The Hon Christopher Pyne Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health and Ageing

39th Annual Convention of the Australian Institute of Food Science and Technology

Opening Address

‘Industry, professionals and governments working together’

 Good morning ladies and gentleman and welcome to this, the 39^th Annual Convention of the Australian Institute of Food Science and Technology.

I would like to thank Ken Grice, the President of the Australian Institute of Food Science and Technology, for inviting me to make this opening address.

I am delighted that, this year, the convention is being held in Adelaide.

South Australia is well known as a centre for producing internationally recognised high quality food and wine. In fact Adelaide is the chosen site of Tasting Australia which is held every two years and showcases Australian food and wine. I trust you will have the opportunity to enjoy some of that quality while you are here.

The Australia food industry is worth $66 billion a year. Food commodities are also Australia’s second greatest export and people all around the world enjoy Australian food products every day. We are also great innovators in the food we produce, as Barbara Santich has pointed out in the previous session.

One of the reasons that Australia is well recognised throughout the world as being a source of quality and safe food is that we have a sound regulatory system. In fact Australia is a key player in the international arena of food regulation.

This morning I would like to speak about how the Australian Government has invested in streamlining the food regulatory process and has worked with industry to secure the safety of the food chain. I will also summarise some major changes coming up in food regulation in the areas of mandatory fortification of the food supply with folic acid and iodine, health claims on food, and food safety.

Governments alone cannot be responsible for the food regulatory system. It is a partnership with industry, consumer groups and professional organisations – not unlike the list of people who are speaking at, or attending, this convention.

What governments can do is to streamline the process and not make it too onerous for any of the partners involved.

2006 Federal Budget initiatives

In the Federal Budget in May 2006 the Australian Government announced an investment of $2.9 million over two years to usher in a streamlined system of food standard approvals through Food Standards Australia New Zealand.

This will considerably improve the food industry’s international competitiveness and is a win-win initiative. Importantly, consumers will also benefit. We can expect new foods sooner, healthier foods and new approaches to food quality.

Consumers will gain greater choice in foods and have much better input to the food standards system, especially through the newly established FSANZ   Consumer Liaison Committee and the improvements being made to the FSANZ website.

As a result of the Budget measures, the unacceptably long time it has been taking to make changes to the Food Standards Code – up to two years in some cases – will be reduced considerably. This is an important change, as delays in changing food standards have been holding up industry innovation.

Food chain security

Two months ago, also in Adelaide, the Attorney-General launched the strategy: Enhancing the Safety and Security of Our Food Supply. This strategy was completed after extensive consultations by the Food Chain Assurance Advisory Group with a diverse range of stakeholders.

The Food Chain Assurance Advisory Group is part of the national Trusted Information Sharing Network for critical infrastructure protection and was formed to improve the safety and security of the food supply in the new global security environment.   This Network forms part of the national counter-terrorism arrangements.  

Our food industry represents an essential piece of national critical infrastructure.   If our agriculture and food industries are disrupted or interfered with there is the real potential for community anxiety and a severe impact on our economy.

Food exports generate around $24 billion a year in foreign revenue.   The industry employs over a million people and contributes around seven per cent of GDP.   So when we talk about critical infrastructure protection—protecting the food sector must be a high priority.

The National Food Chain Safety and Security Strategy adopts an ‘all hazards’ approach acknowledging the wide range of natural, accidental and malicious hazards facing the sector.   The strategy recognises that we already have a robust food safety and security system.   However, it also acknowledges the changed global security environment that now includes the potential for deliberate, malicious intervention, including by terrorists, either directly or indirectly.

The strategy identifies potential gaps and vulnerabilities in the existing arrangements and identifies what needs to be done to improve our preparedness to respond to any incident.   While recognising these potential hazards, the strategy takes the approach that it is neither possible nor economically sensible to attempt to deal with every risk.   Accordingly, there is a strong emphasis on risk management, preparedness and response and recovery strategies.

Copies of the Strategy are being distributed to the owners and operators of businesses in the food supply chain through industry networks and to relevant government agencies.  

Major changes in food regulation in 2006-07

In addition to being the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health and Ageing and responsible for Food Standards Australia New Zealand, I also chair the Australia and New Zealand Food Regulation Ministerial Council.

This Ministerial Council, which consists of ministers from the states and territories and the New Zealand Minster for Food the Hon Annette King, sets policy guidelines for FSANZ to develop into standards. Any member jurisdiction of the Ministerial Council can also seek a review of any standard that FSANZ finalises.

This year there are a number of major standards issues that will be coming to a conclusion. None of these new standards can be developed in isolation – FSANZ needs your input - whether you represent the food industry, consumers, retailers or professional groups. We can only develop quality food standards with everyone’s input.

Mandatory fortification

The Ministerial Council has asked FSANZ to consider two important areas of public health and safety.

The first is to consider how the food supply could be fortified with folic acid to further reduce birth defects such as spina bifida.   The aim is to reduce the incidence of neural tube defects to the maximum extent possible by increasing dietary folic acid intakes in women of child-bearing age, without jeopardising the safety of the food supply.

Each year, 300-350 pregnancies in Australia are affected by neural tube defects.  In New Zealand there are approximately 70-75 cases per year.   Women can reduce the risk of having a baby with a neural tube defect by consuming 400 micrograms of folic acid a day before and during the first three months of pregnancy.

