26 June 2002
Public Comment Wanted On Standards For Dietary Supplements And Irradiated Fruit
The Australia New Zealand Food Authority (ANZFA) today invited the public and interested organisations to comment on
proposed changes to the Food Standards Code, including new requirements for food-type dietary supplements and the
irradiation of tropical fruits.
ANZFA's Managing Director Ian Lindenmayer said ANZFA is expected to become Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ)
on 1 July 2002 and so future invitations for public comment on food matters would come from the new Authority.
"FSANZ will maintain and build on ANZFA's approach of being open and transparent in consulting the public about all
possible new food standards," Mr Lindenmayer said.
"We will also continue to base our decisions on robust data and rigorous scientific analysis."
Food-type dietary supplements (P235) - Initial Assessment
Food-type dietary supplements are products, presented as foods, that contain, in a concentrated form, nutrients and
other bio-active substances, and/or herbs and other botanical substances. They are available as juices, snack-type bars,
breakfast cereals, confectionery, yoghurts and other foods. At present, food-type dietary supplements usually cannot be
manufactured in Australia, although they can be prepared and sold in New Zealand and imported to Australia for sale.
ANZFA is examining the feasibility of developing new regulatory measures for food-type dietary supplements for the new
Food Standards Code that will apply to both Australia and New Zealand. Harmonisation between the two countries would
result in more equal trade opportunities, greater consistency in label information and possibly a greater range of
products.
Irradiation of tropical fruits (A443) - Draft Assessment
The Ministerial Council approved the irradiation of herbs, spices and herbal infusions in 2001 following an application
from Steritech Pty Ltd. Surebeam Australia Pty Ltd has now applied for approval to be allowed to irradiate the tropical
fruits breadfruit, carambola, custard apple, litchi, longan, mango, mangosteen, papaya and rambutan as a pest
disinfestation measure for critical quarantine pests such as the fruit fly.
ANZFA has concluded that the irradiation of the tropical fruits to a maximum of 1 kilogray from machine-sourced electron
beams or x-rays, employing Good Manufacturing/Irradiation Practices, is safe for consumers. In the context of an overall
diet, the irradiation of the fruits would have a minimal impact on an individual's nutrient intake. If permitted,
irradiated tropical fruits would require mandatory labelling to give consumers an informed choice when buying these
fruits.
Lactoperoxidase system as a processing aid (A404) - Draft Assessment
Processing aids must be assessed and approved before they can be used in the manufacture or processing of foods. A dairy
company has applied for approval to use lactoperoxidase and sodium (and potassium) isothiocyanate as processing aids on
the surface of meat to inhibit bacteria. ANZFA has concluded that the use of these compounds does not pose a significant
risk to human health. However, because they contain milk protein, their presence in meat products should be identified
on labels for the benefit of consumers who are allergic to milk.
Other proposed changes to the Food Standards Code
ANZFA is seeking to make Omnibus Amendments to the Code (P262). They are of a minor nature, correcting typographical
errors and so on. ANZFA also seeks to amend Maximum Residue Limits for non-antibiotic agricultural and veterinary
chemicals in the Code (A461).
Submissions
Individuals or organisations wishing to lodge submissions with ANZFA should do so by 7 August 2002. The procedure for
making submissions is outlined on the ANZFA website at
http://www.anzfa.gov.au/foodstandards/informationforsubmit1129.cfm .
Further information
Assessment Reports associated with the above Applications and Proposals can be accessed from the ANZFA website at
www.anzfa.gov.au or www.anzfa.govt.nz