Advanced search

News Room

FSANZ Home > News Room > Food Standards News > 

In this edition

full colour version [ pdf kb ]

From the CEO
Launch of Food Standard Australia New Zealands Science Strategy
15th Anniversary: FSANZ Foundation Day
New FSANZ Website
Events Diary
Celebrating 10th Anniversary of diamond
Consumer Viewpoint from Wayne Cooper
APEC - Food Safety - Vietnam
The Next Generation in Food Safety
Profile: Two FSANZ Fellows
Update on Standards Development Issues
FSANZ Chief Scientist on Hong Kong Expert Committee
Streamlining the Process: 2006 Amendments to the Food Standards Australia ACT 1991
New FSANZ publications
Correction
Seeking Public Comment

From the CEO

In the 1800s, food regulation mainly concerned the adulteration of food; it was largely a trade matter.  Then, during the 20th century, the emphasis turned to the safety and suitability of food – that is, protecting the public from food likely to cause illness or death.   The role of food regulation was to see that food caused no harm.

To meet the challenge, governments turned to the rapidly evolving world of science.   They underpinned regulatory measures with sensitive analytical techniques, a greater understanding of nutritional adequacy, and dietary modelling and other research into consumer behaviour.   This approach, progressively refined over the years, culminated in the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code in 2000. It has resulted in very high levels of consumer confidence in the ability of government to ensure a safe food supply.

We may now be entering a new phase of food regulation – a phase that still requires food to do no harm, but also addresses consumer expectations that food should do some good as well.A number of factors converged to create this new consumer view of food.

Globalisation has been a powerful driver of change, including the exposure of consumers to overseas foods, production technologies and eating trends.   A period of sustained relative prosperity has seen us eating fewer meals in the home.   Better education has made us more curious about the content of processed foods and caused us to question the effects of nutrients, additives and food ingredients on our health.

And, finally, the food industry has become incredibly innovative.   In a process of industry-push, the industry has promoted the health benefits of functional and fortified foods to the point where consumer-pull has now set in.  Consumers are seeking out foods as a vehicle for health benefits, not just nutrition.

To maintain public confidence in government regulation, FSANZ is reviewing its approaches to the changing environment, in particular, the role of food standards in helping governments achieve their public health outcomes.   We are also reviewing the resources required for FSANZ to respond to new expectations and conditions.

Food regulation, in itself, is generally not an effective intervention to address public health issues.   While a varied diet contributes to good nutrition, there are many factors that influence food choice.   Therefore, food standards alone cannot determine an individual’s diet or dictate his or her health status.

Nevertheless, we seek to support, strengthen and complement public health initiatives.   We can best influence broader health issues by helping to create supportive environments, such as food labelling, which enables consumers to make informed choices in the context of their individual diet.

Graham Peachey    photograph   

Launch of Food Standard Australia New Zealand's Science Strategy

FSANZ Chief Scientist Dr Marion Healy launched FSANZ’s Science Strategy 2006-09 on 28 September. Dr Healy said that Australia and New Zealand have one of the safest food supplies in the world.  

‘This level of safety owes its effectiveness to the transparency, inclusiveness and objectivity of the food regulatory system and the willingness of stakeholders to accept the scientific evidence underpinning regulatory measures,’ she said.

‘We are now witnessing rapid changes in the food supply – changes in the nature of food and consumer expectations about what they want from food. We are also experiencing a greater government interest in using food to achieve public health outcomes through programs such as mandatory fortification.

‘A result of these changes is a need for FSANZ to not only adjust its scientific focus into new areas, but also to develop its ability to articulate the scientific basis of its risk analyses to a growing number of interested parties.   Our scientific work is coming under the public spotlight to a greater degree than ever before.   We therefore need to ensure that the rigour of our science remains high and that our processes continue to withstand the pressures of external scrutiny.

‘One of the roles of Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) is to evaluate the scientific evidence associated with changes to theAustralia New Zealand Food Standards Code– regulations governing the composition, labelling and handling of foods. We also conduct scientific risk assessments during food emergencies and for potential threats to food, such as mad cow disease and avian influenza.

‘ High quality science is at the core of our work. We aim to provide the objective scientific assessments necessary to enable risk managers to make sound regulatory decisions. To achieve this,we employ scientists who have integrity and who value excellence in their work.   This strategy, combined with procedures closely modelled on international best practice, has served the regulatory system – and the people of Australia and New Zealand – well.