However, there is evidence that pregnant women are not getting sufficient folic acid, either from food that has been fortified voluntarily by food companies or naturally occurring folate.   Although women planning pregnancies often take folic acid supplements, nearly half of all pregnancies are unplanned.

FSANZ’s   preferred approach is mandatory fortification of all bread-making flour with folic acid in Australia and New Zealand to further reduce the incidence of neural tube defects. The proposed level of mandatory fortification is 230-280 micrograms of folic acid per 100 grams of bread-making flour, to achieve an average residual level of approximately 200 micrograms folic acid for each 100 grams of breadmaking flour.

The average folic acid intake from mandatory fortification combined with folic acid intake contributed by foods voluntarily fortified with folic acid, is less than the 400 micrograms folic acid recommended for women of child-bearing age.   Folic acid supplementation and education for women planning to, or capable of, becoming pregnant will therefore continue to be an important strategy in reducing neural tube defects.

Monitoring will form an essential component of implementing this proposed new standard.   It will provide a basis to gauge both the ongoing effectiveness and safety of mandatory folic acid fortification, particularly in further reducing the incidence of neural tube defects.   Monitoring the ongoing need for fortification at the recommended level will also be required, given some uncertainties associated with mandatory fortification.  

Responsibility for establishing and funding a monitoring system to assess the impact of mandatory fortification on the population will require the involvement of health and regulatory agencies at the Commonwealth, State and Territory level in Australia and the New Zealand Government.

This important draft standard is currently out for public comment until 31 July 2006 and I encourage you to make a submission.

Next month FSANZ will also be asking you to comment on draft food standard for the mandatory fortification of food with iodine. Mandatory fortification with iodine is being considered to address the re-emergence of mild iodine deficiency, in Australia and New Zealand.  The iodine proposal will examine similar issues to the folic acid proposal. 

Health claims

Also nearing completion, is the proposal on nutrition, health and related claims. The Draft Assessment Report has already been out for public comment which closed on 31 March 2006.   The public consultation process involved a round of extensive public stakeholder briefings and targeted consultations in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane, Auckland and Wellington.  

FSANZ received 132 submissions as part of the consultation process.   These submissions are now being analysed.   Major themes raised in submissions relate to those put forward in public consultations.   Issues raised include the disqualifying criteria for health claims, such as setting an upper limit of saturated fat, sugar and sodium, and which foods would be able to make health claims. Also raised were the labelling change requirements for making content claims, the requirement for percentage daily kilojoules intake for content claims (such as ‘good source of vitamin C’) and the handling of endorsements like the National Heart Foundation’s Tick.

FSANZ will continue to work closely with health professionals, industry and consumer representatives, and the jurisdictions to achieve sensible results.   Currently, consideration is being given to amending some of the recommendations.   A further round of public consultation will be held in the second half of 2006.   If you would like to receive information about the time of release of the preliminary final report and consultation period you can request that through the subscription service on the FSANZ website.

Food safety

While Australia has a well deserved reputation for a clean and green food supply, there are still an estimated 5.6 million cases of food poisoning in Australia every year. While this is on par with other developed nations it is certainly a figure we wish to reduce, especially for the more vulnerable in our population. FSANZ is finalising food safety standards for the f ood service to vulnerable populations and for catering activities serving the general population.

I understand a number of sessions at this convention will address these important issues including health claims, fortification and food safety for vulnerable groups. I also commend the session on communicating science as there is much confusion out there amongst consumers who hear conflicting food safety messages.

FSANZ Advice Line staff are here at a stand in the exhibition area ready to ask any questions you may have during the course of the convention. I recommend that you take the opportunity to do so.

Foodbank

Before I conclude I would like to mention Australia’s hunger-relief charity Foodbank.

I have also had the pleasure today of making the public announcement that the Australian food industry has donated a record 9 million kilograms of food to Foodbank in 2005-06.

I would like congratulate the food companies that have donated their surplus production to Foodbank as midwinter is a difficult time for welfare agencies to keep up with feeding the hungry. Foodbank, which is the largest hunger relief charity in Australia, does an often unrecognised job of ensuring our welfare agencies have access to good quality and safe food.

In the last 12 months Foodbank has distributed 9 million kilograms of food to over 1500 welfare agencies providing food for 12 million meals. The food is donated by 25 national companies and 500 smaller ones, many of whom are here today, and some comes from dedicated production runs by the food companies specifically for Foodbank.

I would strongly urge any food company or retailer, large or small, which is not already donating, to contact Foodbank to see how they can help.

Foodbank is the ‘pantry’ of welfare agencies and is the philanthropic arm of the Australian Food and Grocery Council and its member organisations. It is a registered charity and more information can be found on its website at www.foodbank.org.au.

Dr Dave Roberts from the Australian Food and Grocery Council is here today representing Foodbank so you can contact him or get more information from the FSANZ stand in the exhibition area.

Conclusion

Thank again to the Australian Institute of Food Science and Technology for the opportunity to speak here today.

The food industry cannot operate without qualified people – without this there will be no innovation nor will there be the development of quality products that meet the needs of consumers. I congratulate the Australian Institute of Food Science and Technology for the work it does working in association with other organisations to ensure the continuing professional development for those working in the food industry and also to attract young people into the food industry. I note that this convention has a number of awards for students and encourages them to present their work at this event.

This Convention is an occasion for everyone involved in food issues to get together and speak about important issues. I trust that everyone enjoys and learns from the 39^th Annual Australian Institute of Food Science and Technology Convention Festival of Food.