FOOD STANDARDS NOTIFICATION CIRCULAR
25 February 2009
[2-09]
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, proposals and other matters mentioned below, including assessment reports, processes and – where applicable – reasons for decisions, can be accessed on the FSANZ website at www.foodstandards.gov.au under <Standards Development>, then <Documents for Public Comment>and then
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 +61 2 6271 2241 Fax +61 2 6271 2278 | Tel +64 4 978 5630 Fax +64 4 473 9855 |
General questions on the work of FSANZ should be directed to the Information Officer at the either of the addresses above. Queries concerning the matters in this Circular on assessment or submission processes should be directed to the Standards Management Officer at standards.management@foodstandards.gov.au .
PROGRESS ON APPLICATIONS AND PROPOSALS
Details on Approvals, notifications to Council, Council processes and Gazettals from the notice below were published on 25 February 2009 in The Australian and The New Zealand Herald newspapers, as well as on the FSANZ website.
NEW APPLICATIONS AND PROPOSALS
(Note that this section is not a call for public comment)
FSANZ has received the following Application; completed an Administrative Assessment on it; accepted it; and placed it on the FSANZ Food Standards Development Work Plan:
GENERAL PROCEDURE
- Application A1020 – Presence of 4-hexylresorcinol in Cooked Crustacea: to clarify that the presence of 4-hexylresorcinol in cooked crustacea is permitted, as carryover from treated raw crustacea [Received: 5 January 2009] [Applicant: Seafarm Pty Ltd]
Information on the above, including an anticipated timetable for assessment and consultation opportunities, is provided in the FSANZ Food Standards Development Work Plan which is available on the FSANZ website at http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/standardsdevelopment/standardsworkplan.cfm .
Administrative Assessment Reports can be accessed on the FSANZ website at http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/standardsdevelopment/ . If you wish to be advised of any developments relating to the above Application, such as calls for public submissions, please contact the Standards Management Officer at standards.management@foodstandards.gov.au .
Please note that the above section is not a call for public comment
APPROVAL AND COUNCIL NOTIFICATION[s.34, s.41, s.53, s.64, s.69]
After consideration of draft standards or variations for the following Application , FSANZ decided to approve the draft variation, as amended. FSANZ has given the Australia and New Zealand Food Regulation Ministerial Council (Ministerial Council) written notification of this approval:
- Application A1004 – Phospholipase A 2 as a Processing Aid (Enzyme)
Once FSANZ has notified the Ministerial Council that it has approved the draft standard or variation, the Ministerial Council has 60 days to either request FSANZ to review the approved standard or
inform FSANZ that it does not intend to request a review. Further information on the Ministerial
Council process is available on the FSANZ website at http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/standardsdevelopment/ministerialcouncilre1834.cfm .
MINISTERIAL COUNCIL REVIEW PROCESS – APPROVED DRAFT STANDARDS
In accordance with requirements, FSANZ has completed its First Review in relation to the following Application and Proposal. FSANZ has re-affirmed its approval of the approved draft Standard:
- Proposal P1002 –Hydrocyanic Acid in Ready-to-Eat Cassava Chips
Amendment 105 Published
Amendment No. 105 to the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code was published by FSANZ on 15 January 2009 (FSC 47). It included amendments resulting from the following Application and Proposals:
- Application A552 – Cadmium in Peanuts
- Proposal M1002 – Maximum Residue Limits (January, February, March 2008) [Australia only]
- Proposal P306 – Addition of Inulin / FOS & GOS to Food
Amendment 106 Published
Amendment No. 106 to the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code was published by FSANZ on 12 February 2009 (FSC 48). It included amendments resulting from the following Application:
- Application A1001 – Food derived from Insect-protected Corn Line MIR162
OTHER MATTERS
Rejection of Application
After making an Administrative Assessment of the following Applications, FSANZ decided to reject the Applications as they did not meet the mandatory information requirements of Part 3 of the FSANZ Application Handbook
- PA1022 – Maximum Level for Tutin in Honey: to develop a maximum level for Tutin in honey as a result of an issue of a New Zealand Food Standard [Food (Tutin in Honey) Standard 2008. The Application was lodged as required under Annex DIII of the Treaty.
- PA1023 – Method of Production Labelling for Animal-derived Food Products: to amend Standard 1.2.2, Standard 2.2.1 and Standard 2.2.2 such that all animal-derived food products are labelled with a limited number of nationally- consistent legally-defined terms that refer to their method of production.
Administrative Assessment Reports can be accessed on the FSANZ website at http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/standardsdevelopment/applications/index.cfm .
Application Withdrawn
The following Application has been withdrawn by the Applicant:
- Application A609 – Addition of GOS, Long Chain Inulin to Infant Formula Products & Infant Food
Key Email addresses
standards.management@foodstandards.gov.au for:
- progress with the assessment of applications or proposals or completed applications
- making an application
- Gazettal of amendments to the Code
submissions@foodstandards.gov.au for lodging submissions.
Food Regulation Secretariat
In accordance with the Food Regulation Agreement, the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing is responsible for the provision of secretariat services to the Australia and New Zealand Food Regulation Ministerial Council (Ministerial Council), the Food Regulation Standing Committee (FRSC) and the Implementation Sub-Committee (ISC).
The Food Regulation Secretariat sends information updates to stakeholders on a regular basis. If you would like to receive these updates (this is separate and in addition to updates from FSANZ), register your details on the Food Regulation Secretariat Stakeholder Database. A registration form is available on the website at http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/foodsecretariat-database.htm .
Alternatively, the Food Regulation Secretariat can be contacted on:
Phone: +61 2 6289 5128
Fax: +61 2 6289 5100
Postal Address: Food Regulation Secretariat
PO Box 4
WODEN ACT 2606
Email: foodregulationsecretariat@health.gov.au
[Australia only] 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. If the matter is open for public comment, anyone may provide submissions in relation to these matters.