FSANZ has called for submissions on proposed changes to the nutrition and health claims standard.
FSANZ Chief Executive Officer Steve McCutcheon said the proposal would provide exemptions from claim requirements in the Food Standards Code for trademarked elements of the Health Star Rating system.
“The trademarked energy and nutrient icons in the Health Star Rating system essentially duplicate what’s required in a nutrition information panel,” McCutcheon said.
“The changes in this proposal mean food manufacturers voluntarily using the trademarked elements of the system won’t be disadvantaged by having to also meet claim requirements in the Code.”
The proposal also addresses some inconsistences in current standards, with changes made to make those standards clearer.
All FSANZ decisions on standards are notified to ministers responsible for food regulation. The ministers can decide to adopt, amend, or reject standards or they can ask for a review.
The closing date for submissions is 6 July 2015.
Last month, Assistant Minister for Health Fiona Nash said she is extremely pleased with the uptake of the Health Star Rating system after Kellogg’s announced its 37 products will display the Health Star Rating on the front of the pack.
FSANZ has also called for submissions on the proposal to consider introducing certain temporary maximum residue limits (MRLs) for residues of agricultural and veterinary chemicals that may occur in food, in order to align standards with the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) temporary MRLs for coumatetralyl and warfarin in pork commodities.