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Information for government organisations
Information for government organisations Government agencies play an important role in assisting in the management of food allergy. Whether by developing policy in response to an identified need; developing and enforcing regulations; or working with stakeholders in forums like the Allergen Collaboration. The Allergen Collaboration has agreed to a number of key messages regarding governments' role in managing food allergens. These are listed below. Key messages
- Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) is working with a range of stakeholders including food industry, consumer organisations and relevant government agencies to ensure people with food allergy have the information they need to make informed choices
- The Food…
Published 31 July 2018
Information for health professionals
Information for health professionals Health professionals (including allied health professionals) have an important role in helping people manage their food allergies. The Allergen Collaboration has agreed to a number of key messages on food allergy for health professionals and these are listed below. Key messages
- Anaphylaxis is a medical emergency and requires immediate treatment with adrenaline (epinephrine)
- People at risk of anaphylaxis need to be referred to a clinical immunology/allergy specialist or doctor with experience in food allergy management
- General practitioners or specialists should complete and provide ASCIA Action Plans and prescribe adrenaline autoinjector scripts if needed. In Australia, authorisation…
Published 22 August 2022
Food irradiation
Food irradiation New provisions permitting the irradiation of fresh fruit and vegetables as a means of controlling the spread of insect pests like fruit fly across our quarantine borders were gazetted in the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code (the Code) on 22 July 2021. This follows FSANZ's May 2021 approval of an application by the Queensland Government Department of Agriculture and Fisheries to irradiate all types of fresh fruit and vegetables as a phytosanitary (pest control) measure. For more information about this application see:
Irradiation of fruit and vegetables
Irradiation of fruit and vegetables We recently approved an application by the Queensland Government Department of Agriculture and Fisheries to irradiate all types of fresh fruit and vegetables as a phytosanitary measure (i.e. to control the spread of pests like fruit fly). Changes to the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code (the Code) to include this new permission were gazetted on 22 July 2021. Irradiation has been used in Australia and New Zealand for 20 years and internationally since the 1950s. This approval extends previous code permissions for 26 fruit and vegetables to cover all fruit and vegetables for one purpose only - to stop pests moving from one quarantine region to another. Irradiated food is safe Irradiated foods are not…
Published 22 July 2021
Expert reaction - nanoparticles in baby formula
Expert reaction - nanoparticles in baby formula (July 2017) The following expert reaction to media reports on tests commissioned by Friends of the Earth which found the presence of nanoparticles in several Australian infant formula products has been reproduced with the permission of the Australian science Media Centre: Adjunct Professor Andrew Bartholomaeus is a consultant toxicologist with Adjunct Professor appointments at the University of Canberra and the University of Queensland. He has previously been the Chief Toxicologist for the Therapeutic Goods Administration and the General Manager of the Risk Assessment Branch of FSANZ. 'The Friends of the Earth slide deck presents the rather unexciting and facile observation that a food containing high levels of…
Published 2 July 2017
How the Code deals with vitamins and minerals that are added to foods
How the Code deals with vitamins and minerals that are added to foods (August 2018) How the Code deals with vitamin and mineral that are added to foods
- When a vitamin or mineral is added to food, the Code outlines requirements relating to the identity of the substance. For example only particular chemical forms of a mineral are able to be used.
- When a chemical form is used it has to be compliant with a relevant 'specification' as listed in the Code.
- Schedule 3 of the Code lists published sources for specifications relating to the identity and purity for the permitted forms of minerals. There are several sources listed. These specifications are internationally accepted
- Schedule 29 of the Code lists…
Published 3 August 2018
Food technologies and novel foods
Food technologies and novel foods In this section
Response to Pinget et al 2019 study on nanoparticles in food
Response to Pinget et al 2019 study on nanoparticles in food In May 2019 a study was released linking titanium dioxide particles with inflammatory bowel diseases and bowel cancer. FSANZ has reviewed the study and determined it does not change our previous assessment of titanum dioxide. The study's limitations mean that no conclusion can be drawn from it about titanium dioxide and inflammatory bowel diseases and bowel cancer. The reasons for our conclusion are set out below. TiO2 has been tested in long-term carcinogenicity studies in rats and mice, in which TiO2 was fed in the diet at concentrations sufficient to cause white faeces. These studies found no evidence of inflammatory changes or induction of tumours. The International Agency for Research on…
Published 19 June 2019
Isomaltulose
Isomaltulose Isomaltulose is a sugar substitute found naturally in very small quantities in honey and sugar cane juice. It contains glucose and fructose and therefore has similar properties to traditional sugars. FSANZ has approved the use of isomaltulose as a sugar substitute in food. Isomaltulose provides the same amount of the energy as sucrose, but is digested more slowly, leading to lower and slower increases in blood glucose when compared to sucrose. It is suitable for use as a total or partial replacement for sucrose in certain foods. Commercial isomaltulose can also be made from sucrose using enzymes. Is isomaltulose safe? For most people, yes. However, a FSANZ safety assessment (pdf 403 kb) suggests it is…
Published 13 January 2017
Labelling review recommendation 34 - irradiation labelling
Labelling review recommendation 34 - irradiation labelling (May 2017) The Food Standards Code currently states that when a food or food ingredient has been irradiated, it must be labelled that it has been treated with ionising radiation. This requirement applies to packaged and unpackaged irradiated foods, when sold to consumers. In 2011 an independent review of labelling recommended that the requirement for mandatory labelling of irradiated food be reviewed. In their response to the recommendation, ministers responsible for food regulation stated that it was timely to review the need for the mandatory labelling of irradiated food, and assess whether there is a more effective approach to communicate the safety and benefits of irradiation to consumers.…
Published 5 March 2018