Australia New Zealand Food Authority Food Standards The Australia New Zealand Food Authority advises progress on the following matters relating to the Australian Food Standards Code. You can get further information on these matters in information papers which are available from: The Information Officer Australia New Zealand Food Authority P.O. Box 10-559 WELLINGTON 6036 NEW ZEALAND Telephone: (04) 473 9942 Facsimile: (04) 473 9855 Email: anzfa.nzanzfa.gov.au Matters at Full Assessment The authority has made preliminary assessments, accepted the following applications and proposals, and will now make full assessments of them: Roquefort Cheese made from Unpasteurised Milk (Application A348). An application from the Federation of Roquefort Cheese Manufacturers received on 20 August 1997 to permit the use of milk which has not been pasteurised or subjected to some other heat treatment prior to cheesemaking, in the making of cheeses. Maximum Residues Limits (A352). An application received on 26 November 1997 from the National Registration Authority to amend Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) for a number of agricultural chemicals. In accordance with the transitional arrangements for food standards between Australia and New Zealand, individual country MRLs for agricultural and veterinary chemicals continue to apply for these standards and this application proposes changes for MRLs for food sold in Australia, whether imported or domestically produced. Transglutaminase as a Processing Aid (Application A354). An application from Mauri Integrated Ingredients received on 16 December 1997 to permit the use of transglutaminase, a microbially derived enzyme, as a processing aid for binding pieces of protein products such as meat, poultry and fish into a formed piece. You are invited to present written submissions to the authority on matters relevant to these applications, including the potential regulatory impact on consumers, industry and government, by 3 April 1998. The information papers on these matters provide further information, including advice on the authority's policy regarding submissions. Novel Foods (P168). A proposal to establish a standard which will ensure that a risk-based assessment of novel foods and novel food ingredients is conducted before they are offered for sale in Australia and/or New Zealand. You are invited to present written submissions to the authority on matters relevant to this proposal, including the potential regulatory impact on consumers, industry and government, by 17 April 1998. The information paper on this matter provides further information, including advice on the authority's policy regarding submissions. Matters at Inquiry The authority will conduct an inquiry into the variations to standards prepared at full assessment of the following proposal: Date Marking of Packed Foods (P139). A proposal to review the labelling provisions in the Australian Food Standards Code and the New Zealand Food Regulations relating to the date marking of packed foods. You are invited to present written submissions to the authority on matters relevant to this inquiry, including the potential regulatory impact on consumers, industry and government, by 17 April 1998. The information paper on this matter provides further information, including advice on the authority's policy regarding submissions. Applications Withdrawn The following applications have been withdrawn at full assessment by the applicant: Salatrim (A280). An application received from Cultor Food Science (formerly Pfizer Food Science Group) on 2 August 1995 requested a reduced energy value for Salatrim and the use of a new reduction factor to calculate the fat content of Salatrim. The application has been withdrawn by the applicant in order to allow an appropriate length of time to generate the additional information requested by the authority. It is anticipated that another application will be submitted when the relevant information is available. Fortification of Milk Substitutes of Vegetable Origin (A342). An application received on 18 April 1997 from the Nutritional Foods Association of Australia Limited, to delete the compositional requirements for beverages derived from legumes and to extend the potential range of beverages to include those from cereals, nuts and vegetables, so as to permit the fortification of some beverages of `vegetable' origin marketed as milk-substitutes.