Australia and New Zealand acknowledged their shared commitment to a safe and innovative food system at a FSANZ Board stakeholder event hosted by the New Zealand Food Safety Minister, the Hon Andrew Hoggard at New Zealand Parliament last month.

Minister Hoggard was joined by the Australian High Commissioner, Mr Daniel Sloper PSM and FSANZ Board Chair Glenys Beauchamp in celebrating the strength of the long-standing trans-Tasman food regulation partnership.

Foodborne illness costs the Australian economy around $3 billion each year, up from $2.81 billion in 2023, updated FSANZ estimates show.

About a quarter of Australia’s annual gastroenteritis cases are linked to contaminated food. 

Food ministers from Australia and New Zealand are now considering a proposal to modernise how genetically modified (GM) food is defined in the Food Standards Code, following approval by our Board.

Under the changes, outdated, process-based definitions for GM food will be replaced with clearer, outcome-based ones. 

The updated definitions, developed through Proposal P1055 – Definitions for gene technology and new breeding techniques, bring the Code into line with current science and international regulatory approaches used in economies like Canada, Japan and England.

We have released data on 2024 food recall statistics, offering key insights to support industry in managing food safety risks.

Science is at the heart of safe food - trust in our food system depends on it.

On 7 June 2025 we’re celebrating World Food Safety Day and the science behind our standards. 

At Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ), we apply world-class science to protect public health, develop standards for industry and regulators and help consumers make informed choices.