The Australia New Zealand Food Authority (ANZFA) this week called for public comment on a number of proposed changes to the Food Standards Code, including new requirements for making nutrition claims, an extension to the folate/neural tube defect claim and a review of the standard governing salami and similar small goods.
"Information and commentary provided by scientific bodies, food companies and community groups are of vital importance in our work. Such inputs help to ensure that we take full account of the full range of scientific information on the safety and nutritional properties of each food and the implications for both the food industry and consumers," said Ian Lindenmayer, ANZFA managing director.
Nutrition content and related claims - such as ' low fat', ' reduced salt' and ' lite' - are regulated through an industry Code of Practice on Nutrition Claims in Food Labels and in Advertisements (CoPoNC) in Australia and in New Zealand Food Regulations (1984) .
ANZFA is proposing to define nutrition content claims and criteria in the Food Standards Code. The amended standard would bring requirements in Australia and New Zealand into line and be consistent with fair trading laws.
With regards to the folate health claim, at present Australia and New Zealand have a prohibition on the use of health claims on foods. An exception to this prohibition is the folate/neural tube defect health claim, which was approved by the Ministerial Council to operate as a pilot project until August 2002.
ANZFA commented that it appears unlikely that final decisions will be taken before August 2002 on the future approach to health claims and hence it is recommending that the folate health claim be extended until 13 February 2004 or on commencement of a generic health claims standard, whichever occurs sooner.
In response to the outbreak of food poisoning relating to the consumption of mettwurst produced by the Garibaldi company in South Australia in 1995, the Food Standards Council has previously approved emergency changes to the Food Standards Code specifying microbiological limits for E. coli bacteria in uncooked fermented meat (UCFM) products.
A study by Meat and Livestock Australia concluded that many UCFM processes used in Australia or overseas cannot comply with requirements of the Code. Consequently, ANZFA has commenced a review of the emergency provisions put in place in 1995 to see if they are effective in protecting public health and safety, and capable of auditors' verification.
The ANZFA website has further information about the above reports along with other proposals for comment.