‘This FSANZ Science Strategy 2006-09 describes how we intend to use our scientific resources to maintain the safety of the food supply in changing times. I commend the document to our regulatory partners, to the food industry and to consumers everywhere, Dr Healy concluded.

The FSANZ Science Strategy 2006-09 is available on the FSANZ website at  www.foodstandards.gov.au

photograph  Photo caption : Left to right: Mr Graham Peachey, Hon Rob Knowles, Ms Elaine Attwood, Dr Marion Healy, Mrs Janis Baines, Mr Mike DiNovi, Mr Steve Crossley, Ms Tracey Hambridge at the launch.

15th Anniversary: FSANZ Foundation Day

On 14 August, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health and Ageing, Christopher Pyne, joined the Chairman of the FSANZ Board, Rob Knowles to help FSANZ staff celebrate the 15th anniversary of the foundation of FSANZ as the National Food Authority in August 1991.

Over 140 people attended the celebrations at FSANZ’sCanberra office, including present and former staff. Parliamentary Secretary Christopher Pyne and Rob Knowles co-presented awards to staff with 10 or more year’s experience of working with FSANZ and congratulated them on their achievements. Recipients of these awards were: Ann Naco, Janine Lewis, Irene White, Sue Harvey, (all who   have been with FSANZ from the beginning) Cathie Humphries, Jim Gruber, Mary-lou Dalzell, Janis Baines, Patricia Blenman, Narelle Marro, Sonia Bradley, Claire Pontin, Greg Milligan, Ann Hunt, Dean McCullum and Tania Martin.

The New Zealand office celebrated this occasion with a lunch, introducing the 3 new members of the  Kahui.

 photograph  Photo caption: Hon Christopher Pyne presenting Irene White her certificate recognizing her 15 years for service to FSANZ

After the presentations, two of the award recipients, Ann Naco (Product Safety Section) and Sue Harvey (Librarian), reflected on their work at FSANZ.

Q. When did you first start working here?

Sue – I started with the National Food Authority in June 1991 when my position (in the Secretariat of the Imported Food Risks Advisory Committee) in the Federal Bureau of Consumer Affairs was transferred to the new Interim National Food Authority.

Ann – I’ve been here from the beginning. Like Sue, I was one of about a dozen people who came from the food area of the Federal Bureau of Consumer Affairs and moved to the GIO building in Woden a couple of months before we were officially called the National Food Authority. At the time we operated as the interim National Food Authority. NFA was an unfortunate acronym – fortunately we did not live up to its other meaning of “no further action”!

Q. What have been the most rewarding or exciting aspects of your work here?

Ann - After working hard on applications and proposals, it is very rewarding to see the resultant drafting being progressed and gazetted as food standards and becoming law. I’ve also enjoyed travelling interstate to attend meeting with jurisdictions, for example, meetings of Senior Food Officers and Technical Advisory Group. It’s great to be recognised for having worked with the authority since its inception.

Sue - The most rewarding part of my time here was in the first few years when I was part of a small team setting up the organisation – lots of responsibility, variety and excitement. 

Q. What do you see as some of the significant achievements of this organisation since you joined?

Sue – I think it would be the establishment of the trans-Tasman relationship.

Ann – I think a significant achievement for FSANZ was the establishment of the Imported Food Program (April 1992) together with AQIS, where AQIS does the daily running of the program and we provide the risk assessment and food policy side of things.   FSANZ (formerly known as ANZFA) introduced national food safety standards that replaced inconsistent food hygiene regulations administered by State, Territory and local governments. Another achievement is the Authority being responsible to establish food standards for New Zealand as well as Australia

For a history of FSANZ see our website at; http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/aboutfsanz/historyoffsanz.cfm

www.foodstandards.gov.au

Events Diary

Date and location

Event

For more information

13-18 November 2006

Australian Food Safety Week – Theme of food safety for young people leaving home.

New Zealand Food Safety Week - theme of food for life.

