This Summary of Key Outcomes is not an official record of the decisions of the ANZFA Board and does not provide full details of those decisions. The Minutes of each meeting of the ANZFA Board are the official record of the decisions made by ANZFA Board at that meeting and no reliance should be placed on this Summary of Key Outcomes.
SEVENTY-THIRD MEETING
Canberra
22 April 2002
Summary of Key Outcomes
Recommendations relating to Food Standards matters
The ANZFA Board has responsibility under the Australia New Zealand Food Authority Act 1991 to consider standards matters and make recommendations to members of the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Council to amend the Food Standards Code. The Council is composed of Health Ministers from the Commonwealth, States, Territories and New Zealand, as Lead Ministers, as well as a number of other participating Ministers nominated by each jurisdiction, under the Food Standards Agreement signed in November 2000. The Ministers consider the recommendations from the Board and decisions are determined by majority vote, before the Code can be amended. Ministers can reject the recommendation if they so wish, or amend it, or return the recommendation to the Board for reconsideration.
NOTE: Prior to the full entry into force of the 2001 ANZFA Act amendments, the present Act continues to operate. However, for the purposes of a transition to the new arrangements, a practice has been developed to use particular terms contained in the amending legislation. A list of the new terminology with the corresponding counterparts from the current Act is provided:
For Applications
New Terminology Old Terminology Initial Assessment Preliminary Assessment Draft Assessment Full Assessment - section 15 Final Assessment Inquiry - section 17
- section 13
For Proposals
Initial Assessment | Proposal prepared - section 21 |
Draft Assessment | Full Assessment - section 23 |
Final Assessment | Inquiry - section 24 |
GM Commodities
The Board considered Assessment Reports for the following genetically modified commodities:
- Application A416 - Food derived from glyphosate-tolerant corn Line NK603 ; and
- Application A436 - Oil and linters derived from insect-protected cotton containing Event 15985 .
Application A416 seeks permission for food derived from corn which has been genetically modified to provide tolerance to glyphosate, a broad spectrum herbicide. The Board has agreed to the Final Assessment Report and the proposed draft variations to the Food Standards Code will now be recommended to Ministers for adoption.
Application A436 seeks permission for food derived from cotton which has been genetically modified to resist insect attacks. The Board has agreed to the Draft Assessment Report which will be released in the near future for public consultation
Application A417 - Non-esterified phytosterols derived from tall oils
The Board considered the Final Assessment Report for an Application which originally sought permission for the use of tall oil non-esterified phytosterols derived from tall oils as novel food ingredients in a broad range of foods. It was subsequently amended by the Applicant to cover the addition of tall oil phytosterols only to edible table spreads. Phytosterols are found naturally in plants at low levels and have a reported ability to reduce plasma cholesterol levels. Ministers have previously approved the addition of phytosterol esters in oil spreads. The proposed draft variations to the Food Standards Code will now be recommended to Ministers for adoption. If approved by Ministers, food products containing tall oil non-esterified phytosterols will have to be labelled with appropriate advisory statements.
Proposal P255 - Folate / neural tube defect health claim - Extension of time frame
The Board considered the Final Assessment Report for a Proposal which proposes to extend the temporary provision allowing the folate/NTD health claim which is due to expire in August 2002. As the public health advice to increase folate intake to reduce the risk of NTDs is still valid, the Board was supportive of extending the timeframe for the health claim until 13 February 2004, by which time it is expected that a decision will have been taken on the proposed draft health claims Standard. The proposed draft variations to theFood Standards Codewill now be recommended to Ministers for adoption.
Proposal P235 - Review of food-type dietary supplements
The Board considered the Initial Assessment Report for a Proposal which seeks to develop food regulatory measures to manage food-type dietary supplements within the context of the harmonisation of food regulations between Australia and New Zealand. Volumes 1 and 2 of the Food Standards Code do not currently regulate many foods that are considered to be dietary supplements. Many such products are manufactured in or imported into New Zealand under the New Zealand Dietary Supplement Regulations 1985 (NZDSR) and from there, into Australia under the Trans Tasman Mutual Recognition Arrangement. Viewed more broadly, foods such as those manufactured to the NZDSR represent a growing sector of the global food market and present a number of international regulatory challenges. The Initial Assessment Report seeking comment on a number of issues will be released in the near future for public consultation, prior to further consideration by the Board.
Proposal P253 - Wine Production Standard
The Board considered the combined Initial / Draft Assessment Report for a Proposal which considers a number of options for an ' Australia only' wine production Standard. The Board considered that the issues raised by the Proposal did not significantly adversely affect the interests of any person or body and only one round of public consultation need occur. The combined Initial / Draft Assessment Report will therefore be released in the near future for public consultation on the proposed draft variations to the Code before a Final Assessment by the Board.
Standard 2.7.4 in Volume 2 of the Code will remain the compliance standard for wine made in New Zealand and for wine imported into Australia and New Zealand. The draft ' Australia only' Standard proposed by P253 will, if adopted, ensure that that all wine made in Australia (i.e. wine for export as well as for domestic consumption) is recognised by the EU as being wine of designated quality and origin and thus protect current access for Australian-made wines to the European market.
Proposal P239 - Listeria risk assessment and risk management strategy
The Board considered a discussion paper and associated risk assessments conducted for Listeria monocytogenes in cooked crustacea and cold-smoked salmon. The Board agreed to the release of the documents for a targeted consultation through a series of consultative meetings with the seafood industry. ANZFA will also undertake a survey to provide additional data on Listeria in cooked crustacea. It is expected that once these two tasks are completed, the Board will be able to consider a Draft Assessment Report. The work being undertaken by ANZFA is being carried out at the request of Ministers who have asked ANZFA to review the microbiological criteria for Listeria.
Other matters
Meeting with EAGAR chair and NRA
To assist with its decision-making responsibilities in relation to antibiotic residues in food, the Board met with the Chair of the Expert Advisory Group on Antimicrobial Resistance (EAGAR), (Professor John Turnidge), NRA Chief Executive Officer (Dr Alison Turner) and NRA Executive Manager for Residues (Mr Peter Raphael) to discuss issues relating to the development of antibiotic resistance in humans through consumption of antibiotic residues in food sourced from animals.
Strategic planning
The Board had held a Planning Day in association with its September 2001 meeting to identify key strategic priorities (within the framework of the three-year ANZFA Corporate Plan) for implementation in 2002-3. Subsequent to this, those findings were further developed by a group of senior managers across all ANZFA Programs and some further issues and strategies developed which were grouped and prioritised for previous Board consideration. The Board endorsed an amended summary of the Planning Day outcomes which will be available from the ANZFA website in the near future.
ANZFA Fellows
The Board was given an update on progress with plans for a second ANZFA Fellows Symposium to be held in the second half of 2002. The Symposium will provide an opportunity for to bring together the expertise of ANZFA Fellows, the ANZFA Board and staff to explore one or more topics relevant to ANZFA' s work.