A412 Initial Ass Exec Summary

30 May 2001

15/01

INQUIRY REPORT

Note:
This report is the ' Inquiry ' as referred to in Section 16 of the Australia New Zealand Food Authority Act (1991) and sets out the reasons for making a recommendation to the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Council under Section 18 of the Act.

Full Report [ pdf 43kb ]

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Australia New Zealand Food Authority (ANZFA) received Application A412 on 27 April 2000, from the National Registration Authority for Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals (NRA) seeking to amend the Australian Food Standards Code to establish a maximum residue limit (MRL) of 20 mg/kg for ethylene oxide (EtO) in herbs and spices.

ANZFA decided, pursuant to section 37 of the Australia New Zealand Food Authority Act 1991,to progress this application as a matter of urgency in order to avoid compromising the objective set out in subsection 10(1)(a) of the Act, namely the protection of public health and safety. Accordingly, ANZFA completed a Full Assessment of the application, prepared draft variations to the Food Standards Code, and proposed recommendations to be considered by the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Council (ANZFSC).

On 28 July 2000, ANZFSC agreed to the recommendations to amend Standard A14 - Maximum Residue Limits, and agreed also that the date of implementation of the amendment would coincide with the date of gazettal of the variation to the standard. The variation commenced on the 17 August 2000, the date of gazettal. The adoption of the draft variation to Standard A14 was recommended for the following reasons:

  • The MRL for EtO was recommended by the NRA after the granting of an Emergency Use Permit for fumigant use of EtO on herbs and spices on 20 April 2000.

  • The MRL is due to expire on 30 September 2001, which is the date of expiration of the Emergency Use Permit.

  • The use of EtO on herbs and spices is currently required to reduce microbial contamination.

  • The MRL of 20 mg/kg is set at a level consistent with good agricultural practice.

  • On the basis of the report entitled Cancer Risk Assessment of Ethylene Oxide Residues in New Zealand Spices prepared by the New Zealand Institute of Environmental and Scientific Research (ESR), there is negligible cancer risk to consumers from EtO residues in spices.

  • The conclusion from the Full Assessment Report stated that on the basis of the data available, an MRL of 20 ppm for ethylene oxide in herbs and spices is justified and does not pose any additional public health and safety risk.

There are no additional issues arising from this Inquiry that would justify amendment to the Ministerial Council decision in July 2000, which established the temporary MRL of 20 mg/kg ethylene oxide in herbs and spices. Any extension to the Emergency Permit to use EtO beyond the expiry date is the responsibility of the NRA. ANZFA would give appropriate consideration to the need for regulatory measures able to be supported by additional scientific assessment of toxicological and monitoring data.

Full Report [ pdf 43kb ]