All applications are required to include certain minimum information as detailed in the FSANZ Act and in any guidelines issued by FSANZ. These guidelines have been consolidated into an Application Handbook, which also contains information on assessment processes, cost-recovery and confidentiality. FSANZ is able to refuse to accept an application on the basis that it does not meet the information requirements set out in the guidelines in the Handbook.
It is vital that these guidelines or any amendments are prepared in consultation with our stakeholders.
FSANZ called for comment on a number of proposed changes in April 2008. The proposed amendments involved:
- corrections to email addresses and other references
- inclusion of material relating to the gazettal of amendments to the Novel Food Standard pertaining to exclusivity of use;
- amendments to the novel food guideline (3.5.2) to address issues that have arisen since the original publication in October last year
- inclusion of proposed guidelines relating to nutrition, health and related claims arising from the imminent finalisation of Proposal P293. The Final Assessment Report, including the approved Standard, will be publicly available in mid-April. The Final Assessment Report, including the approved Standard, is available here
Proposed amendments word 
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Some amendments to the Handbook were registered on the Federal Register of Legislative Instruments on 5 June 2008 (information relating to this registration is available on the FRLI website at http://www.frli.gov.au/ComLaw/Legislation/LegislativeInstrument1.nsf/asmade/bytitle/312BB15FA5E5ABBCCA257455000A9062?OpenDocument ). The Updated Handbook is available. Amendments relating to nutrition, health and related claims have not been proceeded with at this stage.
A summary of the comments received by FSANZ and FSANZ’s response are available here.
Any queries can be directed to the Standards Management Officer, Cathie Humphries, on standards.management@foodstandards.gov.au .