6 May 2022
199-22
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).
For information about progress on all current applications and proposals, including anticipated consultation opportunities, see the FSANZ Food Standards Development Work Plan.
Call for submissions
FSANZ has extended the final deadline for the 1st call for submissions by one week and invites written comments by 6pm (Canberra time) 17 June 2022.？
- Proposal P1028 – Infant Formula:？ To revise and clarify standards relating to infant formula products comprising category definitions, composition, labelling and representation of products
To make a submission or ask about submissions email submissions@foodstandards.gov.au.？
Approval and Food Ministers' Meeting notification
FSANZ has approved variations arising from the following applications. FSANZ has notified these approvals to the Food Ministers' Meeting:
- A1232 – Food derived from drought-tolerant and herbicide-tolerant wheat line IND-004127
- A1233 – 2′-FL from new GM source for infant formula？
Once FSANZ has notified the Food Ministers' Meeting of its decision, it 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 process is available at FSANZ 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. Application documents will be published when we call for submissions. Where large numbers of documents are involved, FSANZ will make these available on request, rather than publishing on the website. Submissions are published as soon as possible after the end of the public comment period.
Other matters
Call for requests: 2022 Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) harmonisation [Australia only]
The call for MRL harmonisation requests is now open for 2022 for all stakeholders and interested persons.
FSANZ invites requests by 6pm (Canberra time) Friday 29 July 2022.
Completed harmonisation requests or inquiries can be sent to the MRL Team at MRL.Contact@foodstandards.gov.au. FSANZ will acknowledge all requests received in writing within ten business days. Please contact us if you do not receive an acknowledgement.
FSANZ periodically considers requests to harmonise MRLs in the Food Standards Code (the Code) with established international standards. MRLs that are established either by the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) or nationally by an overseas recognised regulatory authority in the country where the food commodity is produced are considered. These changes are assessed through a FSANZ MRL harmonisation proposal, which is usually undertaken annually. The harmonisation process aims to facilitate trade in food while ensuring that chemical residue levels are safe. The proposal relates to Australian MRLs only.
In 2020, FSANZ introduced a new process whereby MRLs adopted by the CAC at the preceding year's meeting would routinely be included for consideration in the MRL harmonisation proposal. This means stakeholders are not required to submit a harmonisation request for a Codex MRL adopted by the 2019 CAC or thereafter. Please note, requests for harmonisation with Codex MRLs that were adopted by the CAC prior to 2019 still need to be submitted.
In 2022, FSANZ advises that if a stakeholder intends to request to align with the MRL from the country where the food commodity is produced, and there is an existing higher Codex MRL adopted for the same chemical/commodity combination, then stakeholders should request to align with the Codex MRL.
FSANZ requests that the MRL and associated import data for the country the commodity is sourced/grown in is also provided in the harmonisation template.
Guidance material to assist with the preparation of MRL harmonisation requests is available on the FSANZ website and through the Guide for submitting MRL harmonisation requests？ (3rd edition, April 2018).