Latest news with #FSANZ
Scoop
7 hours ago
- Health
- Scoop
Gene Tech Bill Report Delayed. OANZ Welcomes Opportunity For Greater Scrutiny.
Organics Aotearoa New Zealand (OANZ) has welcomed news from Parliament this week that the Health Select Committee has extended its reporting deadline on the controversial Gene Technology Bill from 31 July to 22 August. While no official explanation for the delay has been given, OANZ views the extension as a positive sign that the widespread concerns raised by farmers, exporters, scientists, and consumers are being taken seriously. 'This extension reflects that the issues at stake are complex, contested, and critical to New Zealand's food future,' said OANZ Chief Executive Tiffany Tompkins. 'We welcome the opportunity for greater scrutiny and urge all parties to prioritise strong protections for environmental and human health, as well as economic well-being. OANZ is in Wellington this week for the sixth time in 12 months, continuing high-level meetings with MPs from across the political spectrum and key government departments. The focus is on the rising concern over the erosion of Aotearoa's food system, including the Gene Technology Bill and Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) Proposal P1055, which would allow gene-edited foods to bypass safety checks and be sold without labelling or traceability. 'Together, the Gene Tech Bill and FSANZ's deregulation proposal risk undermining not just the organic sector, but the wider food and farming system, including our export reputation and the public's right to choose GE-free food,' said Tompkins. 'It also sends the wrong message to global markets, which increasingly demand full traceability and integrity from a country that prides itself on claims its clean, green and '100% Pure'. OANZ has led a national campaign alongside farmers, scientists, Māori leaders and concerned consumers, calling for the Bill to be slowed down, properly scrutinised, and reshaped to reflect the values New Zealand's food sector is globally known for. While the reporting delay offers a vital window for further consideration, OANZ remains vigilant. The organisation is calling on the government to ensure any final legislation protects: The right to farm GE-free Consumer choice and transparent labelling New Zealand's global reputation and market access 'This is a defining moment,' said Tompkins. 'We will continue to advocate on behalf of the sector, and for New Zealanders who deserve a safe and trusted food system that prioritises public health and environmental well-being.''
ABC News
8 hours ago
- Business
- ABC News
Virgin Australia's plan to allow pets in cabin on domestic flights gets tick from Food Standards
More than a year after unveiling its plan to allow pets in the cabin, Virgin Australia says the service is on track to launch by the end of 2025 — although a key regulatory loophole means the final say will rest with the pilot. The airline has now received the green light from Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) to carry small animals in the cabin, a major regulatory hurdle that stalled the rollout after Virgin Australia first announced its plan in March last year. Speaking at the CAPA Airline Leader Summit in Cairns, Virgin Australia CEO Dave Emerson said the delay was due in part to food laws. "There were a lot of regulatory changes that needed to be put in place including … that under aviation regulations, an aeroplane is considered to be a restaurant for the purposes of food service regulation," Mr Emerson said. "And so, you're not allowed to bring pets into a restaurant, so we had to go get the rules changed and get an exemption. "That process is now finally completed, so we're looking forward to launching pets onboard before the end of the year." That change was quietly approved last month by FSANZ, which accepted Virgin's application to amend the Food Standards Code, clearing the way for small pets like cats and dogs to travel in airline-approved carriers stowed under the seat in front of their owner. "We assessed the microbiological food safety risks and found that, with appropriate risk management controls in place, the presence of pet cats and dogs in aircraft cabins presents a low risk to passengers," a FSANZ statement said. A meeting of food ministers earlier this month approved the change to the Food Standards Code, stating the variation to the code applied to Australia only. Virgin said it would introduce the new option on a limited number of domestic routes, with the busy Sydney–Melbourne corridor expected to be among the first. Despite the regulatory breakthrough, the final decision on whether animals are allowed on any individual flight will rest with the pilot in command, a grey area that effectively gives captains the power to refuse pets at their discretion. Under Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) rules, the pilot is responsible for the safety of everyone onboard and has broad authority over who and what can be carried. That includes the right to deny travel to animals, including approved assistance animals, in rare cases where the safety or operational integrity of the flight could be affected. It's the first time an Australian commercial airline has offered in-cabin pet travel for domestic passengers. Qantas does not allow pets in the cabin on any of its Australian services, and existing options for animal travel have been limited to the aircraft hold. Under the new policy, pets must remain contained in an airline-approved carrier that fits under the seat and weighs no more than 8 kilograms, including the animal. Only one pet is allowed per passenger. Travellers with pets will be seated in designated rows, separate from general seating, and animals must remain in their carriers at all time, including no roaming or sitting on laps. While Virgin said customer demand for pets in cabins was strong, the airline has not indicated whether passengers would be able to opt out of sitting near animals. In the United States, Delta, United, and American Airlines all allow small pets in the cabin, with fees ranging from $US95 to $US125 per flight. In most cases, only dogs and cats are permitted, and carriers must meet strict size and ventilation requirements. In Australia, travelling with pets for leisure has never been permitted on major carriers until now. Assistance animals such as guide dogs are already allowed in the cabin under disability access laws, but many people still report issues.
