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Outcome notes from stakeholder discussion on the proposal for 2003/04 New Zealand Total Diet Survey (NZTDS) - February 2003

• Proposal for 2003/04 NZTDS Survey Core plus suggested add-ons Meeting
• Outcome Notes
• Introductions
• Initial priorities from submissions
• Discussion and exchange of views
• Conclusion of Discussions - What proposals should go forward for additional funding

Outcome Notes

Date: Thursday 13 February 2003

Location: 7^th Floor, NZFSA, Jervois Quay, Wellington

Time: 9.30am

Chair: Steve Hathaway, NZFSA

Attendees:

Winsome Parnell, Dept Human Nutrition	Cathy Webb, Seafood Standards Council
Suzi Penny, Massey University	Brenda Cutress, Grocery Market Association
Wendy Johnson, National Consumer Food Safety Network	Simon Buckland, Ministry for the Environment
Mike Donkin, Nutrition & Health Research	Pam Atkinson, Safe Food Campaign
Justin Bendall, Fonterra	Peter Ensor , VegFed/NZ Fruit Federation
Belinda Allan, Consumers Institute	Victoria Landells, FSANZ
Alison White, Safe Food Campaign	Carole Gibb, NZ Dietectic Association
Claire Bleakley, GE Free NZ	Jack Richardson, Agcarm Incorporated
Kate Ward, VegFed
Cherie Flynn, NZFSA	Sally Johnston, NZFSA
David Lunn, NZFSA	Debbie Morris, NZFSA
Paul Danstead, NZFSA	Mike Clear, NZFSA
	Nicola Reeves, NZFSA
Glen Neal, NZFSA	Richard Vannoort, ESR
Jenny Reid, NZFSA

Apologies:

Carole Inkster, NZFSA	Carolyn Watts, Cancer Society of NZ
Janet Weber, Inst. Of Food Nutrition & Human Health	Alastair Macfarlane, NZ Seafood Industry Council
Graeme Gillespie, MoH	Pip Duncan, NZ Pork Industry Board
Steve Marshall, NZ Dairy Board	Hugh Baber, FSANZ
Owen Symmons, Meat Industry Association	Laurence Eyres, NZ Dairy Foods
Kevin Cresswell, Meat Industry Association	Fiona Carruthers, NZ Beef and Lamb Marketing Bureau
Mike Crashley, Cadbury Confectionery Ltd	Nelofar Athar, Crop & Food Research
John Reeve, NZFSA

Introductions

Following a round table introduction Steve Hathaway briefly outlined NZFSA's broad goals for the 2003/04 NZTDS, noting that they were still in draft and being refined. The goals were:

Cherie Flynn, NZFSA, briefly outlined the reasons for today's meeting and what would happen afterwards

Richard Vannoort, ESR, gave a presentation over-viewing total diet surveys, key point covered were;

· how TDSs are conducted around the world compared with how they are done in New Zealand, including information on the number of foods sampled and how many analysis's are made,

· the advantages and disadvantages of compositing of samples verses individual analysis,

· what the results of various tests can say about exposure to particular chemicals or contaminants.

· Some of the key results from the previous NZTDS

The presentation concluded with what were the proposed core components of the 2003/04 NZTDS and the range of planning and management elements that are also part of the NZTDS. (Copy of presentation available)

Initial priorities from submissions

Cherie presented an overview of the initial analysis of the submissions. The results indicated:

Discussion and exchange of views

Each proposed component of the 2003/04 NZTDS was discussed in turn. Main points raised in discussion were as follows:

The proposed food list and sampling/food preparation

It was noted that the NZTDS looked at contaminants and specific elements in foods and not at what or how much consumers are actually eating. Information on consumption patterns was taken from the National Nutrition Survey and other nutritional and consumption studies.

It was suggested that:

· strawberries should be analysed unwashed as well as washed;

· the distilled water in which product is washed should be analysed;

· imported foods should be identified;

· organic foods should be identified, particularly for staple food groups (bread, potatoes);

· soy milk could also be a source of iodine;

· the identification of national and regional foods needed to be carefully done to ensure that samples collected were truly representative and that resources were focused on collecting samples where there actually were regional differences.

It was noted that the food list used in the children's nutrition survey (which is in the analysis and reporting stage) is held by the Ministry of Health and may be available to NZFSA if requested.

