Notice Type
General Notices
Australia New Zealand Food Authority Food Standards The authority was created to develop and implement uniform food standards in Australia and New Zealand. Any person or organisation can apply to the authority to develop or vary food standards. The authority publishes notices asking for public submissions in relation to applications. Public submissions help the authority make an informed assessment. The authority's processes when assessing applications are described in the booklet Introducing the Australia New Zealand Food Authority. Please contact one of the officers below for your copy or for further information on the matters listed below. Matters Before Council The authority has completed inquiries into the following applications and proposals and has recommended that the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Council adopt draft variations to the Food Standards Code. The authority will now hold a further inquiry into these matters in New Zealand so a further recommendation to the council can be made which incorporates New Zealand views. If the council approves the draft variations they will enhance alignment with New Zealand requirements. These applications and proposals will advantage New Zealand and Australian manufacturers who are manufacturing products which comply with the Food Standards Code. Please send written submissions on matters relevant to these inquiries to one of the addresses below by 23 October 1996. Labelling of aspartame (A219). This application from Searle Australia Pty Limited seeks to remove the mandatory requirement for the label on or attached to a package containing aspartame to include the statement ``not suitable for use in cooking''. A statement advising of loss of sweetness during prolonged cooking is expected to be retained on packages containing aspartame draft variation to Standard A8 Artificial Sweetening Substances. The (then) NFSC has approved the recommendation to vary Standard A8 as requested in the application. The New Zealand regulations do not require the statement that is now being deleted from the Australian requirements. Neohesperidin dihydrochalcone in food (A227). This application from Pfizer Food Science Group seeks to vary Standard A6 Flavourings and Flavour Enhancers, by inserting ``Neohesperidin dihydrochalcone'' in the Schedule. The New Zealand regulations permit artificial flavourings that are approved by the USDA, the Council of Europe and the Australian Food Standard A6. This artificial flavouring substance is approved in the US and Europe and is therefore already approved for use in New Zealand in the absence of any public consultation on this specific substance. Sodium stearoyl lactylate in desserts (A238). This application from Kraft Foods Limited seeks to permit the addition of up to 5 g/kg of sodium stearoyl lactylate to desserts and imitation creams draft variation to Standard A3 Food Additives. New Zealand permits the addition of sodium stearoyl lactylate to table confections (which include desserts and imitation cream) with no maximum level specified. Whipped thickened cream (A245). This application from Tatua Cooperative Dairy Company Limited seeks to introduce a product category for whipped thickened cream draft variation to Standard H2 Cream and Cream Products. New Zealand regulations already make provision for whipped cream and permit the use of a range of additives required for thickening. Some differences persist for this product and apply across all the requirements for cream and cream products. These differences, relating to such issues as the level of milk fat and the specific additives permitted, were not addressed in the application and will be removed in the development of the joint Australia New Zealand food standard. Lipase in baked goods (A264). This application from Novo Nordisk Bioindustrial Pty Limited seeks to permit the use of lipase derived from a strain of Aspergillus oryzae in baked goods, including bread draft variation to Standard A16 Processing Aids. Additionally, lipase derived from Rhizopus arrhizus has been reinstated in Standard A16. The New Zealand regulations permit lipase as an enzyme and allow ``harmless preparations of enzymes obtained from Aspergillus flavus oryane or Aspergillus niger'' in the preparation of bread. Titanium dioxide as a food colour (A266). This application from Goodman Fielder Limited seeks to extend the use of titanium dioxide to all foods where colouring is permitted draft variations to Standard A5 Colourings, B4 Custard Mix, Dessert Mix, Custard Powder and Dairy Based Desserts and K4 Icing and Icing Mixture. New Zealand permits titanium dioxide as a food colouring in its schedule of permitted colourings which may be used wherever food colourings are permitted. If approved by ANZFSC, the variation will allow Australian manufacturers and New Zealand manufacturers who choose to apply the Australian Food Standards Code to use titanium dioxide as a colouring. Ascorbic acid in soft drinks and electrolyte drinks (A272). This application from Reckitt and Coleman Products seeks to permit the addition of ascorbic acid, erythorbic acid and their sodium salts as antioxidants to soft drinks and electrolyte drinks at a maximum level of 250 mg/L draft variations to Standard A7 Antioxidants, Standard O4 Soft Drinks and Soft Drink Products, and Standards R9 Supplementary Foods. New Zealand regulations permit the addition of ascorbic acid to fruit flavoured drinks, artificial drinks and drink flavour or drink concentrates with no maximum level specified. New Zealand has no regulation for electrolyte drinks. Flavourings in coffee (A284). This application from Unifoods seeks to permit the addition of flavourings to coffee and related products draft variation to Standard Q2 Coffee, Chicory and Related Products. New Zealand regulations permit the use of flavourings in coffee and, by way of carryover from the coffee, would permit the presence of flavourings in related products. The amendment to the Australian Food Standards Code enhances alignment with the New Zealand regulations although, in New Zealand, flavourings could not be added to a product such as instant coffee per se but could be present in instant coffee as carryover from the coffee. Alignment of food additive code numbers and class names (P138). The authority prepared this proposal to include additional food additive code numbers and food additive class names and to include a specification for ``Glycine'' draft variations to Standard A1 Labelling and Advertising, and Standard A11 Specifications for Identity and Purity of Food Additive, Food Processing Aids, Vitamins, Minerals and Other Nutrients. The authority prepared this proposal to enhance alignment with the New Zealand regulations and with the Codex Alimentarius and to assist in trans-Tasman trade. Standards Liaison Officer Australia New Zealand Food Authority P.O. Box 7186 CANBERRA MAIL CENTRE ACT 2610 AUSTRALIA Tel: (00 61 06) 271 2219 Fax: (00 61 06) 271 2278 or Standards Liaison Officer Australia New Zealand Food Authority P.O. Box 10-559 The Terrace WELLINGTON 6036 NEW ZEALAND Tel: (04) 473 9942 Fax: (04) 473 9855
Publication Date
10 Oct 1996

Notice Number

1996-gn6516

Page Number

3491