Search
Search results 21-30 of 2508
Beta-glucan and blood cholesterol health claims
Beta-glucan and blood cholesterol health claims In August 2015, FSANZ completed a systematic review of the evidence for a relationship between oats, barley and beta-glucan and blood cholesterol concentration. The review substantiated a relationship between oats and blood cholesterol but not barley and blood cholesterol. A relationship between beta-glucan (from oats or barley) and blood cholesterol was not assessable. The Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code (the Code) currently permits a high level health claim to be based on a relationship between beta-glucan (from oats or barley) and blood cholesterol. FSANZ issued a…
Published 13 April 2021
Nutrition content claims and health claims
Nutrition content claims and health claims Nutrition content claims and health claims are voluntary statements made by food businesses on labels and in food advertising. Standard 1.2.7 sets out requirements for making these claims. Nutrition content claims Nutrition content claims are about the content of certain nutrients or substances in a food, such as 'low in fat' or 'good source of calcium'. These claims need to meet certain criteria. For example, food with a 'good source of calcium' claim needs to contain at least the amount of calcium specified in the Standard. Health claims Health claims are about the relationship between a food and health effects. All health claims must be supported by scientific…
Published 8 September 2022
Research work on Nutrition, Health and Related Claims
Research work on Nutrition, Health and Related Claims Research conducted in 2006 In order to further evaluate the best risk management options for nutrition content claims, research was conducted on consumer understanding of inclusion of percentage daily intake values (%DI) in the nutrition information panel, and on 'no added sugar' claims. FSANZ commissioned TNS Research to investigate consumer understanding and ability to use %DI and the percentage recommended dietary intake (%RDI) information to make product decisions, and consumer ability to use %DI information in the interpretation of nutrient content claims. In June 2006, 51 in-depth qualitative interviews were conducted in Australia and New Zealand with consumers across a broad range of experiences. Current use of %RDI…
Published 17 June 2015
Reviews of food-health relationships for high level health claims
Reviews of food-health relationships for high level health claims Standard 1.2.7 - Nutrition, health and related claims includes requirements for making high level health claims. High level health claims must be based on a food-health relationship pre-approved by FSANZ. These relationships are listed in Schedule 4 of the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code (the Code). New food-health relationships for high level health claims can only be included in Schedule 4 following assessment of an application or proposal to change the Code. This assessment includes a systematic review of the evidence supporting the food-health relationship, in accordance with the high level health claims variation procedure in the FSANZ Act 1991. Reviews of existing high level health claims in Schedule…
Published 12 January 2023
Labelling information for consumers
Labelling information for consumers Food labels can provide a wide range of information to help consumers make food choices. Food labels also help to protect public health and safety by displaying information such as use by dates, ingredients, certain allergens, instructions for storage and preparation, and advisory and warning statements. FSANZ sets standards for what information must be on food labels. Related links
Page last updated: 25 February 2025Published 17 August 2020
Labelling poster - how to read food labels
Labelling poster - how to read food labels Most packaged foods are required to have a label with important information to help you make informed choices about what you and your family eats. The information required varies depending on the food. Remember certain information about foods that are unlabelled (e.g. fresh fruit and vegetables, or food that is purchased from where it is made such as cafes, bakeries or takeaway shops) may still need to be provided. This information is usually either displayed with the food or provided if you ask for it, for example, if the food contains certain allergens or directions for using or storing the food safely. FSANZ is responsible for developing and maintaining the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code, which includes standards for food labelling…
Published 13 May 2020
Labelling for religious, environmental, animal welfare and other consumer value issues
Labelling for religious, environmental, animal welfare and other consumer value issues Some food labels include information that relates to people's personal values/ethics, such as:
- religious reasons (e.g. 'halal', 'kosher')
- environmental concerns (e.g. carbon footprint labelling, palm oil labelling in relation to rainforest destruction)
- animal welfare concerns (e.g. 'RSPCA approved', 'dolphin friendly')
- human rights issues (e.g. fair trade, child labour).
Published 6 April 2017
Food additive labelling
Food additive labelling Food additives in most packaged food must be listed in the statement of ingredients on the label. Most food additives must be listed by their class name followed by the name of the food additive or the food additive number, for example, Colour (Caramel I) or Colour (150a). Enzymes and most flavourings (or flavour) do not need to be named or identified by a food additive number and can be labelled by their class name only. The class name indicates what the food additive does (i.e. its purpose). Read a list of the most common class names of food additives. Food additive numbers (based on an internationally-accepted numbering system) can be used as an alternative to names which can be long and confusing. The lists below…
Published 1 December 2021
Sugar labelling
Sugar labelling The Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code (the Code) includes requirements for food labels to include the total amount of sugars in the nutrition information panel (NIP). Total sugars includes sugar that is naturally present in the food and sugar that has been added as an ingredient. The code contains requirements for foods that make claims about sugar. For example, foods that claim to be 'low sugar' cannot contain more than 2.5 g of sugar per 100 mL of liquid food or 5g per 100g of solid food. There are also requirements for claims such as 'reduced sugar', 'x% sugar free', 'no added sugar' and 'unsweetened'. More information
Labelling review recommendation 12
Labelling review recommendation 12 (May 2017) Recommendation 12 of an independent review of food labelling stated that where sugars, fats or vegetable oils are added as separate ingredients in a food, the terms 'added sugars' and 'added fats' and/or 'added vegetable oils' be used in the ingredient list as the generic term, followed by a bracketed list (e.g., added sugars (fructose, glucose syrup, honey), added fats (palm oil, milk fat) or added vegetable oils (sunflower oil, palm oil). Ministers responsible for food regulation asked FSANZ to undertake a technical evaluation and provide advice on the…
Published 27 September 2018