Wednesday, 26 May 2004
Seafood safety regulations will soon be national and enforceable
Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) today released a report for public comment containing a blueprint for maintaining the reputation of the safety of Australian seafood.
The report contains a scientific evaluation of the safety of seafood, options for the management of seafood safety and a draft standard (regulation) proposed for incorporation into the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code.
Seafood sold in Australia is safe and nutritious and is an important part of the diet. The vast majority of seafood businesses are already working to the levels of food safety management required by the proposed standard.
Australian governments are committed to a continual improvement to the safety of our food. This is why, in 2002, the ministerial council with oversight for Australia’s food decided to adopt a whole-of-chain approach to food regulation, ensuring that food safety is addressed from the beginning of its production, to the point of its consumption.
Existing standards in the Code already apply food safety requirements to the manufacturing and retail end of the food chain. This new draft standard – called a Primary Production and Processing Standard – proposes to extend mandatory food safety requirements in the Code to the primary production and processing of seafood. Standards will also be developed for other food sectors such as dairy and meat.
The development of this draft standard was undertaken by FSANZ in partnership with the seafood industry and other government agencies. A Standard Development Committee (SDC) was established to provide advice and technical assistance to the process, with representatives from industry, government and consumer groups.
The proposed standard will apply to imported seafood as well as domestically produced products. It is the latest initiative by industry and government to manage food safety in the seafood industry.
Based on a scientific evaluation, FSANZ has prepared three options for a new nationally consistent management system to maintain the safety of seafood. It has also developed a draft standard for the industry, based on the preferred option.
The options and draft standard appear in a P265 Draft Assessment Report , which is being made available public comment until 21 July 2004.
Further information: www.foodstandards.gov.au
Media contacts:
FSANZ: Lydia Buchtmann 02 6271 2620 or 0411 286 525
Industry
New South Wales: Bryan Skepper 02 9004 1102 or 0412 848 168
Victoria: Roy Palmer 03 9853 5735 or 0419 528 733
Tasmania: Phil Walsh 03 6267 6738 or 0419 988 576
Western Australia: Richard Stevens 08 9244 2933 or 0419 195 510
Northern Territory: John MacCartie 08 8981 5194 or 0419 849 616
Other: Russ Neal 02 6281 0383 or 0412 108 616
Ted Loveday 07 3633 6777 or 0427 323 663
Jayne Gallagher 07 3633 6777 or 0438 336 712
Oysters: Col Dyke 03 6257 7466 or 0428 577 464
Consumers: Clare Hughes (ACA) 02 9577 3375 or 0416 085 188
State Govt: Phil Pond 07 3253 9811 or 0419 334 993
Attachment :
FSANZ MEDIA BACKGROUNDER
Management of food safety in seafood
Managing food safety in seafood
FSANZ has begun a program of developing Primary Production and Processing (PPP) Standards for the primary sector in partnership with the industries themselves, other government regulators and consumer groups. The intent is to further enhance the safety of the Australian food supply. Work has commenced on primary production standards for seafood and poultry meat.
Seafood is the first industry sector where worked has commenced on a national primary production standard because industry had proactively developed a voluntary industry standard for seafood and was well advanced in the development of food safety protocols.
Seafood is also a valued food for consumers and has considerable nutritional benefits. For example, fish is an excellent source of protein, is low in saturated fat, is a good source of some vitamins and omega-3 fatty acids and an excellent source of iodine.
Overall the safety of seafood is managed well in Australia and any risk of foodborne illness is considered to be relatively low. With the development of this new standard FSANZ and state authorities, with the strong support of the seafood industry, are actively seeking to reduce these low risks even further.
This standard development process is taking action to develop a comprehensive, consistent national water-to-plate program for seafood safety.
The new standard will add to consumer confidence and enhance the seafood industry’s reputation as a supplier of safe, nutritious and healthy food.
For the majority of businesses, the new national PPP standard for seafood will simply mandate practices already in operation within the seafood industry. The standard proposes minimum effective regulation so as not to impose an undue impost on industry.
The FSANZ standard-development process
FSANZ’s standard development process involves two rounds of public consultation and is undertaken with the assistance of industry, consumer organisations and state regulatory authorities. The Draft Assessment Report that was released on 26 May 2004 for public comment is the second stage of the public consultation process. The Draft Assessment Report makes an assessment of the risks to human health from seafood, examines three regulatory options to further reduce any risks, proposes a preferred option and provides a draft seafood PPP standard in line with the preferred option for stakeholder comment.
Individuals and organisations with an interest in the standard are invited to comment on the Draft Report by 21 July 2004.
Comments will be analysed and acknowledged in a Final Assessment Report, which is likely to go to the FSANZ Board for consideration in December 2004.
Subject to any reviews requested by the Ministerial Council, the standard could become law (gazetted) in February 2005. Industry will have two years to comply with the provisions of the standard and in this time the State Departments will work with industry to assist in implementation
Canberra
26 May 2004