There was some discussion on:

· the need for more analysis of raw ingredients and products - these are aspects of a commodity survey and it was also noted that NZFSA is developing a proposal to undertake a pesticide survey on raw products in the next financial year;

· was it necessary to look specifically at foods consumed by 6 to 12 months old, could we not use the Australian survey data - the current Australian survey is structured completely differently from New Zealand's. They are looking only at some specific additives (nitrates/nitrites and sulphates);

· was it possible to include breast milk in the survey, it would be useful to get information on a range of contaminants - collection of breast milk is a complex matter requiring extensive ethical approval, it is a specialised area and outside the scope of a TDS;

· the removal of flour from the food list and why bran was not included - flour and bran are raw ingredients and are used in many of the foods that will be sampled (eg bread, biscuits, battered fish, cake; breakfast cereals).

Age-Sex groups for simulated diets

It was noted that for adolescents there was a major difference between boys and girls. They have different growth rates, which could be important in terms of looking at high energy intakes. The products they consume could also be quite different.

Dithiocarbamates

It was suggested that the focus should be on metabolite Ethylenethiourea (ETU) instead of dithiocarbamate - a smaller number of samples could be analysed for DTCs. It was also noted that this was the approach taken in the USA. ESR advise that an improved method for DTCs has been identified but not yet resourced s. It was also noted that analysis for ETU is expensive because ETU is unstable and that the USA are the only country regularly undertaking TDSs that analysis for ETUs. Other countries focus on DTCs.

Antibiotics

There was some discussion on the inclusion of analysis for antibiotic residue within the NZTDS. Comments made during the discussion included:

· this is a matter of high concern for some consumers, so why not include it;

· the analytical process for looking at food, as opposed to the animals is very difficult and, to the best of NZFSA's/ESR's knowledge, no method currently exists;

· the NZFSA veterinary medicines monitoring does cover antibiotics used in animals;

· the NZFSA has programmes in place to monitor meat produced in New Zealand for residues of veterinary medicines and is looking at how to cover all antibiotics;

· consumer organisations want independent access to available information, such access is also an issue in the publics mind;

· NZFSA wants to develop appropriate protocols for access to information held by industry and other organisations so as to be able to integrate the available information. To do this, however, some issues of ownership and commercial sensitivity need to be addressed.

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs)

Comments made during the discussion included:

· that any analysis would need to be targeted on those foods likely to have PAHs, it was noted that New Zealand does not have information on dietary exposure to PAHs;

· it was suggested that there was already quite a bit of information in the public arena that burnt foods were ’not good for you', therefore work in this area should not be a high priority;

· it was noted that the prime source of PAHs is not food and there is too much variability connected with cooking methods and consumer practices to make analysis feasible within a limited budget;

· it was suggested that consumers could find it useful to have information for each level of cooking (underdone, medium, well cooked, burnt) and the level of risk attached to each for each type of food;

· from a risk management approach including PAHs in a total diet survey would not be a priority because the key option for addressing risks from the range of possible sources would be consumer education;

· it was noted that work on PAH's could be useful as part of a wider separate survey that looking at various carcinogens, for example, PAHs, Acrylamide, Dioxins.

Dioxins - Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs)/ polychlorinated diibenzofurans (PCDFs)/ Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)

Comments made during the discussion included:

· that given the high cost of analysis the investigation of other analytical methods or approaches, for example toxic equivalence, or a consideration of bio-availability;

· the suggestion that analysis on large composite samples could be done and still give useful results;

· NZFSA advice that information could be made available from monitoring programmes carried out in relation to animal product processing. This information could be useful in focusing analysis on specific foods or food groups.

The Ministry for the Environment advised that it was highly unlikely that MfE would undertake a repeat of their dietary survey looking at dioxins (which cost $50K for 20 analyses). They also reminded the meeting that Government had agreed that a whole of government approach to the issue of dioxins should be promoted. The Safe Food Campaign noted their view that this should be the highest priority for work. In acknowledging the high cost of analyses for Dioxins and the wider government interest it was suggested that the NZFSA should look to make a separate bid for funding for research into Dioxins.

More Pesticides and Herbicides Screen

There was discussion on the proposal to include more analysis for pesticides and a possible herbicide screen. Comments made during the discussion included:

· looking at as many agricultural compounds as could possibly be managed should be supported;

· a Liquid chromatography agricultural compound screen or a herbicide screen, as part of the NZTDS, would broaden the range of compounds looked at, including those compounds that had been approved for use more recently;

· that the limit of detection for such a screen would not be as low as the multi-residue screen included in the core NZTDS proposal;

· that for the more recently approved compounds the assessment prior to approval would have been much stricter;

· consideration of older herbicides was also useful, even if the particular compounds were not supposed to be used, therefore an acidic herbicide screen should be a priority;

· whether or not the dangers of eating low residues or eating a lot of low residues were known or being investigated.

