Australia New Zealand Food Standards Council
JOINT COMMUNIQUE
Tuesday, 31 July 2001
FIRST MEETING OF NEW FOOD STANDARDS COUNCIL: A WHOLE OF FOOD CHAIN APPROACH TO FOOD SAFETY REGULATIONS
The newly constituted Australia New Zealand Food Standards Council (ANZFSC), chaired by the Commonwealth Health Minister, Dr Michael Wooldridge, met for the first time in Adelaide today.
The Council of Australian Governments agreed to new food regulatory arrangements in November 2000. The Commonwealth, the States and Territories and the New Zealand Government are represented by their Health Ministers. The necessary legislative and Treaty changes are proceeding in all jurisdictions and are expected to be finalised by the end of the year. Council meetings in this transition period of the new food regulatory arrangements will be consistent with the Joint Food Standards Treaty between Australia and New Zealand, and the Food Regulation Agreement 2000. Health Ministers can now be joined by Ministers from other relevant portfolios such as agriculture and consumer affairs, to ensure a whole of food chain approach to food safety regulation.
'Health Ministers are the lead Ministers at meetings and the Chair will always be the Commonwealth Health Minister, but the inclusion of other Ministers who have responsibility for food standards is a progressive move that can only enhance the safety of the food supply in Australia and New Zealand,' Dr Wooldridge said.
At the meeting Ministers agreed on a range of important food issues.
Formulated Caffeinated Beverages (Energy Drinks)
Ministers approved a new standard, which will allow Formulated Caffeinated Beverages (FCBs or Energy Drinks) to be manufactured in Australia, whereas they were all previously imported from New Zealand. Ministers decided that 'energy drinks' will be labelled 'this food contains caffeine'; and 'this food is not recommended for children, pregnant or lactating women and individuals sensitive to caffeine'. This is an important step in protecting the health and safety of vulnerable individuals in the community. The Standard will take effect on gazettal, which is expected to be before the end of August 2001.
Antibiotic Maximum Residue Limits
Ministers agreed to vary the Food Standards Code to include the previously deferred Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) for 12 antibiotics used in animals. Three other antibiotics, which belong to the cephalosporin group, were referred to the Expert Advisory Group on Antibiotic Resistance for further advice. Professor John Turnidge, Chair of the Expert Advisory Group on Antimicrobial Resistance confirmed to Ministers, that the agreed MRLs for antibiotics are set at such low concentrations that they are unlikely to result in the development of antibiotic resistance in humans.
'Icon' Foods
Ministers adopted basic compositional standards of identity for 'icon' foods: chocolate, peanut butter, ice cream, cream, yoghurt, jam and protein levels in milk. This means that the main ingredient present in the product must not be lower than specified levels.
Chocolate - a minimum of 20% cocoa solids and a maximum 5% fats other than cocoa butter and diary fat.
Fruit drinks - a minimum of 5% fruit.
Fruit juice - no more than 4% of added sugar.
Peanut butter - a minimum peanut level of 85%.
Jam - a minimum of 40% of ingoing fruit.
Cream - no less than 35% milk fat.
Ice cream - no less than 10% milk fat with 168g/L food solids.
Milk - a minimum protein level of 3%.
Implementation of Joint Food Standards Code
Ministers agreed that, while GM labelling will commence as expected on 7th December 2001, ANZFA should raise proposals to exempt stock-in-trade (already on retailers' shelves) from both GM and Joint Food Standards Code new labelling requirements. In addition, the Ministers want ANZFA to explore whether this exemption should be only for 12 months from date of commencement (7th December 2001 for GM foods and December 2002 for the Joint Food Standards Code).
Health and Related Claims
Ministers agreed that the Food Regulation Standing Committee, which is a committee of senior officials from the Commonwealth, New Zealand, States and Territories, develop a policy framework for health and nutritional claims for further advice to Ministers. ANZFA also undertook to revise aspects of the drafting of the proposed standard. A health claim is any statement that a relationship exists between the consumption of a food or a component of a food and a disease or health related condition.
Alcoholic Food Essences
Ministers noted the range of actions already taken including removing any excise advantage on alcohol essences, labelling of the alcohol content and requiring high volume essences to be restricted to licensed premises. Ministers noted that there may be old unlabelled products on the shelf . Each State and Territory would take action as they see fit to deal with these products.
GM Foods
ANZFSC has approved a further five genetically modified foods derived from: insect-protected potato lines; insect and potato leafroll virus-protected potato lines; insect and potato virus y-protected potato lines; insect-protected corn; and insect-protected glufosinate ammonium tolerant BT-11 corn. The ANZFA safety assessment process has shown that these GM foods are safe for human consumption.
The Council asked ANZFA to report back to the Council on approaches to the use of antibiotic resistance marker genes, including the phase out implemented earlier this year by the European Union and the international guidelines being developed by the Codex Commission.
Neotame (Artificial Sweetener)
Ministers today allowed a variation to the list of approved artificial sweetening substances to include a new substance Neotame. Neotame has a sweetness potency 7000-13000 times greater than that of sugar. This will result in smaller quantities and lower concentration on Neotame being used in comparison with other intense sweeteners. This sweetener offers a viable alternative for people with the genetic disease phenylketonuria, as it does not break down to phenylalanine. The Australian New Zealand Food Authority advises that it poses no risk to public health and safety.