Tania Bradley Food Safety Information Council (02) 6254 4896 or e-mail to info@foodsafety.asn.au or www.foodsafety.asn.au

Foodsafe Partnership http://www.foodsafe.org.nz/

Celebrating 10th Anniversary of Diamond

This year, FSANZ is celebrating the 10th anniversary of DIAMOND – the DIetAry Modelling Of Nutritional Data computer program. Dietary modelling is a tool used to estimate exposure (intakes) of food chemicals from the diet as part of the FSANZ risk assessment process, and DIAMOND is used to do the dietary exposure calculations. The models are generally set up according to international conventions for food chemical exposure estimates using a basic equation whereby an amount of food consumed is multiplied by the concentration of the chemical in the food and summed across all foods containing the chemical to estimate exposure from the whole diet. DIAMOND can be used to assess a range of food chemicals including food additives, contaminants, pesticides, nutrients, novel foods and food ingredients as well as   food   consumption patterns.

A brief history of DIAMOND

In the early 1990s, quick and simple exposure assessment calculations were done by hand. During 1995 to 2000 the review of the Australian Food Standards Code was to be undertaken, and the prospect of doing dietary exposure calculations by hand was not appealing. Therefore, in 1996, the specifications for DIAMOND were developed based on a similar program in the United Kingdom Food Standards Agency and a  programmer was engaged to develop DIAMOND (the same programmer isstill working on DIAMOND today). An external Advisory Group was established in 1997 to provide input into the development of DIAMOND and dietary modelling procedures. The program started to be used for application and proposal work at the end of 1997.

The program was first developed based on food consumption data from the 1983 National Dietary Survey (NDS) of Adults and the 1985 NDS of Schoolchildren. In 1998 the 1995 Australian National Nutrition Survey (NNS) data were incorporated into DIAMOND. This was the first time detailed nutrient intake assessments could be calculated. In 1999 the 1997 New Zealand NNS data were incorporated into the program. Each time a new nutrition survey is to be entered into DIAMOND it takes at least six months for the data to be ready to use, as the food consumption data need to be matched to existing food classifications or groups used in DIAMOND and recipes need to be developed for many foods.

How is DIAMOND used at FSANZ?

Dietary modelling is used within FSANZ in many ways, particularly to predict the risks associated with chemicals in food. DIAMOND is used for work on applications and proposals, the Australian Total Diet Study, emerging food chemical issues (e.g. dioxins in food), food monitoring and surveillance and to provide input into food chemical risk assessments in the international arena. It has also been used to support collaborative research projects, for example, on omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids, and to provide consumer education, such as the consumption advice for mercury in fish.

DIAMOND plays an integral role in the work of many applications and proposals that FSANZ processes. Recent examples include the proposals for mandatory fortification of the food supply with folic acid and iodine, and phytosterol applications.

In the future…

DIAMOND is used every day at FSANZ and is continually being developed. Over the coming year FSANZ will be conducting a review of all dietary modelling principles and procedures and will also review DIAMOND itself with a view to planning for the coming years to keep up to date with international developments, methodologies and research.

For more information:

See the dietary modelling information sheet on the FSANZ website at Dietary modellling or email diamond@foodstandards.gov.au

Meeting Reports

On 9 August, FSANZ CEO Graham Peachey convened FSANZ Strategic Conversation Day in Canberra.  The purpose of the day was to discuss ideas about how FSANZ could conduct its business better through the existing risk analysis model.

Three presentations delivered in the first session of the morning provided the focus for discussion.  FSANZ Chief Scientist, Marion Healy, reviewed the genesis of the FSANZ risk analysis model and explored how the model is being applied.  Amanda Hill delivered a comparative view on the FSANZ model and that of the United States drawing on her recent study tour.  General Manager of Food Standards in our Wellington office, Dean Stockwell, presented an alternate project management model for FSANZ to consider.

In the second session of the day, six mixed discipline groups had an opportunity to unpack the risk analysis model and propose constructive ideas for streamlining its functionality and application as part of a strategic discussion.  Issues taken into consideration by these groups included structure, process, rules, culture and leadership environment currently in place around the risk analysis model.

Public Service Commissioner Ms Lynelle Briggs addressed delegates over lunchtime, providing an insightful view into current matters for the public service.

The third and final session of the day focussed on refining key themes in the morning’s discussion. In his concluding remarks, FSANZ CEO Graham Peachey said that FSANZ had many achievements of which it should be proud.  He also told delegates that FSANZ had a positive culture that was capable of embracing change and meeting the increasing demands of the food regulatory environment.

