Latest news with #FSANZ
Scoop
2 days ago
- 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
ABC News
07-07-2025
- Health
- ABC News
Calls for 'wild west' of online sperm donation to be regulated due to 'lifelong consequences'
A leading Australian fertility lawyer is urging governments to regulate the "wild west" of online semen donation, accusing them of being "asleep at the wheel" as women continue to turn to websites and apps to seek donors. Stephen Page is calling on health ministers to look at regulating the space as part of the three-month rapid review of the nation's fertility sector that was sparked by the second Monash IVF mix-up. "There's no regulation, you can set up a website, you can set up an app and bang the drum and get men coming along saying that they will be donors, either by AI (artificial insemination), or NI (natural insemination, or what we used to call sex)," he said. One sperm donation Facebook group, which has more than 21,000 members, asks questions around insemination methods people are comfortable to use, including NI. Last year, ABC's Background Briefing investigated Facebook group sperm exchanges and the "known donor" movement as "wait times and costs see more Australians turn away from traditional sperm banks". The sites are used by some single women and lesbian couples seeking to start a family without the big expense and delays of going to fertility companies, which can involve long wait times to access donor sperm. But Mr Page, who is also on the Fertility Society of Australia and New Zealand (FSANZ) board, cited risks including the lack of a cap on the number of families a donor can donate to through social media and concerns women could be exploited. He said the need for reform was urgent. "It worries me greatly. There's been all this attention about IVF clinics and let's be clear, I think much of that is warranted, but what really worries me is these sites and apps being unregulated," he said. Mr Page said donors should have to provide the site or group's administrator with ID verification, such as a driver's licence or passport. It should then be passed on to a regulatory authority, and if the donor has surpassed the limit on how many families he can create, "remove him from the site", Mr Page said. Donors should also have to declare sexually transmitted infection status, he added. The Brisbane-based lawyer, who made it clear he was not speaking on behalf of FSANZ, believes if social media groups or sites failed to adhere to a proposed code of practice, then they should be shut down. "You can't control people on the phone, you can't control if they meet in the pub or the corner store, but you can certainly control how they communicate through an app or website, which is how most people communicate," he said. "We can't have children waking up in the morning discovering that they've got 57 siblings because there's been a failure of political will to regulate these apps and websites. Asked if any other country regulated this area, he replied: "No, not as far as I'm aware." Adam Hooper, who started Sperm Donation Australia on social media in 2015 because he believed in "known donation", said regulations would "put people in danger". "If regulations are brought in (it) will turn into the dark web where children will never know their donors (sic) identities," Mr Hooper told the ABC in response to a series of questions. "Sperm Donation Australia gives the best advice and goes above and beyond anywhere in the world for a free platform. "Recipients are told to visualise STD tests before commencing." Mr Hooper said regulations did not change human behaviour. "As adults, we all have sexual education," he said. "Their (sic) is people on dating apps right now have (sic) unprotected sex." In response to claims the online semen donation world was the "wild west", he said the "society we live in as a whole is the bigger issue and the real wild west". Mr Hooper said Sperm Donation Australia kicked people out of the group for "lots of reasons", including unreliability, being caught out lying, and having judgemental views on sexuality. "We have a very low tolerance for misbehaviour of any sort," he said. Rebecca Kerner, the chair of the Australia and New Zealand Infertility Counsellors Association (ANZICA), backed Mr Page's call for action. She wrote to Federal Health Minister Mark Butler on behalf of ANZICA several times in 2023, concerned about the lack of regulation and the need for a national donor conception register. ANZICA wrote to Mr Butler again recently, further advocating for reform. Ms Kerner said it was only by establishing a national register that family limits on sperm donors could be monitored and maintained. Without it, she said the risks of psychological distress among donor-conceived children were extreme. "We need to start listening and hearing from people who are conceived in this way," Ms Kerner said. "It is about the potential impact of having large donor sibling groups. For some donor-conceived people, they can certainly feel like they've been cloned. Emily Fae, a Perth-based donor-conceived person and a co-founder of Donor Conceived Australia, said the government has a "duty" to step in. "I absolutely agree that the online donor space is the wild west," she said, adding that donors can lie about themselves, how many children they have fathered, or conceal serious genetic conditions. "Unregulated donation creates lifelong consequences for the donor-conceived people involved. "We deserve accurate medical history, the right to know our genetic relatives, and safeguards against preventable harm." A federal health department spokeswoman said the three-month review agreed to by the nation's health ministers into the assisted reproductive technology (ART) sector would be led by the Victorian government. The spokeswoman said the government was aware of the concerns raised by ANZICA about semen donors advertising online. "Health ministers will consider the outcomes of the review in the coming months, as a matter of priority," she said.
