FoodLegal Bulletin, November 2011

Welcome to the November 2011 issue of FoodLegal Bulletin

• Food Standards Code Applications, Proposals and new Amendments
• Update on Australia’s National Food Plan
• ACCC’s current views on supermarkets’ market power
• Energy drinks: international developments
• Woolworths and “Woollies” domain name dispute
• FSANZ in court action initiated by anti-GM activists

Even though the ACCC’s mandatory reporting requirements refer to ‘consumer goods’, any food or beverage consumed by a customer or other consumer will also fall within the description of ‘consumer good’. This article is based on the latest information from the Australian Competition Consumer Commission (ACCC). We reproduce it here free for the convenience of FoodLegal Bulletin readers.

This article provides the latest update on progress towards the long-awaited standard for nutrition, health and related claims (Standard 1.2.7).

This article considers the somewhat convoluted legal definitions of “food additive”, “food” and “ingredient” and provides a legal analysis of  how or whether some of the prohibitions in the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code applicable to food will apply to the manufacture of food additives.

FoodLegal Managing Principal Joe Lederman and Food Chemist Tony Zipper critically evaluate the FSANZ revised Nutrition Panel Calculator which was launched in September 2011. This article of 2700 words provides a detailed analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the new database and its operation as a tool for devising Nutrition Information Panels.

What Food Standard is the least understood of all the food standards in the Food Standards Code? What food standard seems to allow inclusion of ingredients that do not appear on the label, is viewed with suspicion by consumers, is talked about in whispers in the Food Industry, is regarded as authorising borderline deception by groups with specific dietary requirements, and considered to be the inner secret of many confidential proprietary formulations in food?   The answer is Standard 1.3.3 - Processing Aids. This article of 2,500 words explores and attempts to demystify many of the myths and misunderstandings.