As a direct result of the strategic conversation day, FSANZ has committed to developing an action plan to help FSANZ work more effectively through the risk analysis model.

Jennifer Schneider, Planning and Capability Manager, FSANZ

Complementary Healthcare Conference in New Zealand

FSANZ CEO Graham Peachey, Dr Leigh Henderson and Dr Bob Boyd each presented at a recent conference on aspects of the proposed regulatory framework for nutrition, health and related claims, including substantiation requirements. The conference was organised by the Australian Self-Medication Industry, the Advanced Manufacturing Centre and ISPE (Pharmaceutical Engineering). Major themes discussed at the conference related to the trans-Tasman alignment and the drugs-medicine interfaces.

Dr Leigh Henderson, Manager, Labelling and Information Standards (Wellington) FSANZ

Responding to a National Food Incident: Testing the National Protocol

FSANZ is currently finalising the ISC National Food Incident Response Protocol (the Protocol). The aim of this Protocol is to achieve a consistent approach across jurisdictions to managing a food incident. As part of the process to finalise the Protocol, FSANZ and the NSW Food Authority co-convened a workshop on 11 August. The objectives of this workshop were to identify gaps, issues or enhancements to the Protocol using a number of hypothetical food incident scenarios.

The first hypothetical scenario involved an outbreak of foodborne illness at the National School Band Camp held in Canberra during Floriade. The students at the camp were from around Australia and so there was the potential for extensive media interest in the story. The illness was linked to chicken and salad fajitas made using “Tasty Mexicana Tortillas”. This brand of tortillas was in the process of being recalled due to the addition of higher than recommended levels of potassium bromate.

The second hypothetical scenario involved a number of small outbreaks of illness across the country and an unknown food source and pathogen. The illness was later attributed to raspberries from an organic berry farm outside Launceston that had become contaminated with Cyclospora.

Discussion of the two scenarios helped identify the areas of the Protocol in need of further clarification. One of these areas was the triggers for activation. In order to clarify this, the Protocol will start being used by jurisdictions (and FSANZ) in actual food incidents.

The workshop was well received with rave reviews from external agencies regarding the organisation and content of the workshop as well as the infamous ‘sealed section’. Well done team!

Dr Susie Collins, Senior Food Scientist, Food Safety Section, FSANZ

Consumer Viewpoint with Wayne Cooper

In the last issue of the News (#57), the newly established Consumer Liaison Committee initiated its first regular contribution. The Consumer Liaison Committee comprises twelve members reflective of a broad range of grassroots consumers from Australia and New Zealand.

The committee has been actively involved in recent consultations around the issue of mandatory fortification with folic acid, and with iodine. 

On Monday 10 July 2006, committee members met with FSANZ by e-teleconference to discuss the Draft Assessment Report for the consideration of mandatory fortification with folic acid.  Committee members welcomed the opportunity to engage in meaningful dialogue with FSANZ on this proposal, and offered many idea and suggestions. In particular, the committee felt that the issue of consumer choice needed further consideration. Committee members were very positive about the meeting outcomes.

On Friday 1 September 2006, the committee participated in another e-teleconference with FSANZ about the Draft Assessment Report for the consideration of mandatory fortification with iodine. Once again, the committee made many suggestions to FSANZ about the proposal, emphasising the need for communication and education activities to reach women of child bearing age with salient messages about the importance of iodine during pregnancy.  The committee expressed its support for the proposal, and encouraged FSANZ to explore opportunities to partner with educational and consumer organisations to extend the reach of key messages about iodine fortification to marginalised and other groups.

The committee looks forward to making further contributions to other FSANZ projects, including work on food additives, and the development of a standard for egg and egg products. 

    Mr Wayne Cooper, Chair, Consumer Liaison Committee

APEC – Food Safety Vietnam

Success at APEC for food safety cooperation

Australia ’s efforts to improve food safety for consumers and increase trade in the Asia Pacific region have been given a major boost.

Many countries in the Asia-Pacific region are struggling to harmonise their food safety standards with internationally accepted standards and are participating in a wide range of capacity building activities in an effort to fast-track their progress.   However, in many cases these activities are not driven by the highest priority needs or delivered in the most effective way.

