proposal for the development or variation of the following food regulatory measures; will make a Draft Assessment of this Proposal; and invites written submissions on matters relevant to the proposal to be made to FSANZ by 25 February 2004:

• Proposal P276 –Review of Enzyme Processing Aids:  to review the enzymes listed in clauses 15, 16 and 17 of Standard 1.3.3 – Processing Aids.

DRAFT ASSESSMENT – APPLICATIONS[s.17(2), s.17A(2)]

FSANZ has prepared draft food regulatory measures or variations for the following Applications; will make a Final Assessments in relation to each of these drafts; and invites written submissions for the purpose of making a Final Assessment by 28 January 2004 for Application A510 and by 11 February 2004 for Application A503:

• Application A503 – Collagen - Processing Aid for Wine:   to amend the wine primary production standard to permit the use of collagen as a processing aid.#
  
  
• Application A510 – Maximum Residue Limits (August, September, October 2003).*#

DRAFT ASSESSMENT – PROPOSALS [s.17AA(1), s.17AB(1)]

FSANZ has prepared draft food regulatory measures or variations for the following Proposals; will make a Final Assessments in relation to each of these drafts; and invites written submissions for the purpose of making a Final Assessment by 21 January 2004 for Proposal P285 and by 28 January 2004 for Proposal P281:

• Proposal P281–Maximum Residue Limits Anomalies:   to amend Standard 1.4.2 – Maximum Residue Limits, in order to correct inadvertent anomalies between the residue limits set for agricultural and veterinary chemicals by the Australian Pesticide and Veterinary Medicines Authority and Standard 1.4.2.*
  
  
• Proposal P285 – Minor Amendments to Standard 2.9.1 – Infant Formula Products:   to rectify the inadvertent omission of sodium selenate as a permitted form of selenium and to clarify permissions for the L-amino acid ‘cysteine’.*

*  Indicates a matter in relation to which FSANZ has decided not to hold a round of consultation between Initial and Draft Assessment, as it is satisfied that omitting to hold such consultation will not have a significant adverse effect on the interests of anyone/the Application raises issues of minor significance or complexity only (s. 36(1C)).  A person whose interests are affected by this decision may: subject to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal Act 1975, make an application to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal for review of FSANZ’s decision; and except where subsection 28(4) of that Act applies, in accordance with section 28, may apply for a statement in writing setting out the findings of material questions of fact, referring to the evidence or other materials on which those findings were based and giving the reasons for the decision.  

# These matters relate to ‘Australia only’ standards that are not part of the joint regulatory arrangements with New Zealand. However, food from Australia complying with these standards may be supplied in New Zealand. Anyone may provide submissions in relation to these matters.