- PDF Version (1.1M) - Print Friendly - Help

Food Focus May 2007

Creating a safer food supply

NZFSA policy analysts are currently studying submissions received on plans to update dietary supplement laws. The present requirements disadvantage manufacturers and consumers of dietary supplements. Modernising them will ensure the safety and integrity of all food sold in New Zealand

Proposals aimed at changing the way food-type dietary supplements (otherwise known as complementary foods) are regulated will give consumers added confidence in them because they’ll be subjected to the same scrutiny as all other foods sold in New Zealand.

Carole Inkster, Director of Policy at NZFSA, says: “NZFSA believes there should be one set of rules covering the production of all foods.

“The range and appearance of complementary foods being sold today is far broader than could have been imagined when the regulations were first set down.

“Where once a dietary supplement was most likely to be found in tablet or capsule form, many now look more like ordinary food and drink with added vitamins, minerals and other nutritive substances. The outdated regulations do not adequately provide for this.

“As well, some dietary supplements are now more therapeutic in presentation and purpose and take the form of pills and potions, advising the dose required for a therapeutic effect.”

Discussion document

“NZFSA proposes that therapeutic-type dietary supplements offering medicinal or healing benefits – including vitamins, minerals, herbal and traditional supplements – will continue to be regulated under amended Dietary Supplement Regulations to be administered by Medsafe, pending a move to new therapeutic product regulation.”

In March NZFSA published a public discussion document, Proposed Changes to the Regulation of Dietary Supplements, calling for submissions on the modifications. The document attracted widespread interest and NZFSA policy experts are now analysing proposals before recommending an appropriate course of action to government.

Carole Inkster says new regulations would ensure that the complementary foods available at supermarkets and specialist stores meet the same food safety requirements as all other food.

“At the same time the new rules would underpin the standing of reputable manufacturers who want New Zealanders to have confidence in their products.”

Safety assessments

At present the safety of complementary foods is not directly regulated to the same extent as all other foods that come under the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code (FSC).

This means consumers cannot be certain that the range of complementary foods available is as safe and as suitable as they might be. Under the proposals these foods would have to comply with safety assessments and standard labelling requirements.

The proposed changes would also:

• maintain the integrity of New Zealand’s food

• better reflect international ‘best practice’.

Says Carole: “There seems to be some uncertainty about ways of preventing intoxicating substances, such as those found in party pills, being added to foods. The new regulations would remove any such uncertainty by prohibiting these substances, unless expressly permitted. In such cases, those ingredients would have to undergo extensive safety tests.”

Innovative

NZFSA believes the proposals will have the added advantage of allowing New Zealand manufacturers to be more innovative in the range of foods they produce – and grow the market.

For example, the existing regulations restrict the range and amount of ingredients, such as sweeteners and antioxidants that can legally be included in complementary foods.

“This has a two-fold effect: it confines industry’s ability to develop new and innovative foods and limits consumer choice.”

A transition period will give manufacturers sufficient time to address any label and formulation changes that may be necessary.

Concerns that the proposed changes may see some small manufacturers of complementary foods go out of business would only be realised if those manufacturers chose not to make products that met safety assessment and labelling requirements, says Carole.

Trans-Tasman agency

Carole says industry and government are familiar with the inadequacies surrounding the manufacture and sale of complementary foods. “A government discussion paper on the topic was initially released in 2004 and submissions generally supported the idea of separate legislation for complementary foods and those supplements of a more therapeutic nature.”

The idea was put on hold pending the establishment of a trans-Tasman agency, the Australia New Zealand Therapeutic Products Authority (ANZTPA), which would regulate therapeutic products.

NZFSA now wants to progress the development of the new complementary food regulations. Proposals from the initial discussion document are included in the new discussion paper, which explains how the new regulations might work.

More information on proposals as they relate to therapeutic-type dietary supplements is available from ANZTPA’s website: www.anztpa.org.

Submissions on NZFSA’s discussion paper closed on March 29, but it can still be downloaded as a PDF or HTML document from NZFSA’s website: www.nzfsa.govt.nz.