Our role in supporting nutrition-related public health  

A nutritious diet is important to the health and wellbeing of Australian and New Zealand consumers.

When setting food standards to approve new foods and ingredients, we look at the potential risks to make sure the diet of consumers continues to be safe. We may also look at the potential benefits for improving the dietary intake of the Australia and New Zealand populations.

This work includes setting requirements for:

• the voluntary and mandatory addition of nutrients to foods
• special purpose foods (like infant formula) to protect vulnerable and at risk consumers
• nutrition content and health claims made about food

We set standards for how food must be labelled so consumers can make informed choices about the food they buy.

We take into account consumer knowledge and understanding so that labels can be understood by most consumers.

Labelling standards ensure:

• Common food allergens are declared on labels so people with food allergies can be confident that the food they buy is safe for them.
• There is labelling information about the ingredients and nutrition content of food so consumers can make informed dietary choices based on their personal requirements and preferences.
• Consumers aren’t misled by food labels that make false, misleading or deceptive claims.

We regularly monitor the food supply to make sure food is safe and nutritious for consumers.

Some of the things we look at include:

• nutrients in foods such as vitamins and minerals
• dietary intakes of nutrients which can be harmful to health when consumed in excess such as trans fatty acids and added sugars
• levels of chemicals and contaminants in food

Our research is used to inform public health policy and initiatives to improve the health and wellbeing of the community and includes:

• nutrient composition of food
• Australian total diet study
• specific surveys of chemicals in food

Find out more about our monitoring and research work.

We also undertake and publish a range of social science research and literature reviews to better understand consumer awareness, attitudes and behaviours in relation to food labelling and consumption. Some of our most recent consumer research work includes:

• Literature review on consumer knowledge, attitudes and behaviours relating to sugars and food labelling.
• Literature review on the impacts of removing mandated food irradiation labelling on consumers.
• Rapid evidence assessment on infant formula preparation, perceptions and label use.

Find out more about our social science research and literature reviews here.

We have a range of tools and information for consumers and food businesses. These include:

• labelling requirements and how to read food labels
• nutrition and fortification information and advice
• NUTTAB which contains nutrient data for over 2600 foods in Australia
• Nutrition Panel Calculator to help food manufacturers calculate the average nutrient content of their food products and prepare nutrition information panels
• food safety advice
• information on food issues like additives, chemicals and genetically modified foods
• Food Safety Hub which includes information about food safety standards and food safety culture.

We are one part of a strong food regulatory system that works together to:

• Protect the health and safety of consumers by reducing food-related risks.
• Help consumers make informed choices about food by making sure they have information they need and are not misled.
• Support public health by promoting healthy food choices, maintaining and enhancing the nutritional qualities of food and responding to specific public health concerns.
• Support a strong, sustainable food industry that offers a diverse, affordable food supply that also benefits the Australian and New Zealand economies.

The food regulation priorities for 2017-2021 are to:

• Reduce foodborne illness, particularly related to Campylobacter and Salmonella.
• Support the public health objectives to reduce chronic disease related to overweight and obesity.
• Maintain a strong, robust and agile food regulation system.

We work with our partners on strategies to support these priorities. Our partners include:

• Department of Health
• New Zealand Government
• National Health and Medical Research Council
• State and Territory enforcement agencies

We also work with the community and representative groups to ensure the standards we set contribute to a safe and nutritious food supply.

Our consultation includes:

• The Consumer and Public Health Dialogue which brings together representatives from peak consumer and public health bodies and academics to talk about public health issues relating to food.
• The Retailers and Manufacturers Liaison Committee which looks at specific issues relating to standards development and setting processes and collaborates on food safety emergencies.
• The community on proposals and applications to change food standards. Calls for public comment are available on our website.

We also contribute our expertise to activities that promote healthy eating:

• The Australian Government Healthy Food Partnership.
• The Technical Advisory Group for the Health Star Rating System.