FOOD STANDARDS NOTIFICATION CIRCULAR

3 July 2009

[10-09]

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.au  under<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 .

NEW APPLICATIONS AND PROPOSALS

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

FSANZ has received the following Application; completed an Administrative Assessment of it; accepted it; and placed it on the FSANZ Food Standards Development Work Plan:  

MAJOR PROCEDURE

  • Application A1029 Food derived from Drought-tolerant Corn MON87460: to seek permission for food derived from corn genetically modified to reduce yield loss under water-limited conditions   [Received:  10 June 2009] [Applicant:   Monsanto Australia Ltd]

Information on the above, 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/ .   If you wish to be advised of any developments relating to the above, 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.

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  9 December   2008).   The proposed amendments are available in either Word or PDF versions and 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) 7 August 2009.   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.

Food Regulation Secretariat

In accordance with the Food Regulation Agreement, the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing is responsible for the provision of secretariat services to the Australia and New Zealand Food Regulation Ministerial Council (Ministerial Council), the Food Regulation Standing Committee (FRSC) and the Implementation Sub-Committee (ISC).

The Food Regulation Secretariat sends information updates to stakeholders on a regular basis. If you would like to receive these updates (this is separate and in addition to updates from FSANZ), register your details on the Food Regulation Secretariat Stakeholder Database.  A registration form is available on the website at http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/foodsecretariat-database.htm .  

Alternatively, the Food Regulation Secretariat can be contacted on:

Phone:                 +61 2 6289 5128
Fax:                      +61 2 6289 5100

Postal Address:    Food Regulation Secretariat

                            PO Box 4
                            WODEN   ACT   2606

Email:                  foodregulationsecretariat@health.gov.au