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Consumers and Allergen Labelling

Consumers and Allergen Labelling (March 2021) This report reviews and summarises the existing literature on consumer knowledge, attitudes and behaviours relating to allergen declarations and precautionary allergen or advisory labelling (PAL). Allergen declarations refers to required information on food packaging where certain allergens are present (e.g. in the ingredient list and/or a 'contains' statement), while PAL and advisory labelling refers to statements that indicate the possible presence of allergens as a consequence of allergen cross-contact. The review looked at 37 studies which were published between January 2000 and August 2020 for allergen declarations and January 2000 and November 2019 for PAL. The genesis of this report was a face-to-face workshop of the International Social science Liaison Group (ISSLG) hosted by…

Published December 2023

Consumers' awareness, attitudes and behaviours towards food fortification in Australia and New Zealand - survey (2013)

Consumers' awareness, attitudes and behaviours towards food fortification in Australia and New Zealand - survey (2013)   In 2013, FSANZ commissioned Newspoll to conduct a population survey of Australians and New Zealanders to understand their awareness, attitudes and behaviours toward food fortification. Using computer assisted telephone interviewing, the survey included a range of question formats, including: single response; multiple response and open-ended. In total there were 800 Australian and 802 New Zealand respondents. The research was commissioned after the gazettal of Proposals P295 - Consideration of Mandatory Fortification with Folic Acid, P230 - Iodine Fortification, and P1003 - Mandatory Iodine Fortification for Australia. The Ministerial Council agreed that the standards needed to be monitored to assess the…

Published December 2023

Costing a one-year delay to the introduction of mandatory nutrition labelling (June 2002)

Costing a one-year delay to the introduction of mandatory nutrition labelling (June 2002) June 2002 [ PDF 30kb ] Overall, a delay of one year to the introduction of mandatory nutrition labelling will have significant adverse impacts on health in the community.

• Between 320 and 460 people will die from diet-related diseases, every year mandatory labelling is delayed.
• The cost to the health system - expenditure from all sources - is in the range of $47 million to $67 million for every year mandatory labelling is delayed.
• The value of life, as measured by health economists, will diminish by $341 million to $486 million for every year mandatory labelling is delayed - an immense personal cost.
• This methodology has adopted…

  Published December 2023

Determining the Equivalence of Food Safety Measures

Determining the Equivalence of Food Safety Measures (2004) The purpose of these guidelines is to provide guidance to FSANZ for determining the equivalence of alternative measures applied to achieve the safety of imported and domestically produced foods for sale in Australia and, where relevant, in New Zealand. Measures subject to equivalence determination, as discussed in this document, are the measures which fall within FSANZ's responsibility, primarily food standards. The guidelines will assist FSANZ in determining equivalence in a reliable, consistent and transparent manner. Download: Determining the Equivalence of Food Safety Measures (pdf 132 kb)

Published December 2023

Dioxins in food: Dietary exposure assessment and risk characterisation

Dioxins in food: Dietary exposure assessment and risk characterisation (Findings released 28 May 2004) Executive summary 'Dioxins' refers to a group of persistent chlorinated chemical compounds that have similar chemical structures and properties, and have similar biological characteristics, including toxicity. Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) has conducted an analytical survey of dioxins in a range of food sampled in Australia with the purpose of assessing the level of risk to human health associated with the dietary exposure of the Australian population to dioxins. The overall conclusion of this report is that, on the basis of the available data, taking into account all the inherent uncertainties and limitations, the public health and safety risk for all Australians from exposure to dioxins from foods is very low. 'Dioxins' includes…

Published December 2023

Dioxins in food: Supplementary Info

Dioxins in food: Supplementary Info Dioxins in food The following supplementary information is not included in the report ' Dioxins in food: Dietary Exposure Assessment and Risk Characterisation.' Summary of individual congener analytical results for each sample, by each food type.

• File Summary of all food (195KB)

Published December 2023

Evaluating benefits and costs of food regulation:a scoping study

Evaluating benefits and costs of food regulation:a scoping study March 2002 Full version [ PDF 237 kb ] The Australia New Zealand Food Authority commissioned a scoping study to examine the feasibility of developing an econometric model (or suite of quantitative techniques) that would quantify the impact of food regulation on the economy. The Authority was particularly interested in the inputs to an econometric model and quantitative methods to measure the benefits of food regulation. The scoping study contains a proposal for an integrated framework, in preference to a single econometric model, for reasons of transparency and flexibility in choosing quantitative techniques appropriate for each regulatory change. The integrated…

Published December 2023

External Peer Review of FSANZ Risk Assessment Practices and Procedures

External Peer Review of FSANZ Risk Assessment Practices and Procedures (August 2017) In 2011, an external peer review of our scientific risk assessment processes was undertaken by Dr Angelika Tritscher (WHO). The review compared our risk assessment approach against international best practice. Download External peer review of FSANZ risk assessment practices and procedures (pdf 451 kb) | (word 134 kb), including details of findings and recommendations. Key findings The overall findings of the review were positive, describing FSANZ's…

Published December 2023

Monitoring the Australian populations intake of dietary folic acid before and after mandatory fortification

Monitoring the Australian populations intake of dietary folic acid before and after mandatory fortification (June 2016) This report provides results of surveys of the folic acid content of breads commonly eaten by Australians, and estimates of the population's intake of dietary folic acid following implementation of food standard for mandatory folic acid fortification of wheat flour for making bread. Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) undertook this work as part of its contribution to the monitoring program of the impact of the mandatory fortification standard, Standard 2.1.1 Cereals and cereal products. Download the report (pdf 790kb) |…

Published December 2023

Food: a growth industry (Blair review report)

Food: a growth industry (Blair review report) (August 1998) The intention of the governments of Australia to undertake a review of food regulation was announced by the Prime Minister in his March 1997 statement, More Time for Business, following discussions and agreement on a national approach to the review by the Commonwealth, the States and Territories and the Australian Local Government Association. The key objectives of the Review were:

While protecting public health and safety, to:

• reduce the regulatory burden on the food sector, and examine those regulations which restrict competition, impose costs or confer benefits on business; and
• improve the clarity, certainty and efficiency of food regulatory arrangements.

Published December 2023