Eighth MEETING

Brisbane

24 and 25 September 2003

SUMMARY OF KEY OUTCOMES

Food Standards Matters

Application A424 – Addition of Calcium to Soups, Savoury Biscuits and Juices

The Board considered the Final Assessment Report for an Application, which seeks to permit the addition of calcium to fruit and vegetable juices, fruit and vegetable drinks, soups and savoury biscuits. The Board agreed to the Final Assessment Report and the proposed draft variations to the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code and the Board’s decision will now be notified to Ministers.

Application A452 – TwinSweet ^TM (Aspartame/acesulphame)

The Board considered the Final Assessment Report for an Application, which seeks permission for a new intense sweetener, aspartame-acesulphame salt.   The product is known commercially as TwinSweet ^TM . The Board agreed to the Final Assessment Report and the proposed draft variations to the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code and the Board’s decision will now be notified to Ministers.

Application A476 – Sodium Chlorite as a Processing Aid

The Board considered the Final Assessment Report for an Application, which seeks permission for acidified sodium chlorite as a processing aid for use on poultry meats, meat and formed meat products, fruit and vegetables, and fish. The Board agreed to the Final Assessment Report and the proposed draft variations to the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code and the Board’s decision will now be notified to Ministers.

Application A477 – MRLs - October, November, December 2002

The Board considered the Final Assessment Report for an Application amending MRLs for agricultural and veterinary chemicals in foods. The Board agreed to the Final Assessment Report and the proposed draft variations to the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code and the Board’s decision will now be notified to Ministers.

Application A486 – MRLs – January, February, March 2003

The Board considered the Final Assessment Report for an Application amending MRLs for agricultural and veterinary chemicals in foods. The Board agreed to the Final Assessment Report and the proposed draft variations to the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code and the Board’s decision will now be notified to Ministers.

Application A484 – Insect-protected MON863 Corn

The Board considered the Final Assessment Report for an Application seeking approval for food derived from insect-protected MON863 corn. The Board agreed to the Final Assessment Report and the proposed draft variations to the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code and the Board’s decision will now be notified to Ministers.

Proposal P273 – Intense Sweeteners in Jelly

The Board considered the Final Assessment Report for a Proposal seeking approval for the use of cyclamates and saccharin in low joule jelly. Without permission in the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code for the continued use of cyclamates and saccharin in jelly, consumers of these specialty products will be disadvantaged. The Board agreed to the Final Assessment Report and the proposed draft variations to the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code and the Board’s decision will now be notified to Ministers.

Proposal P275 – Folate/NTD Health Claim Extension of Timeframe

The Board considered the Final Assessment Report for a Proposal seeking a temporary provision allowing a folate/neural tube defect (NTD) health claim on approved products which is due to expire on 13 February 2004. An extension to the temporary permission is sought until 13 February 2006 to ensure that the Folate health claim does not expire in the interim. The Board agreed to the Final Assessment Report and the extension of the temporary provision in the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code and the Board’s decision will now be notified to Ministers.

Proposal P264 – Review of Gluten Claims

The Board considered the Draft Assessment Report for a Proposal to determine whether to retain the prohibition of gluten claims on foods containing oats or malt and if so, to determine whether to extend the prohibition to foods that contain oats or malt ‘and their respective products’. The Board considered the protection of public health and safety by ensuring that the regulation of gluten claims accurately reflects current scientific evidence regarding the relationship between oats, malt and Coeliac Disease; and the provision of adequate information in order for consumers to make appropriate food choices for their level of gluten intolerance. The Board agreed to the Draft Assessment Report, which will be released in the near future for public consultation, prior to further consideration by the Board.

Application A454 - Bacillus cereus in Infant Formula

The Board considered the Draft Assessment Report for an Application, which seeks amendments to vary the microbiological limit for Bacillus cereus in infant formula products currently specified, on the basis that the current standard is too restrictive and cannot be complied with consistently under good manufacturing and hygienic practice.   The Board agreed to the Draft Assessment Report, which will be released in the near future for public consultation, prior to further consideration by the Board.

Application A497 -  MRLs April, May, June, July 2003

The Board considered the Initial/Draft Assessment Report for an Application, which seeks amendments to Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) for non-antibiotic agricultural and veterinary chemicals. Members discussed the levels of Diazinon and whether the dietary exposure assessment and residues associated with the proposed MRLs do not represent a risk to public health and safety. The Board agreed to the Initial/Draft Assessment Report, which will be released in the near future for public consultation, prior to further consideration by the Board.

Application A485 - Extension of the Stock-in-Trade Provisions for Wine

The Board considered the Draft Assessment Report for an Application, which seeks to indefinitely extend the stock-in-trade provisions for vintage wines in order for these products to be legally sold after the expiration of the long shelf-life stock-in-trade provisions on 20 December 2004. The Board agreed to the Draft Assessment Report, which will be released in the near future for public consultation, prior to further consideration by the Board.

Application A495 – Polydextrose as a Dietary Fibre

The Board considered the Draft Assessment Report for an Application, which seeks to recognise Polydextrose polymer as a dietary fibre by including a specific method of analysis for dietary fibre in foods containing Polydextrose. Currently, the Standard does not permit a nutrition information statement to recognise Polydextrose polymer in the calculation of total dietary fibre content. The Board agreed to the Draft Assessment Report, which will be released in the near future for public consultation, prior to further consideration by the Board.

