FSANZ seeks public comment on food code changes

Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) has announced it is considering changes to the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code "” regulations that govern the sale of food sold in Australia and New Zealand.

The changes involve the approval of a food additive for wine, amendments to levels of chemical residues present in food, a new genetically modified rice variety, the addition of lutein to infant formula and amended maximum residue limits for chemical residues in food.

FSANZ is still welcoming comment from both specialists and the general public on the following issues:

• Bayer CropScience has applied for approval to sell food derived from glufosinate ammonium-tolerant rice LLRICE62. The genetic modification conferred to this rice variety makes it tolerant to the herbicide glufosinate ammonium.
• Wyeth has requested an amendment to the Food Standards Code to allow the optional addition of lutein, obtained from the marigold flower, as a nutritive substance to infant formula and follow-on formula. Lutein is a normal constituent of breast milk and may be helpful in promoting eye health.
• Laffort Services has requested approval to use mannoproteins extracted from yeast cell walls as a food additive in wine to inhibit the formation of potassium bitartrate crystals, commonly formed in bottled wine. Yeast mannoproteins are approved for this purpose in the European Union and occur naturally in wine and many other foods.
• The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority has requested that FSANZ amend maximum residue limits (MRLs) for a number of chemicals in the Code. The variations sought in A599 involve a number of non-antibiotic agricultural and veterinary chemicals.

Details of all the assessments above can be found on www.foodstandards.gov.au.