10 OCTOBER

NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE

Copies can be bought or ordered by mail from Legislation Services, P.O. Box 12-418, Wellington. Please quote title and serial numbers. Prices for quantities supplied on application. Copies are also available over the counter at the following locations:

Bennetts Bookshop Limited: Level One, Whitcoulls Corner Store, Queen Street (P.O. Box 5513, Wellesley Street), Auckland; 111 Cashel Street (Private Bag), Christchurch 1; located in Whitcoulls, 143 George Street (P.O. Box 1104), Dunedin; 38–42 Broadway Avenue (P.O. Box 138), Palmerston North; Massey University, Palmerston North; located in Whitcoulls, Centreplace, Bryce Street (P.O. Box 928), Hamilton; Bowen House, Lambton Quay (P.O. Box 5334), Wellington.

General

Australia New Zealand Food Authority

Australia New Zealand Food Authority Act 1991

Australia New Zealand Food Authority—Food Standards

The authority was created to develop and implement uniform food standards in Australia and New Zealand. Any person or organisation can apply to the authority to develop or vary food standards.

The authority publishes notices asking for public submissions in relation to applications. Public submissions help the authority make an informed assessment.

The authority’s processes when assessing applications are described in the booklet Introducing the Australia New Zealand Food Authority. Please contact one of the officers below for your copy or for further information on the matters listed below.

Matters Before Council

The authority has completed inquiries into the following applications and proposals and has recommended that the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Council adopt draft variations to the Food Standards Code. The authority will now hold a further inquiry into these matters in New Zealand so a further recommendation to the council can be made which incorporates New Zealand views.

If the council approves the draft variations they will enhance alignment with New Zealand requirements. These applications and proposals will advantage New Zealand and Australian manufacturers who are manufacturing products which comply with the Food Standards Code.

Please send written submissions on matters relevant to these inquiries to one of the addresses below by 23 October 1996.

Labelling of aspartame (A219)

This application from Searle Australia Pty Limited seeks to remove the mandatory requirement for the label on or attached to a package containing aspartame to include the statement “not suitable for use in cooking”. A statement advising of loss of sweetness during prolonged cooking is expected to be retained on packages containing aspartame—draft variation to Standard A8—Artificial Sweetening Substances. The (then) NFSC has approved the recommendation to vary Standard A8 as requested in the application.

The New Zealand regulations do not require the statement that is now being deleted from the Australian requirements.

Neohesperidin dihydrochalcone in food (A227)

This application from Pfizer Food Science Group seeks to vary Standard A6—Flavourings and Flavour Enhancers, by inserting “Neohesperidin dihydrochalcone” in the Schedule.

The New Zealand regulations permit artificial flavourings that are approved by the USDA, the Council of Europe and the Australian Food Standard A6. This artificial flavouring substance is approved in the US and Europe and is therefore already approved for use in New Zealand in the absence of any public consultation on this specific substance.

Sodium stearoyl lactylate in desserts (A238)

This application from Kraft Foods Limited seeks to permit the addition of up to 5 g/kg of sodium stearoyl lactylate to desserts and imitation creams—draft variation to Standard A3—Food Additives.

New Zealand permits the addition of sodium stearoyl lactylate to table confections (which include desserts and imitation cream) with no maximum level specified.

Whipped thickened cream (A245)

This application from Tatua Cooperative Dairy Company Limited seeks to introduce a product category for whipped thickened cream—draft variation to Standard H2—Cream and Cream Products.

New Zealand regulations already make provision for whipped cream and permit the use of a range of additives required for thickening. Some differences persist for this product and apply across all the requirements for cream and cream products. These differences, relating to such issues as the level of milk fat and the specific additives permitted, were not addressed in the application and will be removed in the development of the joint Australia New Zealand food standard.

Lipase in baked goods (A264)

This application from Novo Nordisk Bioindustrial Pty Limited seeks to permit the use of lipase derived from a strain of Aspergillus oryzae in baked goods, including bread—draft variation to Standard A16—Processing Aids. Additionally, lipase derived from Rhizopus arrhizus has been reinstated in Standard A16.