Food Standards Notification Circular

27 May 2010

[12-10]

This Notification Circular includes notices that are required to be given to the public, submitters and appropriate government agencies, under theFood 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 then , then , then either or . 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 5636        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 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 27 May 2010 in The Australian and The New Zealand Herald newspapers, as well as on the FSANZ website.

General information on progress on all current applications and proposals is available in the FSANZ Food Standards Development Work Plan which is available on the FSANZ website at http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/foodstandards/changingthecode/standardsworkplan.cfm .

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 A1045 – Bacteriophage Preparation as a Processing Aid:  to seek approval for a bacteriophage, Preparation P100, to be used as a processing aid to reduce contamination of Listeria monocytogenes in a variety of foods   [Received: 8 April 2010] [Applicant: EBI Food Safety]

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/foodstandards/changingthecode/standardsworkplan.cfm . Administrative Assessment Reports can be accessed on the FSANZ website at http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/foodstandards/applications/ or http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/foodstandards/proposals/ .    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.

OTHER MATTERS

GAZETTAL – Amendment 116 Published

Amendment No. 116 to the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code was published by FSANZ on 20 May 2010 (FSC 58). It included amendments resulting from the following Application and Proposals:

  • Application A1028 – Food derived from Insect-protected & Herbicide-tolerant Cotton Line T304-40
  • Proposal P282 – Primary Production & Processing Standard for Poultry Meat
  • Proposal M1004 – Maximum Residue Limits (September-December 2008, January-March 2009) [Australia only]

Application Withdrawn

The following Application has been withdrawn by the Applicant:

  • Application A1007 – Labelling of Foods with a Formulated Caffeinated Beverage as an Ingredient

Application Rejected

The following Application has been rejected by FSANZ:

FSANZ Work Plan

FSANZ is required under s.20 of the FSANZ Act to develop and publish a three-year forward plan for applications, proposals and types of applications and proposals on which it intends to develop standards or variations to standards. In developing this three-year forward plan, FSANZ must consult interested persons not later than 30 June in each year.

Written submissions are therefore invited on the Work Plan by 6pm (Canberra time) 18 June 2010. Submissions should be addressed to one of the addresses below:

Standards Management Officer
Food Standards Australia New Zealand 
PO Box 7186
CANBERRA BC   ACT   2610
AUSTRALIA   
 
Email: submissions@foodstandards.gov.au                   

Standards Management Officer
Food Standards Australia New Zealand
PO Box 10559
WELLINGTON 6036
NEW ZEALAND

Email: submissions@foodstandards.govt.nz

           

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

Stakeholder Consultation Forum – Food Regulation Policy:   Emerging policy issues

A Forum will be held to update stakeholders on what actions are being taken as a result of feedback received from the FRSC Forum in 2008 and the ISC Forum in 2009 at Old Parliament House in Canberra on Friday, 18 June 2010.  It will also give stakeholders an opportunity to hear about the emerging challenges from a number of perspectives, and to provide their own comments on the strategic direction of the Australian New Zealand food regulation system.  

Register online by 11 June 2010 at the Food Regulation Secretariat website at www.foodsecretariat.health.gov.au .

[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.