The Australia New Zealand Food Authority (ANZFA) on Wednesday invited public comment on proposals involving nutrient claims, labelling statements on milk products, the pasteurisation of orange juice and the use of an alternative preservative in sausage casings. Industry and consumer bodies, individuals and other interested parties are invited to make submissions on the existing standards which ANZFA has begun to review. The standards under review are: Nutrient Content and Other Related Claims (Proposal P234); Labelling Statements on Reduced Fat and Condensed Milks (Proposal P240); Pasteurisation of orange juice (Application A411) Sorbic acid in edible casings (Application A419) and Nutrient claims (submissions by 25 July 2001). At present, nutrient claims such as 'fat free', 'high fibre' or 'lite' are managed in Australia by the Code of Practice on Nutrient Claims in Food Labels and in Advertisements. These terms and conditions for nutrient claims do not apply in New Zealand, where nutrient claims are regulated by the New Zealand Food Regulations. ANZFA's review of nutrient claims proposes a range of options whereby the management of these claims in Australia and New Zealand will be harmonised to facilitate trans-Tasman trade in foods carrying nutrition claims. This review will be completed before the end of 2002, when the new Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code will take effect. Source: ANZFA
