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Call for comment on plant sterols in plant-based milk alternatives
Call for comment on plant sterols in plant-based milk alternatives Date: 1/07/2022 Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) is calling for comment on an application to allow phytosterols, phytostanols or their esters (plant sterols) to be added as a novel food to plant-based milk alternatives. FSANZ CEO Dr Sandra Cuthbert said FSANZ's safety assessment found no health and safety concerns for consumers in Australia and New Zealand. “Plant sterols have a long history of safe use and have been permitted to be added to certain foods for more than 20 years,” Dr Cuthbert said. For more information and to access assessment documents, visit the FSANZ call for comment page. Submissions close 6pm (Canberra time) on 12 August 2022. What happens to my feedback? We will publish all submissions to…
Published 4 July 2022
Call for comment on new enzymes for the production of an intense sweetener
Call for comment on new enzymes for the production of an intense sweetener Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) is calling for comment on an application to amend the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code (the Code) to permit three new enzymes for the production of an intense sweetener. The application is seeking approval of three enzymes from a genetically modified (GM) strain of Escherichia coli (E. coli) as processing aids for producing the steviol glycoside rebaudioside M (an intense sweetener) for use in foods. Our safety assessment found no potential public health or safety concerns with the use of the three enzymes derived from the GM strain of E. coli, which has a long history of safe use as an enzyme production organism. To have your say on this application, visit the …
Published 10 April 2025
Limits for Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat foods
Limits for Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat foods There are mandatory limits for Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat (RTE) foods. These limits are set out in Standard 1.6.1 and Schedule 27 of the Code. The limits apply based on whether growth of L. monocytogenes will or will not occur in the RTE food: for RTE foods in which growth of L. monocytogenes will not occur, the limit is less than 100cfu/g. for RTE foods in which growth of L. monocytogenes will occur, L. monocytogenes must be undetectable in 25g. This approach is risk-based and informed by scientific knowledge on factors affecting the risk of…
Published 30 September 2025
Findings released from national survey of AMR
Findings released from national survey of AMR Australia’s largest survey of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in raw retail meat has found bacteria in raw beef, pork and chicken continue to show low levels of resistance to antibiotics that are critical for treating people. More than 4,000 meat samples were collected from retailers in every state and territory, providing a national snapshot of resistance patterns in bacteria. Around two thirds of bacterial isolates showed no resistance to any of the antibiotics tested. Multidrug resistance was uncommon and, where detected, was largely linked to antibiotics considered of low importance to human medicine. Resistance to antibiotics highly important for human health remained low overall. Overall, the findings confirm that when Australian…
Published 4 March 2026
Call for comment on new processing aid
Call for comment on new processing aid Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) is calling for comment on an application to allow an already approved enzyme processing aid to be produced from a new genetically modified (GM) source. FSANZ CEO Mark Booth said the enzyme (subtilisin) is derived from a GM strain of Bacillus licheniformis. 'This microorganism has a long history of safe use and is already approved as a source microorganism in the Food Standards Code. “If approved, the enzyme would be used as a processing aid in the production of potable alcohol. “We have undertaken a safety assessment and found that there are no health and safety concerns,' Mr Booth said. To have your say, see our call for comment page. Submissions closes at 6pm (Canberra time) 27 January 2021. What happens with my feedback? Submissions will be published to our website…
Published 3 December 2020
2024-25 Annual Report released
2024-25 Annual Report released Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) has released its 2024–25 Annual Report. The report showcases our work in ensuring a safe and trusted food supply in Australia and New Zealand. FSANZ CEO Dr Sandra Cuthbert said the year was defined by significant regulatory and scientific progress driven by collaboration with stakeholders and Food Regulation System partners. ‘We finalised 20 applications and 7 proposals that advanced food standards and helped maintain trust in the safety of our food supply,’ Dr Cuthbert said. ‘Our work covered new and emerging areas of food regulation, including the first cell-cultured food approved for sale in Australia and New Zealand and updated definitions for…
Published 5 November 2025
How FSANZ ensures the safety of food additives
How FSANZ ensures the safety of food additives Food Standards Australia New Zealand carries out safety assessments on food additives before they can be used. FSANZ checks whether: the food additive is safe (at the use levels being proposed) there is a good technological reason for using the additive. FSANZ's safety assessment process follows an internationally accepted (codex Alimentarius) model involving a hazard (safety) assessment of the chemical and dietary exposure (consumption levels) assessment. Read more about dietary exposure assessments Food…
Published 23 July 2025
Food from cloned animals
Food from cloned animals Animal cloning is a type of reproductive technology. It creates an animal that is an exact genetic copy of another animal. The commercial use of cloned animals in agriculture has so far mainly been confined to the meat and dairy industries. The most common cloning method involves removing the genetic material from an unfertilised egg and replacing it with the complete genetic material from the animal to be cloned (the donor animal). The egg is then implanted into a surrogate mother who gives birth to an animal that is a clone of the donor animal. The cloned animal is then bred with other animals to pass on its desirable characteristics. Cloning is different to genetic modification. Genetic modification involves adding, taking away, or modifying genes. Cloning does not introduce any…
Published 8 September 2021
Call for comment on use of a nutritive substance in infant formula
Call for comment on use of a nutritive substance in infant formula Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) is calling for comment on an application to permit the use of a nutritive substance in infant formula products. The substance, 3-fucosyllactose (3-FL), is a type of human-identical milk oligosaccharide (HiMO) made using a genetically modified source organism. The application seeks approval to use the synthesised 3-FL in infant formula products. FSANZ has found it is chemically, structurally and functionally the same as the naturally occurring 3-FL found in human milk. 3-FL offers potential health benefits for infants including increasing beneficial gut bacteria, such as Bifidobacterium, and anti-pathogenic effects. Our safety assessment found no public health or safety concerns with the proposed use. While breastfeeding is…
Published 11 June 2025
Proposal P242 DAR - Exec summary
Proposal P242 DAR - Exec summary 18 December 2002 DRAFT ASSESSMENT REPORT Full Report [ pdf 437 kb ] Executive Summary and Statement of Reasons This Draft Assessment Report reviews the issues involved in the regulation of foods for special medical purposes (FSMP), makes recommendations on a regulatory approach to FSMP and proposes the inclusion of draft Standard 2.9.5 - Foods for Special Medical Purposes (Attachment 1) in Part 2.9 of theFood Standards Code. Background FSMP are principally formulated food products, used under the supervision of medical or other health professionals, for the dietary management of individuals (including children) with either ongoing…
Published 23 March 2013