RNZ News
16 hours ago
- Health
- RNZ News
Genetically-modified purple tomatoes being considered for sale
File photo. Photo: Thomas Martinsen/ Unsplash New Zealanders are being asked if they want to eat genetically-modified purple tomatoes. Food Standards Australia New Zealand said it had received an application to use and sell the fruit. It said the tomatoes contained genes from the snapdragon plant, Del and Ros1-N, that made it produce blue pigments, resulting in purple skin and flesh. "If approved, the GM Purple Tomato will be sold fresh, as a whole tomato, or used as an ingredient in processed food products such as sun-dried tomatoes or pastes," it said. "Our safety assessment found no public health or safety concerns with food derived from purple tomato lines containing event Del/Ros1-N. It is as safe as food from conventional tomato varieties." FSANZ chief executive Dr Sandra Cuthbert said it was the sixth genetically modified food being assessed through a shared process with Health Canada, which streamlined approvals. 'If approved, food from these tomato lines would need to be labelled as genetically modified under the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code, ensuring consumers have the information they need to make informed choices,' Dr Cuthbert said. She said the application related only to the use of the GM Purple Tomato as food in Australia and New Zealand. An application for commercial cultivation in Australia was being assessed by the Gene Technology Regulator and cultivation in New Zealand would require separate approval by the Environmental Protection Authority, she said. The importation of viable seeds into either country was subject to separate biosecurity and quarantine requirements. Public comment on the application would close on 10 September. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
ABC News
3 days ago
- Business
- ABC News
Food standards regulator proposes genetically modified definition update
As food companies welcome a proposal to alter the definition of genetic modification in the Food Standards Code, organic producers fear the change could "mislead" the public. Australia's food regulator, Food Standards for Australia and New Zealand (FSANZ), has proposed a change that would allow some foods produced using gene editing techniques to avoid being labelled as genetically modified. Currently, food defined as genetically modified is subject to strict regulations and restrictions, making it difficult for food tech companies to get new products to market. Under the proposed change, food that has been gene edited would not be subject to the same rules, unless "novel DNA" has been introduced. FSANZ defines novel DNA as DNA which, as a result of the use of gene editing, is different in chemical sequence or structure. General manager of public health at FSANZ Christel Leemhuis said the definition change would "remove ambiguity" for businesses and consumers. "The new definition will … improve clarity and predictability for businesses, regulators and consumers, while continuing to protect public health and safety," Ms Leemhuis said. "[The current definition] is outdated and doesn't reflect the new technologies in the market." Ms Leemhuis said an example of what would get through under the definition change were cases where gene editing had been used to remove a gene from corn to change its starch content. "It replicates a change that can occur naturally but does it in a more targeted and efficient way," said Ms Leemhuis. Ms Leemhuis said anything with "novel DNA" would still be subject to the same standards for genetically modified food which apply now. CropLife Australia CEO Matthew Cossey said the change would bring Australian standards in line with those of global trading partners, such as the US and Canada, and open the doors for new technology. "You're not introducing a different or foreign gene, you're simply doing what we've done through traditional breeding … with no difference except in precision and time," Mr Cossey said. Croplife Australia represents innovators, developers, manufacturers, formulators and registrants of crop protection and ag-biotechnology products. Mr Cossey said Australia was lagging behind the rest of the world because the current definition made it "too difficult" to bring new products to market. "The system is antiquated and at the moment you're capturing things that just aren't [GM]," he said. "[Such as] Arctic apples and a range of other products that aren't in the Australian market." The Canadian product was developed through gene editing, to prevent browning when sliced or bruised. Mr Cossey said allergies and other health issues could also be better addressed under the change. "Things like gluten allergy could be addressed here [and] the health benefits are one of the most exciting areas in terms of the [new breeding techniques]," he said. Peak industry body Australian Organic Limited said the change would be "misleading" to the general public. Operations and technical manager Josefine Pettersson said some products created with new breeding techniques like gene editing would not require any labelling, traceability or testing prior to entering the consumer food market. Ms Pettersson said the change to the definition would mean products like purple tomatoes, which are currently being assessed by the regulator, would not need approval to go to market. "They would just be automatically approved because they are a mutation and genetic editing of the same species, tomato DNA," she said. Ms Pettersson said the group was also concerned it would not be mandatory to disclose if products had a genetically modified food in the ingredients list, but Mr Cossey rejected that. "GM foods still have mandatory labelling requirements, all GM foods will continue to have that in Australia," he said. FSANZ said consumers would still have information to ensure informed choice. Food ministers from Australia and New Zealand have until August 3 to consider FSANZ's change definition.