FSANZ recently negotiated agreement among Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) member countries to better coordinate and prioritise food safety capacity building activities in the region.   This will assist member countries to focus their efforts in a more coordinated way, share capacity building resources and avoid costly duplication of activities.

Led by FSANZ in partnership with China (represented by the Import and Export Food Safety Bureau, Inspection and Quarantine of the People’s Republic of China), the Initiative has now been endorsed by APEC member countries. Senior executives from food safety regulatory agencies of all APEC member economies will be invited to attend the first meeting of the APEC Food Safety Cooperation Forum in the Hunter Valley, New South Wales on 3-4 April 2007.  

This Forum will provide the mechanism to coordinate and prioritise food safety capacity building activities in the region and will be a significant event for Australia during our APEC host year.  The meeting agenda, including potential industry visits, is currently being developed.   To register interest in being involved Industry is invited to contact FSANZ nicole.cosgrove@foodstandards.gov.au. The Australian and Chinese Delegation at the recent APEC meetings in Da Nang, Vietnam, which endorsed Australia’s efforts to improve food safety capacity building in the region.

The Australian and Chinese Delegation at the recent APEC meetings in Da Nang, Vietnam, which endorsed Australia’s efforts to improve food safety capacity building in the region.

 photograph  Photo caption:  (L-R) Paul Brent (FSANZ, Australian Delegation Leader), Ma Yan (AQSIQ, China), Debbie Dewey (FSANZ), Nicole Cosgrove (FSANZ), Graham Peachey (FSANZ CEO and Co-Chair of the Steering Group), Lin Wei (Deputy Director General,AQSIQ and Co-Chair of the Steering Group), Zhang Rong (AQSIQ, China

The Next Generation in Food Safety 

The statistics are staggering – 5.4 million cases of foodborne illness in Australia each year, 18,000 hospitalisations and 120 deaths. Gastroenteritis associated with foodborne illness results in 2.1 million lost days off work, 1.2 million visits to a doctor and 300,000 prescriptions for antibiotics. The implications for food businesses and food handlers are obvious.

To tackle the problem, Australia is shifting the focus away from the need for food businesses to pass routine environmental health inspections. Increasingly, food businesses must demonstrate an awareness of food safety issues and how these are managed within their businesses. They can do this by completing and incorporating HACCP-based food safety programs into their day-to day-operations. The documented programs provide the evidence of how a food business is managing food safety.

Of course, there are costs associated with the development and documentation of food safety programs. However, these costs are usually outweighed by the benefits of reduced incidence of foodborne illness and increased consumer confidence in the safety of food.

For Australia only, FSANZ is developing the next generation of food safety regulations (called food standards), which build on the current laws and enable food businesses to demonstrate the effectiveness of their food safety systems.

Two new food safety standards will require certain food businesses to develop and document HACCP-based food safety programs.

One of the new standards relates to food businesses involved in food service to susceptible or vulnerable people, such as the elderly, hospital patients, children in child care and pregnant women. This new standard has been finalised.   Food businesses now have two years to introduce food safety programs to their practices before the mandatory requirements take effect.

The other standard concerns food businesses involved in catering activities. The process for developing this standard is still underway.   Food handlers interested in the development and progress this standard can visit the FSANZ website to view the latest information at www.foodstandards.gov.au

These new food safety regulations complement existing national requirements for food handlers and food businesses relating to the handling, preparation, storage and transport of food. Environmental health officers attached to local councils will continue to monitor compliance with these regulations.

Jane Cook, Senior Project Officer, Food Safety Standards, FSANZ

Update on Standards Development Issues

Consideration of mandatory fortification with folic acid

In May 2004, the Australia and New Zealand Food Regulation Ministerial Council asked FSANZ to investigate mandatory fortification with folic acid as a possible means of reducing the incidence of neural tube defects which are serious birth defects. FSANZ has now released its final assessment which focuses on consideration of mandatory folic acid fortification of bread as a means of reducing the incidence of neural tube defects in Australia and New Zealand . This report is accessible via the FSANZ website at P295

Consideration of mandatory fortification with iodine

Mild-to-moderate iodine deficiency is re-emerging in New Zealand and in parts of Australia as a result of inadequate iodine intake. In May 2004, the Australia and New Zealand Food Regulation Ministerial Council asked FSANZ to consider how mandatory iodine fortification of the food supply can address the re-emergence of iodine deficiency in Australia and New Zealand. FSANZ released an initial assessment about this issue in December 2004, followed by extensive consultations. In August this year, FSANZ released a draft assessment which focused on mandatory fortification with iodine as a means of reducing iodine deficiency in Australia and New Zealand. Consultations closed on 18 September 2006 .   FSANZ is now reviewing submissions before presenting its final assessment to the FSANZ Board in late October 2006.

