Setting direction for FSANZ proposals work
Proposals to amend or develop food standards are central to FSANZ’s role within the food regulation system. Through this work, FSANZ ensures the Food Standards Code remains fit for purpose, supporting strong food safety and public health protections while enabling innovation and efficiency across the food industry.
Proposals are wide-ranging, complex pieces of work requiring detailed review and assessment of scientific evidence, regulatory options and stakeholder input from public consultations. While applications to change the Code are generally completed within 12 months, proposals can often span multiple years due to their scope, complexity, evidence requirements, and policy significance
Given the scale and duration of proposal work, careful prioritisation and forward planning is essential. FSANZ has worked collaboratively with food regulation system partners and key stakeholders to develop a 2030 Roadmap for our proposals work.
Endorsed by food ministers in November 2025, the Roadmap provides a transparent, medium-term planning framework for proposals, aligned with the outcomes and priorities of the Food Regulation System Strategic Plan 2025-28. It is intended to support greater predictability, system-wide coordination and confidence for governments, industry and consumers.
Download the FSANZ Roadmap to 2030 (PDF 11 MB)
Strategic outcomes and FSANZ projects
The Roadmap is designed to balance FSANZ’s proposals and project work across the 4 strategic outcomes of the Food Regulation System Strategic Plan. It allocates effort across 9 priority projects that address both existing and emerging needs, while deliberately preserving capacity to respond to urgent or unplanned proposals. A structured approach supports a sustainable program of work that is responsive to risk, grounded in system priorities and capable of adapting to new scientific evidence, policy or emerging food safety issues.
1. Safe and suitable food
- Modernising standards for formulated supplementary sports foods (FSSP) to address market growth and innovation.
2. Healthy food supply
- Reviewing standards for young child formula to align standards with the latest science, international best practice and consumer information needs.
- Reviewing standards for commercial foods for infants and young children to ensure products support healthy development and reduce chronic disease risk.
- Updating Nutrient Reference Values (NRVs) to underpin labelling and compositional claims, strengthening consistency and credibility.
3. Informed and empowered consumers
- Strengthening Health Star Ratings (HSR) including considering options for mandating the voluntary HSR system.
- Considering approaches to digital labelling and eCommerce to provide real-time, transparent food information to consumers.
4. Thriving food economies
- Developing clearer pathways for nutritive substances and novel foods to support industry innovation and reduce regulatory burden.
- Reviewing international alignment to reduce duplication, accelerate innovation and harmonise standards with trading partners.
Cross-cutting work
- Developing an evaluation framework for continuous improvement of standards that may no longer reflect current science or public health priorities.
Stakeholder engagement
The Roadmap has been developed through collaboration with food regulation system partners and informed by engagement with a broad range of stakeholders. This collaborative approach reflects the shared responsibility for maintaining an effective, trusted and responsive food regulation system. FSANZ will continue to engage transparently and collaboratively as Roadmap proposal and project work progresses.
Timing
Work on Roadmap proposals and projects will be scheduled between 2026 and 2030. Delivery will be staggered, with all work completed by the end of 2030. Work has started on young child formula, HSR, the evaluation framework and digital labelling. Regular updates on Roadmap activity will be provided on our website and via the FSANZ Work Program Dashboard.