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Food Standards Notification circular

This Notification Circular includes notices that are required to be given to the public, submitters and appropriate government agencies, under the Food Standards Australia New Zealand Act 1991 (FSANZ Act).   All references below to sections of legislation, are to the FSANZ Act unless otherwise indicated.

Further information about the applications, proposals and other matters mentioned below, including assessment reports, processes and – where applicable – reasons for decisions, can be accessed on the FSANZ website at www.foodstandards.gov.auunder<Standards Development>, then <Documents for Public Comment>and then. Persons may contact FSANZ at one of the addresses below to arrange alternative access to these documents:

The Information Officer	The Office Administrator
Food Standards Australia New Zealand	Food Standards Australia New Zealand
PO Box 7186	PO Box 10559
CANBERRA BC   ACT   2610	WELLINGTON   6036
AUSTRALIA	NEW ZEALAND
Tel   +61 2 6271 2241      Fax   +61 2 6271 2278	Tel   +64 4 978 5630        Fax   +64 4 473 9855
Email:   information@foodstandards.gov.au	Email:   information@foodstandards.govt.nz

General questions on the work of FSANZ should be directed to the Information Officer at the either of the addresses above.  Queries concerning the matters in this Circular on assessment or submission processes should be directed to the Standards Management Officer at standards.management@foodstandards.gov.au .

PROGRESS ON APPLICATIONS AND PROPOSALS

Details on Gazettals from the notice below were published on 28 October 2008 in The Australian and The New   Zealand Herald  newspapers, as well as on the FSANZ website.

NEW APPLICATIONS AND PROPOSALS

(Note that this section is not a call for public comment)

FSANZ has received the following Applications and placed them on the FSANZ Food Standards

Development Work Plan:

GENERAL PROCEDURE

• Application A1016– Ammonium Chloride as a Food Additive:   to include Ammonium Chloride (INS 510) as a permitted food additive [1 September 2008] [International Flavours & Fragrances (Australia) Pty Ltd]
  
  
• Application A1018– Food derived from High Oleic Oil Soybean Line DP-305423-1:   to seek permission for food derived from soybeans genetically modified to provide increased levels of monounsaturated (oleic) acid and decreased levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids (linoleic and linolenic) acid and, to a lesser extent, palmatic acid [22 September 2008] [Pioneer Hi-Bred International Inc via SGA Solutions

Information on the Applications, including an anticipated timetable for assessment and consultation opportunities, is provided in the FSANZ Food Standards Development Work Plan which is available on the FSANZ website at http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/standardsdevelopment/standardsworkplan.cfm .  

Administrative Assessment Reports can be accessed on the FSANZ website at http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/standardsdevelopment/applications/index.cfm .

If you wish to be advised of any developments relating to the above Application, such as calls for public submissions, please contact the Standards Management Officer at standards.management@foodstandards.gov.au .

Please note that the above section is not a call for public comment.

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS

GENERAL PROCEDURE

Assessment – Applications[s.31]

FSANZ has assessed and prepared a draft food regulatory measure for the following Application; will further consider the draft; and invites written submissions for the purpose of either approving, amending or rejecting the draft food regulatory measure by 6pm (Canberra time) 9 December 2008 :

• Application A1004 – Phospholipase A₂ as a Processing Aid (Enzyme):   to seek approval for a new microbial source for phospholipase A₂ produced from a genetically modified strain of Aspergillus niger for use as an emulsifier in bakery products, sauces and dressings
  
  
• Application A1011 – Cellulase from Penicillium funiculosum as a Processing Aid (Enzyme):   to seek approval of a cellulase enzyme complex produced by fermentation using a non-toxigenic strain of  Penicillium funiculosum as a processing aid

GAZETTAL

Amendment 102 Published

Amendment No. 102 to theAustralia New Zealand Food Standards Codewas published by FSANZ on 3 October 2008 (FSC 44).   It included amendments resulting from the following Proposal:

• Proposal P1001 – Omnibus VII

Only Item [35] from the above Proposal has been gazetted.   The remaining items were gazetted in Amendment No. 103.

Amendment 103 Published

Amendment No. 103 to the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code was published by FSANZ on 9 October 2008 (FSC 45).   It included amendments resulting from the following Applications and Proposals:

• Application A540 – Steviol Glycosides as Intense Sweeteners
• Application A589 – Food derived from Glufosinate Ammonium-tolerant Rice LLRICE62
• Proposal P1001 – Omnibus VII
• Proposal P1003 – Mandatory Iodine Fortification for Australia [Australia only]

Other matters

Rejection of Application

After making an Administrative Assessment of the following Application, FSANZ decided to reject the Application as it did not meet the mandatory information requirements of Part 3 of the FSANZ Application Handbook:

• Potential Application A1017 –Additives for Use in Low- & No-fat Milk with Added Tall Oil Phytosterols:   to approve the use of hydroxypropyl starch, dextrins (white & yellow, roasted starch) and carrageenan as food additives in low-fat and no-fat liquid milk to which tall oil phytosterols have been added

The Administrative Assessment Report can be accessed on the FSANZ website at http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/standardsdevelopment/applications/index.cfm .

Amendments to the FSANZ Application Handbook

All applications to amend the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code are required to include certain minimum information as detailed in the FSANZ Act and in any guidelines issued by FSANZ. These guidelines have been consolidated into an Application Handbook (Handbook), which also contains information on assessment processes, cost-recovery and confidentiality.

FSANZ is able to refuse to accept an application on the basis that it does not meet the information requirements set out in the Handbook.

FSANZ is proposing a number of amendments to the current version of the Handbook (as at 5 June 2008). The proposed amendments are available in either Word of PDF versions and are now available for public comment at http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/standardsdevelopment/informationforapplicants/consultationopportun3880.cfm .   There are links on this page to the current version of the Handbook.

Comments should be provided to FSANZ by 6pm (Canberra time) Wednesday, 29 October 2008. Please send your comments to submissions@foodstandards.gov.au .

Key Email addresses

standards.management@foodstandards.gov.au for:

• progress with the assessment of applications or proposals or completed applications
• making an application
• Gazettal of amendments to the Code

submissions@foodstandards.gov.au for lodging submissions.

[Australia only] These matters relate to ‘Australia only’ standards that are not part of the joint regulatory arrangements with New Zealand.   However, food from Australia complying with these standards may be supplied in New Zealand.   If the matter is open for public comment, anyone may provide submissions in relation to these matters.