Nutrition, health and related claims

Following consultations on the draft assessment for nutrition, health and related claims earlier this year, FSANZ is continuing to work on this proposal, giving consideration to amended recommendations in a preliminary final report. The release of this report and consultation period will be notified through our website.

Profile: Two FSANZ Fellows

On 20 September, two FSANZ Fellows met with the FSANZ Board to share their expertise and provide valuable input into current and emerging FSANZ work.

photograph   Professor Julie Byles

Professor Byles is Director of the Research Centre for Gender, Health and  Ageing in the Faculty of Health at the University of Newcastle.  She is also Director of Hunter Ageing Research and co-ordinator  of the Newcastle Institute of Public Health. As a clinical epidemiologist, Professor Byles has interests and expertise in risk determination, screening and diagnostic tests, assessment of health outcomes, evidence-based practice, clinical decision making, variations in health care and clinical practice guidelines.

Julie is co-author of the Australian Longitudinal Study of Women’s Health. This study of over 40,000 Australian women in three age cohorts (starting in 1996 when they were 18-23; 45-50 and 70-75 years of age) has already surveyed them three times and the fourth is in progress. It looks at the main issues that affect the health of women, including nutrition.

Julie is also is a member of the Australian Research Council (ARC) Ageing Well Network and has achieved national acknowledgement for her research in this area. She contributes to government and non-government programs relating to ageing research and health care for older persons.

 photograph  Professor John McNeil

Professor McNeil is the Head of the Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine at Monash University. His principal interests include cardiovascular epidemiology, drug safety and toxicity. He retains a clinical involvement as a vascular physician on the Vascular Medicine Unit at the Monash Medical Centre. 

John graduated in medicine from the University of Adelaide in 1971 and undertook his medical specialist training at the Royal Adelaide and Austin Hospitals. He subsequently completed his PhD in clinical pharmacology at the University of Melbourne and an MSc in epidemiology at the University of London. After spending ten years in Clinical Pharmacology at the Austin Hospital he was appointed to the head of the Department of Social and Preventive Medicine (later renamed Epidemiology & Preventive Medicine) at Monash in 1986.

John is one of our most called-on Fellows and through his university connections he is also able to put FSANZ onto others with the particular knowledge and skills we are looking for if he is not available. John recently celebrated 20 years at the DPEM at Monash University where he has made a substantial contribution, leading that Department through a period of extraordinary growth and successfully managing many challenges.

Dr Bob Boyd, Chief Medical Advisor, FSANZ

FSANZ Chief Scientist on Hong Kong Expert Committee 

Congratulations to Dr Marion Healy, FSANZ Chief Scientist, who is one of three independent experts from outside Hong Kong to be appointed to the Hong Kong Expert Committee on Food Safety by the Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food, Dr York Chow.

The Committee will provide advice to the Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene on food safety operational strategies and measures to protect public health, standards/guidelines relating to food safety and food composition and their suitable adoption in Hong Kong.

The Committee will also advise on the implementation of food safety risk communication and public education programmes as well as new directions for research to be commissioned by the Centre for Food Safety.
All Committee members will serve a term of two years with effect from 15 September 2006.

Streamlining the Process:  2006 Amendments to the Foodstandards Australia New Zealand Act 1991

In October 2005, the Australia and New Zealand Food Regulation Ministerial Council agreed to a number of recommendations involving:expediting the FSANZ assessment and approval process; andthe appropriate protection of confidential commercial information;The legislation effecting these recommendations should be introduced in the 2006 Session of Parliament. Depending on when the Bill is passed, the amendments will take effect three months after Act is proclaimed (not before March 2007), meaning that all applications received and proposals prepared after this date will be considered under the new arrangements. Applications received or Proposals prepared prior to date of effect continue to be progressed under all the current Act arrangements.Key changes involve: Initial, Draft and Final Assessment terminology will be removed.

