FOOD STANDARDS NOTIFICATION CIRCULAR
1 October 2008
[17-08]
This Notification Circular includes notices that are required to be given to the public, submitters and appropriate government agencies, under the Food Standards Australia New Zealand Act 1991 (FSANZ Act). All references below to sections of legislation, are to the FSANZ Act unless otherwise indicated.
Further information about the applications, proposals and other matters mentioned below, including assessment reports, processes and – where applicable – reasons for decisions, can be accessed on the FSANZ website at www.foodstandards.gov.au under<Standards Development>, then <Documents for Public Comment>and then
The Information Officer | The Office Administrator |
Food Standards Australia New Zealand | Food Standards Australia New Zealand |
PO Box 7186 | PO Box 10559 |
CANBERRA BC ACT 2610 | WELLINGTON 6036 |
AUSTRALIA | NEW ZEALAND |
Tel +61 2 6271 2241 Fax +61 2 6271 2278 | Tel +64 4 978 5630 Fax +64 4 473 9855 |
General questions on the work of FSANZ should be directed to the Information Officer at the either of the addresses above. Queries concerning the matters in this Circular on assessment or submission processes should be directed to the Standards Management Officer at standards.management@foodstandards.gov.au .
PROGRESS ON APPLICATIONS AND PROPOSALS
Details on Final Assessments, notifications to Council and Council processes and Gazettals from the notice below were published on1 October 2008inThe AustralianandTheNew Zealand Heraldnewspapers, as well as on the FSANZ website.
NEW APPLICATIONS AND PROPOSALS
(Note that this section is not a call for public comment)
FSANZ has received the following Application and placed it on the FSANZ Food Standards Development Work Plan:
GENERAL PROCEDURE
- Application A1015– Lauric Arginate as a Food Additive: to approve lauric arginate as a preservative in a number of food groups to control contaminant micro-organisms [28 August 2008] [Laboratarios Miret SA via Competitive Advantage]
Information on the Application, including an anticipated timetable for assessment and consultation opportunities, is provided in the FSANZ Food Standards Development Work Plan which is available on the FSANZ website at http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/standardsdevelopment/standardsworkplan.cfm
Administrative Assessment Reports can be accessed on the FSANZ website at http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/standardsdevelopment/applications/index.cfm . If you wish to be advised of any developments relating to the above Application, such as calls for public submissions, please contact the Standards Management Officer at standards.management@foodstandards.gov.au .
Please note that the above section is not a call for public comment.
CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS
DRAFT ASSESSMENT – APPLICATIONS[s.17(2))as was in force prior to 1 July 2007]
(Received or prepared before 1 October 2007)
FSANZ received an Application for the development or variation of the following food regulatory measures; accepted the Application after making an Initial Assessment of it; will make a Draft Assessments of this Application; and invites written submissions on matters relevant to the Application to be made to FSANZ by 6pm (Canberra time) 12 November 2008:
- Application A490 – Exemption of Allergen Warning for Isinglass: to seek an exemption from the requirement to label beer and wine for the presence of isinglass under clause 4, Standard 1.2.3
APPROVAL AND COUNCIL NOTIFICATION [s.34, s.41, s.53, s.64, s.69]
After consideration of draft standards or variations for the following Application, FSANZ decided to approve the draft variation. FSANZ has given the Australia and New Zealand Food Regulation Ministerial Council (Ministerial Council) written notification of this approval:
- Application A1003 – Asparaginase from Aspergillus nigeras a Processing Aid (Enzyme)
Once FSANZ has notified the Ministerial Council that it has approved the draft standard or variation, the Ministerial Council has 60 days to either request FSANZ to review the approved standard or inform FSANZ that it does not intend to request a review. Further information on the Ministerial Council process is available on the FSANZ website at http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/standardsdevelopment/ministerialcouncilre1834.cfm .
MINISTERIAL COUNCIL REVIEW PROCESS – APPROVED DRAFT STANDARDS (s.21-23))
In accordance with these requirements, FSANZ has completed its First Review in relation to the following Application and re-affirmed its approval of the approved draft Standard:
- Application A595 – Insect-protected Corn Line MON 89034
OTHER MATTERS
Rejection of Application
After making an Administrative Assessment of the following Application, FSANZ decided to reject the Application as it did not meet the mandatory format and information requirements of Part 3 of the FSANZApplication Handbook:
- Potential Application A1014 – Exclusive Use of Vegetable Oil Phytosterol Esters in Flora pro.activ® Shots: To permit the exclusive use of vegetable oil phytosterol esters as a permitted novel food in a different food matrix from those already permitted, namely, a flavoured shot to be consumed once a day. This Application also requests permission to use Schedule 2, 3 and 4 additives and the food additive tocopherol as an antioxidant in flavoured shots where vegetable oil sterol esters are permitted to be added
The Administrative Assessment Report can be accessed on the FSANZ website at http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/standardsdevelopment/applications/index.cfm .
Amendments to the FSANZ Application Handbook
All applications to amend the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code 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 (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 Handbook.
FSANZ is proposing a number of amendments to the current version of the Handbook (as at 5 June 2008). The proposed amendments are available in either Word of PDF versions and are now available for public comment at http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/standardsdevelopment/informationforapplicants/consultationopportun3880.cfm . There are links on this page to the current version of the Handbook.
Comments should be provided to FSANZ by 6pm (Canberra time) Monday, 29 October 2008. Please send your comments to submissions@foodstandards.gov.au .
Key Email addresses
standards.management@foodstandards.gov.au for:
- progress with the assessment of applications or proposals or completed applications
- making an application
- Gazettal of amendments to the Code
submissions@foodstandards.gov.au for lodging submissions.