- Print Friendly - Help

They're following our Food Standards Code … where?

The Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code, which became fully operational on December 20, 2002 is currying favour with the Indian Government.

So taken with the new Code is the Indian Government that it will use it to form the basis of its own food safety regulations.

Director of India's Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Mr G Venkataramani told the Courier Mail in Australia recently that the Code was an excellent piece of legislation which he regarded as the best in the world.

The Code, which had been in transition for two years, was officially welcomed into being with a small celebration at the offices of the New Zealand Food Safety Authority in Wellington on December 20 last year.

The Food Standards Code finally brings New Zealand's food labelling and composition regulations into the 21st century. New Zealanders' eating habits have become more sophisticated over the past 20 years but there has been little change in food regulations.

One of the main purposes of the Code is to provide consumers with more information about what's in the food they are eating. However it also aims to minimise regulations for manufacturers and producers.

While manufacturers have had two years to get used to the Code's new requirements there is a grace period where foods packaged and produced lawfully prior to December 20 can be sold for a further 12 or 24 months depending on the length of the shelf life of the product.

The Food Regulations 1984 have been revoked. There are existing food regulations that fall outside the Code however and they will be continued in the Food (Safety) Regulations 2002.

There is also still some work to be done on a small number of standards within the Code to complete gaps. They are being covered in the meantime by transitional standards that retain the status quo for both Australia and New Zealand. These transitional standards cover infant formula products, health claims, country of origin labelling, labelling for bee pollen and royal jelly, warning statements on some milk products and a standard relating to special purpose foods.

There are also three transitional regulations in the new Food (Safety) Regulations 2002 that relate specifically to New Zealand. These regulations allow for the continued sale of hemp seed oil, the continued use of flouridated water in food products and the continued sale of Mountain Dew, a caffeinated artificial drink with a higher caffeine content than allowed in Australia.

The Food Standards Code does not contain food safety standards for New Zealand (although there are some "Australia only" standards in it).

These continue to be set for New Zealand by the New Zealand Food Safety Authority.