Scoop
22-07-2025
- Health
- Scoop
NZABC Challenges Flawed Audit On Pregnancy Warning Labels On Beer Wine And Spirits
Alcohol Healthwatch (AHW) recently issued a media release stating that 34% of alcohol products have no pregnancy warning label. The NZ Alcohol Beverages Council was so concerned with this statement that we asked AHW directly[2] for information on which retail outlets and products were not complying with the Food Standards Australia New Zealand requirements (FSANZ)[3]. AHW said 'there was wide-spread non-compliance regardless of the type or location of the premises and it was unhelpful to identify individual retailers as this existed on a widespread scale'. 'Due to the seriousness of AHWs claims, we conducted our own audit in one retail store and checked 1756 products. We found that 99.3%[4] of products had correct pregnancy warning labelling'[5], said Executive Director Virginia Nicholls. There were 20 products that did not have a pregnancy label. As these products were manufactured before 1 August 2023 they complied with FSANZ. Twelve products (0.7%) were not labelled correctly. One NZ product was incorrectly labelled and we believe this originated from a cancelled export order. The other products either missed the over-sticker process or the labels may have detached while in-store. This retail group has now contacted the suppliers of the 12 products to ensure they relabel existing products instore and in their own stock holdings. Why is the NZABC audit so different to the AHW factsheet?[6] Crucial information was missing from the AHW factsheet including the locations or products that were audited and the issues with the products that did not meet the FSANZ requirements. In the factsheet it said that photos were taken but none were provided to identify the exact pregnancy label issues. AHW state (p6) that 'although 33.5% of the products did not have the correct pregnancy warning label, it is difficult to determine whether these are non-compliant they need to be manufactured after 1 August 2023, but the date of manufacture can be difficult for a layperson to determine.' Why was this information not included in the AHW media release? AHW does not fully acknowledge FSANZ requirements in the factsheet. Ironically the only photos provided meet FSANZ requirements: Pregnancy label near an industry label or message (such as drink responsibly); Pregnancy label near links to an industry website; Pregnancy label found on the bottom or base of the packaging/box. In Table 1 there are also a number of 'unknowns' – with one category as high as 19%. In the small print it says that 'the majority of products in this category were multipacks where the full labelling of the individual units could not be seen.' AHW stated that the 'purpose of gathering the information was to find out if the same problem exists in New Zealand as in Australia. In Australia 37% of alcohol products did not have the warning, or if they did, it was most commonly placed at the back of products'. Again this meets the FSANZ requirements. 'We recognise the limitation of space on the beer, wine and spirits labels/boxes and take great pride in meeting FSANZ's requirements in spite of this constraint,' said Virginia. 'Its important to reiterate that we support the Health NZ advice to stop drinking alcohol if you are trying to get pregnant, could be pregnant or are pregnant', said Virginia. About the New Zealand Alcohol Beverages Council The NZ Alcohol Beverages Council is a pan-industry group that comments publicly on matters relating to the beer, wine, spirits and beverages industry. It focuses on supporting responsible alcohol consumption and wants to see a fair and balanced debate on alcohol regulation in New Zealand. Note: [1] Media release - No pregnancy warning labels on alcohol 11 June [2] AHW replied (and I paraphrase) that 'there was wide-spread non-compliance regardless of the type or location of the premises. They felt it was unhelpful to identify individual retailers as this existed on a widespread scale'. AHW also said the 'purpose of gathering the information was to find out if the same problem exists in New Zealand as in Australia. In Australia 37% of alcohol products did not have the warning, or if they did, it was most commonly placed at the back of products'. [3] FSANZ have updated pregnancy alcohol labelling requirements since 1 August 2023. Every product manufactured after this time is required to have a pregnancy warning label for sale in Australia and NZ. There will still be a number of products that were manufactured before this time which do not need to have this label. Pregnancy warning labels downloadable files – Food Standards Australia New Zealand
