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Arsenic

Arsenic (January 2020) Arsenic is a chemical element found in water, air, food and soil as a naturally occurring substance or due to contamination from human activity. Arsenic occurs in organic and inorganic forms. The organic forms are of relatively low toxicity while the inorganic forms present a greater hazard. Both forms of arsenic appear naturally in soil and ground  water and as such, their presence (in extremely low levels) in foods is unavoidable. Monitoring arsenic levels in food FSANZ and other Australian and New Zealand government agencies continuously monitor the food supply to ensure it is safe and that foods comply with standards for chemical contamination. Our most recent Australian Total Diet Study investigated total and…

Published 24 January 2020

Food safety requirements for berry growers and primary processor​s

Food safety requirements for berry growers and primary processor​s If you are a berry grower or primary processor, you may be subject to new food safety standards. Who needs to meet the requirements? The requirements will apply to all primary producers and primary processors of berries:

• A primary producer is a business that grows and/or harvests berries.
• A primary processor is a business that does any of the following: washing, trimming, sanitising, sorting, storing, combining and packing berries, and transporting berries between pack houses.

• notifying authorities of the business’s…

  Published 1 October 2025

Call for comment on the use of vitamin K2 in food for special medical purposes

Call for comment on the use of vitamin K2 in food for special medical purposes Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) is calling for comment on an application to amend the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code to include vitamin K2 as a permitted form of vitamin K in Food for Special Medical Purposes (FSMP).   If approved, vitamin K2 (as menaquinone-7) would be added to the Code for use as a form of vitamin K in FSMP.  FSANZ has considered the bioavailability, nutritional equivalence and safety of vitamin K2 for use in FSMP. Based on the available evidence, FSANZ considers vitamin K2 to be a safe and bioavailable form of vitamin K.  The draft variation, if approved, would list vitamin K2 for use in FSMP in accordance with the Code. No further changes have been proposed to the existing compositional,…

Published 13 September 2024

Stakeholder engagement

Stakeholder engagement FSANZ proudly works in partnership with government, industry, public health and community stakeholders to keep the food supply safe.    Information and resources Work Program Dashboard Status of current projects, priorities and engagement activities. Committees and groups Advisory…

Published 20 April 2018

Reports on the use of nanotechnology in food additives and packaging

Reports on the use of nanotechnology in food additives and packaging In 2015 an expert toxicologist prepared two reports for FSANZ on the potential use of nanotechnologies in existing food additives and food packaging. The reports were then peer reviewed by an expert pharmacologist and toxicologist to evaluate whether the conclusions for each of the reports were supported by the weight of evidence in scientific literature.  The peer review agreed with the overall conclusions of the reports. Scope of the work  The consultant was asked to review publically available scientific literature on whether there is reasonable evidence of health risks associated with oral ingestion of titanium dioxide, silicon dioxide and silver in food.…

Published 14 June 2016

Food allergens - information for consumers

Food allergens - information for consumers Food allergies can be life threatening. The only way to manage a food allergy is by avoiding the food allergen. ​​If you suspect you or someone you care for has a food allergy, you should contact a doctor so you can be referred to a clinical immunology / allergy specialist or doctor with experience in food allergy for diagnosis and ongoing management. The Allergen Collaboration has agreed to a number of key messages for consumers in regard to food allergy. These are listed below. Key messages 

• You should be referred to a clinical immunology / allergy specialist or doctor with experience in food allergy for accurate diagnosis and ongoing management
• Always check food labels for food…

  Published 23 June 2020

Call for comment on food made from an insect-protected GM soybean line

Call for comment on food made from an insect-protected GM soybean line Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) is calling for comment on an application to permit the sale and use of food derived from a new genetically modified (GM) soybean line.  Soybean line COR23134 has been genetically modified to protect the plant from damage caused by certain butterfly and moth caterpillars.  If approved, food products derived from this soybean, such as oil, milk, flour, meal and protein isolates, may enter the Australian and New Zealand food supply as imported items. Our safety assessment found no potential public health or safety concerns with food derived from this GM soybean. It is as safe as food from non-GM soybean varieties. Safety assessments are a key part of the approval process for all GM foods. To help people make informed…

Published 4 March 2025

Call for comment on food made from a GM corn line

Call for comment on food made from a GM corn line Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) is calling for comment on an application to permit the sale and use of food made from a new genetically modified (GM) corn line.  Corn line MZIR260 is resistant to lepidopteran insect pests, including fall armyworm.    If approved, products containing corn line MZIR260 could enter the Australian and New Zealand food supply through imported food products such as corn starch, grits, meal, flour, oil and sweeteners.   In line with the established approval process for all GM foods, FSANZ conducted a safety assessment and found no potential public health or safety concerns with food derived from this corn line. The assessment concluded that it is as safe as food from non-GM corn varieties. To support informed consumer choices, food made…

Published 23 October 2024

Information Publication Scheme

Information Publication Scheme The Australian Government's Information Publication Scheme (IPS) started on 1 May 2011. It aims to promote transparency and a proactive approach to publishing. All applications and proposals to change the Food Standards Code, as well as submissions, are published on our website. There may be occasions when the size of files means we are unable to publish all documents. In these cases all documents will be made available in other ways. The executive summary of an application will be placed on the website after an administrative assessment is completed and the application has been accepted. When the call for submissions occurs, the main…

Published 14 April 2023

Temperature control

Temperature control If you’re a grower or primary processor of leafy vegetables or melons, you must keep your harvested produce at a temperature that ensures it is safe to eat. What is temperature control? Temperature control involves monitoring the temperature of your harvested produce and adjusting conditions to keep it cool. Doing this once produce is harvested, and during processing, storage and transport can help keep the product’s quality, reduce the risk of harmful bacteria growing in the food and reduce food waste. What are the requirements? Primary producers and primary processors of leafy vegetables and melons must keep harvested produce at a temperature that does not make the food unsafe or unsuitable to eat. This means once produce has been picked, its temperature should…

Published 1 October 2025