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This Notification Circular includes notices that are required to be given to the public, submitters and appropriate government agencies, under the Food Standards Australia New Zealand Act 1991 (FSANZ Act).
Details on the approval notification from the notice below were published on 16 December 2014 in The Australian and The New Zealand Herald newspapers, as well as on the FSANZ website.
For information about progress on all current applications and proposals, including anticipated consultation opportunities, see theFSANZ Food Standards Development Work Plan.
Call for submissions
General procedure
FSANZ invites written submissions on the draft variations to the Code arising from the following Applications and Proposals by 6pm (Canberra time) 10 February 2015:
• A1097 – Food derived from Herbicide-tolerant & Insect-protected Corn Line MON87411: to seek approval for food derived from a genetically modified glyphosate-tolerant and corn rootworm-protected corn line.
• P1016 – Hydrocyanic Acid in Apricot Kernels & other Foods: to consider an amendment to the Code for hydrocyanic acid in raw apricot kernels, foods derived from them and potentially other foods.
Consultation paper
FSANZ invites written submissions on a consultation paper arising from the following Proposal by 6pm (Canberra time) 10 February 2015:
• P1027 – Managing Low-level Ag & Vet Chemicals without Maximum Residue Limits: to manage low-level agricultural and veterinary chemicals without MRLs (i.e. the food is not listed in schedule 1 of Standard 1.4.2 but the chemical is).
Approval and Forum notification
FSANZ has approved a variation arising from the following Applications and Proposals. FSANZ has notified these approvals to the Australia and New Zealand Ministerial Forum on Food Regulation (convening as the Australia and New Zealand Food Regulation Ministerial Council) (Forum):
• A1092 – Irradiation of Specific Fruits & Vegetables
• A1096 – Xylanase from Bacillus licheniformis as a Processing Aid (Enzyme)
• P1022 – Primary Production & Processing Requirements for Raw Milk Products
• P1025 – Code Revision
Once FSANZ has notified the Forum of its decision, the Forum has 60 days to either request FSANZ to review the approved standard or inform FSANZ that it does not intend to request a review. Further information on the Forum process is available athttp://www.foodstandards.gov.au/code/fofr/Pages/default.aspx.
Forum request to review a decision
In accordance with requirements, FSANZ has completed a review of its decision to approve a variation arising from the following Application. FSANZ has re-affirmed its approval and given the Forum written notification of this decision:
• A1039 – Low THC Hemp as a Food
Once FSANZ has notified the Forum of its decision, the Forum has 60 days to either inform FSANZ that it does not intend to amend or reject the variation; or it has amended the variation; or it has rejected the variation. Further information on the Forum process is available at http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/code/fofr/Pages/default.aspx.
Other matters
MRL harmonisation requests [Australia only]
FSANZ considers changes to MRLs in the Code to harmonise with MRLs established by Codex or by a regulatory authority in a recognised jurisdiction. You can prepare an application to ask for specific MRLs to be included in the Code. Information is on our website at http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/code/changes/applying/Pages/default.aspx. Alternatively, you can write to FSANZ to ask for specific MRLs to be included in the Code. FSANZ intends to prepare one MRL proposal each year to consider these requests (http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/code/changes/limits/Pages/MRL-proposals.aspx).
We have provided additional information on MRLs on our website athttp://www.foodstandards.gov.au/code/changes/limits/Pages/default.aspx to assist you in preparing an MRL harmonisation request and included timelines for submitting such requests ahead of the 2015 MRL proposal.
Amendment to Standard 1.4.2 - Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) [Australia only]
The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) has notified FSANZ of applications or variations to the APVMA MRL Standard that the APVMA considers will likely result in variations to Schedule 1 of Standard 1.4.2 if they are granted.
More information on these notifications is available from our maximum residue limits page.
Calls for public comment - Proposed variations to Standard 1.4.2
The APVMA has called for public comment on a number of proposed variations to Schedule 1 of Standard 1.4.2.
Information can be found on the APVMA website.
Gazettal of amendments to Standard 1.4.2
The APVMA has registered a number of amendments to Schedule 1 of Standard 1.4.2 on the Federal Register of Legislative Instruments. For further information go to the ComLaw website.
Information Publication Scheme - Important information for applicants and submitters
Under the Information Publication Scheme all applications to change the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code, as well as submissions on applications and proposals, will be published on our website.
We will not publish any material provided in-confidence. Applications will be published when we publicly notify FSANZ's decision after an Administrative Assessment has been completed and the application has been accepted. Submissions will be published as soon as possible after the end of the public comment period. Where large numbers of documents are involved, FSANZ will make these available on CD, rather than on the website.
Source: Food Standards