Proposal P256 – Review of Kava

The Board considered the Draft Assessment Report for a Proposal, which seeks to undertake a complete review of the standard regulating kava now that the National code of Kava Management on the Restriction of Sale and Advertising of Kava (the National Code of Kava Management, NCKM) is operating. The Board agreed to the Draft Assessment Report, which will be released in the near future for public consultation, prior to further consideration by the Board.

Proposal P257 – Advice on Preparation of Cassava Products and Bamboo Shoots

The Board considered the Draft Assessment Report for a Proposal, which seeks to examine the potential public health and safety risk associated with consumption of inadequately prepared cassava and/or bamboo shoots in the Australian and New Zealand populations and to determine whether any risk management measures are necessary. The Board agreed to the Draft Assessment Report, which will be released in the near future for public consultation, prior to further consideration by the Board.

Proposal P260 – Non-Culinary Herbs

The Board considered the Initial Assessment Report for a Proposal which considered the issues associated with the use of non-culinary herbs in foods and, if necessary, to review the current food standards in relation to this matter in order to ensure that the public health and safety of consumers protected. The Board discussed the progress of this proposal and the policy options being prepared by the Food Regulation Standing Committee (FRSC) on food-type dietary supplements. The Board agreed to the Initial Assessment Report, which will be released in the near future for public consultation, prior to further consideration by the Board.

Proposal P278 – Use of Nicotine and Nicotiana Species in Food

The Board considered the Initial Assessment Report for a Proposal which seeks to consider the issues associated with the use of Nicotiana species in foods and, if necessary, to review the current food standards in relation to this matter in order to ensure that the public health and safety of consumers is protected. The Board agreed to the Draft Assessment Report, which will be released in the near future for public consultation, prior to further consideration by the Board.

Development of a Primary Production and Processing Standard for Poultry Meat

The Board considered the recommendation of the Meat Standards Committee (MSC) for FSANZ to develop a Primary Production and Processing (PPP) Standard for poultry meat, and to call for expressions of interest for nominations to a Poultry Meat Standard Development Committee. The Board agreed to the recommendations.

Issues arising from the Meeting of the Seafood Standards Development Committee (SDC) Meeting on 30-31 July 2003

The Board was updated on the progress of the Seafood Standards Development Committee following their meeting held in July 2003. Issues discussed included the implications of mandating fish names in the Code and whether any proposal to mandate fish names (by labelling or other measures for unpackaged fish) was a trade practices issue. The Board was also informed that these same issues were discussed at the SDC meeting that was held on 22 September 2003. The Board noted that the next Seafood SDC meeting is scheduled to be held in November 2003 and that a further report on the outcomes of that meeting will be provided at the FSANZ9 Meeting in December 2003.

Model Approach for the Development of the Primary Production and Processing Standards (PPPS)

The Board considered the proposed approach for the development of the Primary Production and Processing Standards, Chapter 4. Issues raised included the need to engage stakeholder and raise awareness from the whole sector at an early stage and to keep both the Poultry Meat SDC and PPPS consistent. The Board noted and agreed to the proposed approach.

Other matters

Emerging Issues: A – Plant Derived Native Foods, and B – Gossypol in Cottonseed

The Board noted the direction FSANZ is taking with these two issues and the process for dealing with emerging scientific issues, including:

• Plant derived native foods continue to enter the commercial food supply in Australia and New Zealand and that limited information is available on the composition of these foods. Consideration needs to be taken in regard to the safety of native foods, and
  
  
• FSANZ has established a pre-proposal for gossypol in food following the suggestion that there may be new food uses in Australia and/or New Zealand of whole cotton-seed or meal in which gossypol may not have been specifically removed via appropriate processing (eg by heat and moisture) which allowed conversion of the free form to the bound form.

Urgent Code amendments needed for ratification of Mutual Acceptance Agreement on winemaking practices

The Board agreed to consider out-of-session the Assessment Reports for a Proposal to amend provisions regulating wine in the Code that need to be completed before ratification of the World Wine Trade Group’s Mutual Acceptance Agreement on Oenological Practices (MAA) can take place.

GM Labelling Review

Members noted the scope and approach to the Review of the Labelling of GM Food.

Consumer Research on Nutrition Content Claims & Food Type Dietary SupplementLabelling on Food Products

The Board noted and endorsed the reports A qualitative consumer study related to nutrition content claims on food labels and A qualitative consumer study related to food-type dietary supplement labelling, that were prepared by NFO Donovan Research Pty Ltd for FSANZ. Both these reports will be published on the FSANZ Website.

Food from Cloned Animals

The Board agreed to the release of recommendations of the Review of Cloned Animals in Australia and New Zealand on the FSANZ Website.

FSANZ Consultation Strategies

As part of FSANZ’s commitment to continually improve its consultation strategies, FSANZ has mapped its existing and proposed strategies in terms of their effectiveness for different stakeholder groups, as no one strategy will meet all the requirements of these different groups and FSANZ needs to continue to develop and implement multiple strategies to ensure effective engagement with stakeholders.

The Board endorsed the priorities and activities outlined in the FSANZ Consultation Strategy Review and agreed to share the document with key stakeholders.