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Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) today released its latest batch of proposed changes to the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code– regulations that must be complied with by food businesses.

Among the changes being considered are approval of a genetically modified soybean, new limits for chemical and antibiotic residues in food, a preservative for processed meat products, and a processing aid to reduce the formation of acrylamide in baked foods.

In the past year, FSANZ has made 25 changes to the Food Standards Code. Some changes involved new provisions – for example, a national food safety standard for the dairy industry.

Others, including several of the changes being proposed today, involve adjustments to requirements already in the code – for example, adding a GM food to the 33 already approved or alterations to maximum residue limits.

While any individual or organisation can apply to amend the Food Standards Code, the vast majority of changes are initiated by the food industry, or by FSANZ itself in the interests of public health and safety.

Asparaginase as a processing aid -(Application A606 – Initial Assessment)

Novozymes A/S has applied for permission to use an enzyme, asparaginase, as a processing aid. Asparaginase is produced using recombinant DNA techniques, from a strain of the host micro-organism Aspergillus oryzae. The company intends supplying asparaginase to the food industry so it can be used during food manufacture to convert asparagine to aspartic acid to reduce acrylamide formation in baked or fried wheat dough based products, such as biscuits, and cut vegetable products, such as sliced potato chips and french fries. At this stage, we invite comment from any person or organisation with an interest in this use of asparaginase.

Use of nisin in processed meat products-(Application A565 – Draft Assessment)

To complement existing good hygienic practices, Danisco Australia Pty Ltd is seeking FSANZ approval for the use of nisin as a preservative in processed meat products to a maximum level of 12.5 mg/kg. The applicant claims that although various preservatives are currently permitted for use in processed meat products (including nitrites/nitrates and sorbic acid) , they are not completely effective and spoilage is not uncommon. We seek the views of the meat industry, especially, on this work.

Food derived from glyphosate-tolerant soybean MON 89788-(Application A592 – Draft Assessment)

Genetically modified foods must have their safety assessed by FSANZ before they can be sold in Australia and New Zealand. Monsanto Australia Limited has requested the approval of a herbicide-tolerant soybean. This soybean has been modified to tolerate applications of the herbicide glyphosate, allowing farmers to control weeds more effectively. We have concluded that this GM soybean is as safe to consumers as the conventionally grown soybean and we will recommend its approval. Comment from interested parties is welcomed.

Agarose ion-exchange resin as a processing aid for beer-(Application A600 – Draft Assessment)

Lion Nathan and GE Health Care Bioscience AB are seeking permission for a new agarose- based ion-exchange resin to be used to stabilise beer. The resin achieves this by selectively reducing the concentration of undesirable haze and particulate forming proteins and polyphenols in the treated beer by adsorbing them on the resin. The resin is approved and used to treat beer in the United States, Germany and Russia. We intend to approve this application and welcome comments from affected stakeholders.

Maximum residue limits – Australia only-(Application A608 – oxytetracycline [antibiotic] – Initial / Draft Assessment)

The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority has requested that FSANZ amend maximum residue limit (MRL) for the antibiotic oxytetracycline. We have reviewed the estimated dietary exposure assessments for this application and have determined that the residues associated with the proposed MRL do not present any public health and safety concerns.

Submissions: FSANZ welcomes public comment from industry, public health professionals, government agencies and consumers. Details of all the assessments above can be found on www.foodstandards.gov.au.
Submissions close on 19 September 2007.

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