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Dioxins

Dioxins (February 2012) What are dioxins? Dioxins are chemicals produced when household and industrial waste is burned and as by-products from some industrial chemical processes. They persist in the environment for a long time and can get into food but assessments show the amounts are tiny so the risk to our health is minimal. Dioxins also break down in our bodies and we excrete them. Where do dioxins come from? More than 96 per cent of dioxins in the environment come from air emissions. Dioxins then fall to the ground and occur in trace amounts on soil, plant and water surfaces. In Australia, the major sources of dioxin emissions in the air are bushfires and burning agricultural stubble. Plants do not generally absorb dioxins. However, dioxins can enter the food chain when animals eat plants on which…

Published 31 October 2016

Response to a feeding study in rats by Zdziarski et al [1]

Response to a feeding study in rats by Zdziarski et al [1] (August 2018) Zdziarski et al published a paper in Food and Nutrition sciences on a 26 week feeding study in rats using GM corn. The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of ingesting a triple-stacked GM corn variety (NK603 X MON810 X MON863) on the digestive tract of rats, specifically the stomach mucosa. Two groups of 10 male Sprague Dawley rats were fed a diet containing either 60% GM corn (sourced from the United States) or 60% non-GM corn (sourced from Australia) for 26 weeks. Rats were monitored daily and weighed weekly including at termination. The stomach was removed immediately post-mortem and weighed then samples removed and prepared for light microscopy, immunohistochemistry and electron…

Published 30 August 2018

Canned foods: purchasing and storing

Canned foods: purchasing and storing The airtight sealing of foods in containers in association with heat and/or chemical treatments is a very effective method of preserving food. Foods such as fruit, vegetables, meat, fish, or a combination of these foods (e.g. meat and vegetable condensed soup, sauces and fruit salad) can be stored safely in airtight sealed containers. How are canned foods made commercially? Canned foods are washed, prepared and filled into metal containers along with a canning fluid (e.g. water, salted water or fruit juice). The food is heat treated to produce a commercially sterile shelf-stable product with an air-tight (vacuum) seal. Heat treatment kills organisms that may spoil the food or cause food-borne illnesses. Contents remain commercially sterile until…

Published 2 October 2025

Processed foods

Processed foods What are processed foods? Processed foods are any foods that have been modified from their original fresh or whole state. Many foods we eat are processed in some way. They include:

• bread
• breakfast cereals
• cheese
• cakes and biscuits
• drinks, such as milk or soft drinks
• tinned fruits and vegetables
• savory snacks, such as chips, sausage rolls and pies
• meat products, such as bacon, sausage, ham, salami and paté
• ready to eat meals (including frozen meals).

Published 3 November 2023

P1054 - Pure and highly concentrated caffeine products

P1054 - Pure and highly concentrated caffeine products Urgent Proposal P1054 was prepared to amend the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code to prohibit the retail sale of pure and highly concentrated caffeine food products. FSANZ prepared the Proposal as an emergency interim response under its urgent legislative provisions following its review and report to Australian Government Ministers in August 2019. The Ministerial Report and the Initial Consideration Report found pure and highly concentrated caffeine food products posed an immediate and acute risk to consumers. FSANZ has approved the prohibition of the retail sale of foods in which total caffeine is present in a concentration of 5% or more (if the food is a solid or semi-solid food) or…

Published 16 December 2020

Food colours

Food colours Food colours are either produced naturally or derived synthetically. Like all food additives, colours must undergo a safety assessment by FSANZ before they can be used in food or drinks sold in Australia or New Zealand. This process sets a safety limit for food additives to try and ensure no one would eat an unsafe level, even if they ate a large amount of foods containing the colour over a lifetime. The food colours currently approved have been used safely for decades and FSANZ reviews all new evidence about the safety of food colours. Surveys undertaken by FSANZ have found that Australian children consume low levels of food colours. Food intolerance Some people notice a reaction to either natural or synthetic additives. Reported reactions…

Published 14 May 2021

E. coli and STEC in food

E. coli and STEC in food What is it?

• E. coli (short for Escherichia coli) is a type of bacteria that can be found in the gut of people as well as many animals
• Most E. coli are harmless, but some can cause illness; for example STEC, which is short for shiga-toxin producing E. coli
• STEC can get into soil, water and food from the faeces (poo) of animals, for example from livestock or animal manure

• STEC can cause a type of foodborne illness called gastroenteritis or 'gastro'
• In some cases (about 10%) it can cause a life-threatening illness called haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS). For some people this can…

  Published 22 December 2020

Toxins in seafood

Toxins in seafood What are they?

• Toxins (poisons) can be present in some shellfish and fish
• These toxins are known as:
  • amnesic shellfish toxin
  • diarrhoetic shellfish toxin
  • neurotoxic shellfish toxin
  • paralytic shellfish toxin
  • ciguatoxin and
  • histamine
• The toxins come from algae that shellfish and fish feed on, or from bacteria naturally present in some fish

• These toxins can cause gastro or neurological illnesses called:
  • amnesic, diarrhoetic, neurotoxic or paralytic shellfish poisoning
  • ciguatera poisoning
  • Scombroid or histamine poisoning
• Severe illness can result in coma,…

  Published 23 December 2020

Health and hygiene - advice for food businesses

Health and hygiene - advice for food businesses If you're a food business, making sure no-one contaminates your food because of illness or unclean habits is important to keep food safe to eat. What are the requirements? Under Standard 3.2.2 - Food Safety Practices and General Requirements, food businesses need to do whatever they can to make sure no-one on their premises contaminates food. Under Standard 3.2.3 - Food Premises and Equipment, businesses need to provide staff with hand washing facilities, toilets and storage space for personal belongings. Reduce your risk

• only food handlers should be in food preparation or packing areas
• if…

  Published 30 September 2025

Notification Circular 75-19

Notification Circular 75-19 21 March 2019 [75-19] 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). For information about progress on all current applications and proposals, including anticipated consultation opportunities, see the FSANZ Food Standards Development Work Plan. New applications and proposals FSANZ has completed an administrative assessment and accepted the following Application. An opportunity to comment will be available at a later date which will be publicly notified. General procedure

• A1175 - Rapeseed protein as a novel food…

  Published 21 March 2019