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Application A540 – Steviol Glycosides as Intense Sweeteners – Draft Assessment Report

4 July 2007

Dear Sir/Madam

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on this application. The New Zealand Food Safety Authority (NZFSA) has the following comments to make on the Draft Assessment Report (DAR).

NZFSA notes that steviol glycosides are on the agenda for evaluation at the upcoming 68^th meeting of JECFA (19-28 June 2007). The summary report for this meeting will be published prior to the release of the Final Assessment Report (FAR) for A540. NZFSA therefore suggests it would be prudent to take into account and refer to JECFA’s evaluation of steviol glycosides in the FAR.

NZFSA supports, subject to a favourable outcome at the 68^th JECFA meeting, Option 2 to permit the use of steviol glycosides as an intense sweetener and flavour enhancer in Schedule 1 of Standard 1.3.1 i.e. in a specified range of foods at restricted levels.

The inclusion of tabletop sweeteners in the specified foods permitted to contain steviol glycosides, under Option 2, will enable products manufactured in New Zealand that are currently sold as a dietary supplements to be sold under the Food Standards Code.

The DAR seeks comments and advice on the appropriate food category for soybean beverages to be placed under in Schedule 1 of Standard 1.3.1. NZFSA would like to point out that a discussion paper was presented at the 39^th meeting of the Codex Committee on Food Additives held in April 2007 to reassign the food categories that include soybean-based food products. It is proposed that soybean beverages be placed into a new food sub-category under category 06.8 Soybean Products. NZFSA has no objection with soy beverages being placed under 14.1.2.2 Fruit and Vegetable Juice Products in Schedule 1 of Standard 1.3.1 as proposed under the heading Soybean Beverage (plain or flavoured). Additives in Schedules 2, 3 and 4 are permitted for this food category.

Yours sincerely