The new terms will be:

Administrative Assessment – to determine whether an application includes certain minimum requirements (including in any Application ‘guidelines’ issued by FSANZ) and the Stream by which it should be assessed.   Fees will be payable after FSANZ has determined whether or not to accept the application and the assessment Stream.   An ‘early bird’ public notification then occurs, advising of the acceptance of the application or proposal and its placement on the Work Plan.   FSANZ has 15 working days to complete this process.

Assessment – a decision to proceed to develop a food regulatory measure or reject (in whole or part) having regard to s.10 objectives and other relevant matters, including consideration of the benefits vs. costs or alternatives.

Development of food regulatory measure or variation to food regulatory measure – development of food regulatory measure having regard to s.10 objectives, New Zealand Standards and other relevant matters.

Approval - FSANZ approves / rejects an application or approves / abandons a proposal, having regard to s.10 objectives, submissions and other relevant matters. A report is prepared containing the decision, reasons, submissions list, analysis of submissions, Regulatory Impact Statement and draft food regulatory measure or variation.

The use of Application ‘guidelines’ by FSANZ to determine acceptance of an application.

FSANZ is currently developing Application ‘guidelines’ and once a final draft has been prepared, forums will be held throughout Australia and NZ seeking comment from jurisdictions, industry, consumers and public health professionals. The ‘guidelines’ will incorporate information covering cost-recovery, confidentiality, application templates and minimum data requirements to complete an assessment. The ‘guidelines’ will be registered as a legislative instrument and therefore be a legal document.  FSANZ will be able to refuse to accept an application on the basis that it has not met any information requirements set out in these ‘guidelines’.

3 Streams for assessment of applications and proposals

Stream 1 (12 months to complete assessment)This Stream applies to the development of a new Standard or a code of practice or a major variation to a food regulatory measure Process:   Administrative Assessment stage à ‘early bird’ Notice à Assessment à Consultation à Draft regulatory measure developed à Consultation a Approval a Notification to Ministerial Council.

Stream 2 (3 months to complete assessment) This Stream applies to minor variations to food regulatory measures including, but not limited to, correction of a typographical error or minor editorial changes. Process:   Administrative Assessment stage à ‘early bird’ Notice à Assessment & draft regulatory measure developed à Consultation (Govt agencies only) à Approval à Notification to Ministerial Council

Stream 3 (Default) (9 months to complete assessment)

This Stream is the default process for variations to a food regulatory measure, other than those which fall under Streams 1 or 2. Process:   Administrative Assessment stage à ‘early bird’ Notice à Assessment & draft regulatory measure developed à Consultation à Approval à Notification to Ministerial Council

Ministerial Council

An applicant, when seeking to permission for the use of a high-level health claim, can request that the application be dealt with confidentially.   No public consultation or public notification will occur until the amendment to the Standard is gazetted.   Instead, public notification is replaced by notification to appropriate government authorities and an expert committee only.   All communications with appropriate government agencies and the expert committee will be subject to new confidentiality provisions.

Exclusivity for Novel Foods

Applicants will be able to seek permission for exclusivity for the maker / brand and product combination for a new novel food for 15 months. After that, the Standard will revert to a generic approval for that specific food.

Stop clocks

FSANZ will have the discretion to ‘stop the clock’ for up to a period of 18 months if the Ministerial Council has notified FSANZ that it is developing policy principles or guidelines on a specific, clearly defined issue or subject matter.

FSANZ has established an Implementation Unit to manage the introduction of the changes to the FSANZ Act.   Its Manager is Cathie Humphries phone + 61 2 6271 2280 or cathie.humphries@foodstandards.gov.au. Please contact Cathie directly if you have any questions about the changes.

New FSANZ Publications

For what’s new in FSANZ publications, check out our website at http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/newsroom/newpublications.cfm

Correction

In the last issue of this newsletter, we published a photograph with the wrong caption. The person next to Dr Marion Healy was Mr Peter Lancaster, President Elect AIFST, and not Mr Ken Grice the President.

 photograph

Seeking Public Comment

Closing date 6pm (Canberra time) 15 November 2006:

Closing date 6pm (Canberra time) 15 November 2006:

Closing date 6pm ( Canberra time) 29 November 2006: