NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE

No. 52

General

Australia New Zealand Food Authority

Australia New Zealand Food Authority Act 1991

Food Standards

The Australia New Zealand Food Authority advises progress on the following matters relating to the Food Standards Code. You can get information papers on each of these matters from the ANZFA web site (www.anzfa.govt.nz), or by contacting:

The Information Officer
Australia New Zealand Food Authority
P.O. Box 10-559
WELLINGTON
Telephone: (04) 473 9942
Facsimile: (04) 473 9855
Email: nz.reception@anzfa.gov.au

Call for Submissions—Proposals

The authority will conduct inquiries into the draft standards prepared at full assessment of the following proposals which review current Australian and New Zealand regulations in order to develop joint Australia/New Zealand standards. You are invited to present written submissions to the authority on these proposals, including the potential regulatory impact on consumers, industry and government, by 16 June 1999:

• Infant Formula (Proposal P93)
• Gelatine Standard (Proposal P131)
• Maximum Permitted Concentrations of Non-Metals in Food (Proposal P158)
• Nutrition Labelling (Proposal P167)
• Microbiological Standards (Proposal P178)
• Cereals and Cereal Products (Proposal P180)
• Milk, Cream and Fermented Milk (Proposal P185)
• Provisions for Low Joule Foods and Carbohydrate Modified Foods (Proposal P202)
• Non-Alcoholic Beverages (Proposal P203)
• Alcoholic Beverages (Proposal P204)
• Articles and Materials in Contact with Food (Proposal P205)

The information papers on all these matters provide further information, including advice on the authority’s policy regarding submissions.

Call for Submissions—Folate Health Claims

The authority has completed its third round of assessment of foods to be included in the register of foods approved to carry a folate / neural tube defect (NTD) health claim. This matter is part of the review being undertaken by the authority of the general prohibition on health and related claims. It relates specifically to a pilot for permitted health claims which may be made concerning the relationship between adequate intakes of folate by women of child-bearing age and the reduction in the risk of NTDs in babies.

Subject to any public submissions received on the proposed list of additional foods, the authority will shortly make a recommendation to the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Council that the foods be added to the register and be approved to carry a folate / NTD health claim (Proposal P201 refers).

You are invited to provide comments on the authority’s proposed list by 28 May 1999. The list is available from the authority’s information officer and is also available on the ANZFA home page.

Further applications for foods to be included in the pilot and inclusion on the register are welcome at any time. Applications are available from the authority’s information officer. Further queries on this matter can be directed to Dr Hugh Baber on (04) 473 9942.

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New Zealand Meat Board

Meat Board Act 1997

Quota Allowance Allocation System in Respect of United States Beef and Veal Tariff Rate Quota

Pursuant to section 33 of the Meat Board Act 1997, notice is given that the New Zealand Meat Board has amended the allocation system for United States Beef and Veal Tariff Rate Quota.

The board has suspended the requirement for an export certificate to be obtained for New Zealand beef and veal that will be imported into the United States from 1 May 1999.

The requirements, under the system, for information gathering and reporting will remain.

Copies of the Quota Allowance Allocation System in Respect of United States Beef and Veal Tariff Rate Quota, are available from the board.

Dated at Wellington this 30th day of April 1999.

S. J. STEEL, Acting Board Secretary, New Zealand Meat Board.

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