Glyphosate

Comments made during the discussion included:

· there is no New Zealand data on Glyphosate and overseas studies suggest this compound needs to be looked at;

· it is only necessary to test certain foods, such as corn, soy flour or bread; oats, potatoes, oil, meat.

Other Nutrients

A number of nutrients that were mentioned in submissions and during discussion, these included: iron, sodium, calcuim, zinc, copper, magnetism, manganese. Comments made during the discussion included:

· there is a need to look at iron, particularly products that have added iron, there is no information on the products that were approved for fortification with iron in the mid 1990's (eg breakfast cereals, breads) and these are products to which iron was not added previously;

· information on iron is more important than some of the other suggested nutrients because there is already good information about these in the food composition data base;

· because the samples have already been collected and if the analysis equipment is already set up then looking at some other elements should be considered, particularly zinc, copper, manganese;

· the suggestion that product labels be examined to determine the potential for foods to increase the risk of excess iron and if this ’desk-top' analysis identified a problem then a study specifically looking at these foods could be undertaken;

· there is still a need for information about sodium.

Nitrate/nitrite

Comments made during the discussion included:

· there are many smoked foods being consumed in New Zealand and therefore nitrates could be an issue;

· the Australian survey is focusing on these additives (and sulphites) looking do something that could link with this Australian work could be useful, particularly as the Australian survey may result in proposals for development of food standards that could apply in New Zealand, therefore New Zealand data would be important;

· the development of a separate survey looking specifically at nitrates/nitrites may be a better approach as the foods that need to be analysed are not well represented on the current food list.

Bisphenol A or Alkylphenols

Comments made during the discussion included:

· these compounds are of international concern and there is a need for more information about them;

· these compounds are also included in some pesticides and so should be looked at in connection with Dioxins and PAHs;

· that the risk from these compounds was more theoretical, in the case of other proposals there is a known causal link, therefore it is better to give other proposal a higher priority;

· investigation of these compounds may be better done in a specific focused survey;

· the suggestion that investigation of the estrogenic effects be undertaken and if a problem is identified then specific follow-up work should be done.

Acrylamide

Comments made during the discussion included:

· analysis could be targeted at certain foods only;

· the cooking or heat processing of foods changes the formation and therefore the risk, this makes analysis complicated;

· there is a need to develop a methodology for the analysis of Acrylamide;

· work on this area is worthy of consideration but outside the NZTDS;

· the World Health Orgainzation has requested countries to provide information on Acrylamide.

Others

Two further suggestions for additions to the 2003/04 NZTDS were discussed. These were:

· Trans-fatty acids - it was noted that this is covered in the Food Composition Database.

· GE Foods - it was suggested that these are new foods that need to be considered as part of a NZTDS. It was noted that as part of the imported foods programme monitoring was undertaken for GE foods. It was suggested that further work looking at imported and domestically produced foods was needed to allay consumer concerns, however, this could be as part of a separate project and not necessarily part of the NZTDS..

Conclusion of Discussions - What proposals should go forward for additional funding

At the end of the discussion the following consensus views were agreed:

· The core as proposed should proceed.

· There should be separate discussion on what specific pesticides/compounds should be included in the Gas chromatographic multi-residue agricultural compounds analysis, so as to ensure as many compounds of concern as possible are included within the budgeted funding.

· Additional funding should be sought for the following in priority order:

· Focused testing for dioxin is also a high priority but given need for whole of government approach work on this area may be better approached as a separate project with specific funding rather than as part of a NZTDS.

· Work on nitrates/nitrites; Acrylamide; Bisphenol A or Alkylphenols may be better undertaken as separate projects, noting that for Acrylamide; Bisphenol A or Alkylphenols it may be necessary to complete development of analysis methodologies

It was noted that some focused work on sulphates and nitrates/nitrites could be useful to complement the Australian survey that is currently underway, the outcome of this work could be directly useful for development of joint Australia/New Zealand food standards.

While there was interest and some support for work on other areas, including PAHs, aflatoxins; GM content; hormones/antibiotics in specific foods it was the consensus view of the meeting that this work was either not a priority for this NZTDS or was outside the scope of a NZTDS.

It was noted, by the NZFSA, that where desired analytes could not be assessed as part of the 2003/04 NZTDS these analytes/surveys/projects would be considered for future inclusion in the NZFSA's wider science research programme.

Meeting closed at 3.30pm

Prepared by:

NZFSA