Australia, New Zealand Open Comment Period for Food-Type Supplements

CANBERRA, Australia--The Australia New Zealand Food Authority (ANZFA) is inviting the public and interested organizations to comment on proposed changes to the Food Standards Code. The changes include new requirements for food-type dietary supplements, which are marketed as foods and include juice, nutrition bars and cereal that contain concentrated forms of nutrients, herbs and/or other botanical substances. Once passed, these new regulations will apply to both Australia and New Zealand.

As it stands, volumes one and two of the Food Standards Code do not currently regulate many foods that the countries consider to be dietary supplements. At the moment, products are monitored under New Zealand's Dietary Supplement Regulations 1985 and Australia's Trans Tasman Mutual Recognition Arrangement.

The ANZFA proposal, known as P235, seeks to develop regulatory measures to manage food-type dietary supplements. Among the proposals being reviewed are labeling issues and which food-type dietary supplements should be regulated as dietary supplements and not as foods.

In other food regulation news, ANZFA's Managing Director Ian Lindenmayer reported ANZFA is expected to change its name to Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ), effective July 1.

More details about P235 can be found at www.anzfa.gov.au. Comments regarding the Food Standards Code must be submitted by Aug. 7.