This Summary of Key Outcomes is not an official record of the decisions of the FSANZ Board and does not provide full details of those decisions. The Minutes of each meeting of the FSANZ Board are the official record of the decisions made by FSANZ Board at that meeting and no reliance should be placed on this Summary of Key Outcomes.
Out-of-Session - September, October, November 2002
SUMMARY OF KEY OUTCOMES
Food Standards Matters
Proposal P239 - Listeria Risk Assessment and Risk Management Strategy
The Board considered the Final Assessment Report for a Proposal which reviews the appropriateness of the microbiological limits for Listeria monocytogenes in some foods, including cooked crustacea and ready-to-eat processed finfish (such as cold smoked salmon) in protecting public health, while providing minimum effective regulation. The Board agreed to the Final Assessment Report and the proposed draft variations to the Food Standards Code and the Board's decision will now be notified to Ministers.
Proposal P262 - Minor Omnibus No. 3
The Board considered the Final Assessment Report for a Proposal which has been initiated to address errors of minor significance or complexity in Volume 2 of the Code, including inconsistencies, misspellings, grammatical errors and provide clarifications, insertion of omissions and updating . The Board agreed to the Final Assessment Report and the proposed draft variations to the Food Standards Code and the Board's decision will now be notified to Ministers.
Proposal P263 - Safety Assessment of Raw Milk Very Hard Cooked Curd Cheeses
During the period covered by this Report, the Board considered both the Draft Assessment Report (in September) and the Final Assessment Report (in November) for a Proposal which seeks to assess the safety of very hardcheeses(<36% moisture and matured for greater than 6 months at no less than 10ºC) made from raw milk and to determine whether an amendment to the Code should be made in order to allow the continued import and sale of these cheeses. The Draft Assessment Report for P263 was released for public comment in September after approval by the Board. The Final Assessment Report was subsequently considered by the Board in November.
The Board agreed to the Final Assessment Report and the proposed draft variations to the Food Standards Code and the Board' s decision will now be notified to Ministers.
The Board has also agreed that work on a generic standard based on minimum effective regulation to cover both imported and domestic raw milk hard cheeses be carried out within 12 months of gazettal of amendments relating to P263.
Transitional Issues
The Board considered the Final Assessment Reports for several Proposals which have been prepared to deal with omissions and anomalies which have come to light in relation to the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code which will become the sole Code in Australia and New Zealand on 20 December 2002. Those Proposals are:
Proposal P269 - Transitional Standard for caffeine in Artificial Drinks (New Zealand only) ;
Proposal P269 - Exempting Home Brew Kits from Nutrition Information Labelling;
Proposal P268 - Anomaly with the Transitional Standard for Milk ; and
Proposal P270 - Amendments to Standard 2.9.2 - Foods for Infants: Electrolytic Iron as a Permitted Form of Iron; and Clarification of ' juice' .
The Board agreed to the Final Assessment Reports and the proposed draft variations to the Food Standards Code and the Board's decisions will now be notified to Ministers.
Application A478 - Proposed MRLs for Endosulfan in Broccoli, Cabbage and Cauliflower
The Board considered the Initial / Draft Assessment Report for an Application which seeks to update the Food Standards Code in order to reflect the current registration status of endosulfan use in Australia and to remove those MRLs that may result in an unacceptable risk to public health and safety. The Board considered that the issues raised by the Application did not significantly adversely affect the interests of anyone and therefore only one round of public consultation need occur. The Board agreed to the Draft Assessment Report which will be released in the near future for public consultation, prior to further consideration by the Board.
Other matters
Draft Business Plan for FSANZ
The Board considered a draft framework for a proposed Business Plan for FSANZ for 2002-03. This draft framework has been prepared to assist the Board in its deliberations when considering the estimated cost implications for FSANZ under the new food regulation arrangements against the Board's key strategic priorities. The proposed Business Plan has been structured around FSANZ's functions as outlined under section 7 of the FSANZ Act. The Board will be discussing this issue further at its next meeting.