Scoop
30-06-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Gene-Edited Foods Could Hit Shelves Without Labels Under New Trans-Tasman Proposal
Organics Aotearoa NZ is warning that a new proposal from Trans-Tasman food regulator, Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) would allow genetically modified foods created using new gene editing methods to enter our food system without labelling, safety checks, or traceability. The proposal could make Australia the first country globally to deregulate both plants and animals without oversight, with New Zealand expected to follow. The proposal, known as P1055, would exclude foods produced using New Breeding Techniques (NBTs) from GM classification, despite involving artificial genetic modification. Research indicates potential risks, including unintended genetic changes and unknown long-term health and environmental effects, yet consumers would have no way to identify these products on supermarket shelves. Brendan Hoare, GE spokesperson for Organics Aotearoa NZ, said: 'FSANZ is pushing through changes without any economic, business or trade impact analysis that could fundamentally alter what's on our dinner plates, without proper consultation or safety testing. The science is clear: while NBTs may not always introduce novel DNA, they still alter the cell's biochemistry, and things can go wrong through omissions, rearrangements, or unintended effects. New Zealanders deserve the right to know what's in their food. What gives regulators the confidence to think otherwise? OANZ says FSANZ concluded gene-edited foods pose no new risks without providing supporting evidence or allowing meaningful industry response to their findings. This isn't happening in isolation, it's part of a coordinated shift toward GM foods in our region, happening while consumers are kept in the dark. OANZ is calling for an immediate pause on P1055 until independent trade impact and cost-benefit analyses are completed, and full labelling requirements are restored. OANZ is now seeking urgent meetings with New Zealand Ministers Andrew Hoggard and Casey Costello, and is working alongside Australian Organics Ltd and allied groups to mobilise opposition to the proposal. Organics Aotearoa New Zealand (OANZ) is the national body representing New Zealand's organic sector. Established in 2006, OANZ was created to unite the country's organic organisations and provide a strong, collective voice to policymakers and the public. Our mission is to accelerate the transition to organic regenerative food and farming systems, supporting and advocating for the organic sector across Aotearoa New Zealand.
The Advertiser
30-06-2025
- Health
- The Advertiser
Coles recalls peanut butter due to contamination fears
Two popular Coles supermarket peanut butter products have been recalled due to concerns around contamination. The Smooth Peanut Butter 1kg and Crunchy Peanut Butter 1kg have both been found to have traces of biotoxins (aflatoxin), a June 30 alert by Food Standards Australia and New Zealand (FSANZ) warned. Food products containing aflatoxin may cause illness and injury if consumed. Aflatoxin toxicity may result in nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, convulsions, and other signs of acute liver injury, according to the National Institute of Health. FSANZ is warning consumers not to eat this product. "Consumers should return the product(s) to the place of purchase for a full refund," an alert reads. " Any consumers concerned about their health should seek medical advice." Coles Online customers can receive a refund or credit by contacting Coles Online Customer Care on 1800 455 400. READ MORE: The cheapest supermarkets revealed and which states have the most exxy groceries Two popular Coles supermarket peanut butter products have been recalled due to concerns around contamination. The Smooth Peanut Butter 1kg and Crunchy Peanut Butter 1kg have both been found to have traces of biotoxins (aflatoxin), a June 30 alert by Food Standards Australia and New Zealand (FSANZ) warned. Food products containing aflatoxin may cause illness and injury if consumed. Aflatoxin toxicity may result in nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, convulsions, and other signs of acute liver injury, according to the National Institute of Health. FSANZ is warning consumers not to eat this product. "Consumers should return the product(s) to the place of purchase for a full refund," an alert reads. " Any consumers concerned about their health should seek medical advice." Coles Online customers can receive a refund or credit by contacting Coles Online Customer Care on 1800 455 400. READ MORE: The cheapest supermarkets revealed and which states have the most exxy groceries Two popular Coles supermarket peanut butter products have been recalled due to concerns around contamination. The Smooth Peanut Butter 1kg and Crunchy Peanut Butter 1kg have both been found to have traces of biotoxins (aflatoxin), a June 30 alert by Food Standards Australia and New Zealand (FSANZ) warned. Food products containing aflatoxin may cause illness and injury if consumed. Aflatoxin toxicity may result in nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, convulsions, and other signs of acute liver injury, according to the National Institute of Health. FSANZ is warning consumers not to eat this product. "Consumers should return the product(s) to the place of purchase for a full refund," an alert reads. " Any consumers concerned about their health should seek medical advice." Coles Online customers can receive a refund or credit by contacting Coles Online Customer Care on 1800 455 400. READ MORE: The cheapest supermarkets revealed and which states have the most exxy groceries Two popular Coles supermarket peanut butter products have been recalled due to concerns around contamination. The Smooth Peanut Butter 1kg and Crunchy Peanut Butter 1kg have both been found to have traces of biotoxins (aflatoxin), a June 30 alert by Food Standards Australia and New Zealand (FSANZ) warned. Food products containing aflatoxin may cause illness and injury if consumed. Aflatoxin toxicity may result in nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, convulsions, and other signs of acute liver injury, according to the National Institute of Health. FSANZ is warning consumers not to eat this product. "Consumers should return the product(s) to the place of purchase for a full refund," an alert reads. " Any consumers concerned about their health should seek medical advice." Coles Online customers can receive a refund or credit by contacting Coles Online Customer Care on 1800 455 400. READ MORE: The cheapest supermarkets revealed and which states have the most exxy groceries
Time Out
25-06-2025
- Business
- Time Out
Australia has officially become the third country in the world to approve lab-grown meat
From beyond meat and insect protein to vegan cheese and 3D-printed seafood, the past decade has dished up some bold food trends. Now, Australia's getting a taste of the future with the official approval for lab-grown (or cell-cultured) meat to be sold and consumed across the country. It's taken more than two years for Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) to give the green light to lab-grown meat, which it granted to Sydney-based startup Vow on June 18. Founded in 2019, Vow has been selling its cultivated Japanese quail foie gras to more than 25 high-end restaurants in Singapore for a year under the name 'Forged'. The Asian country made history in late 2020 as the first country to approve cultivated meat, followed by the United States in mid-2023 with lab-grown chicken. This makes Australia officially the third country in the world to approve lab-grown meat for sale and consumption. Photograph: Supplied | Vow So, how exactly is cultured meat made at Vow? It all starts with selecting the perfect cells from an animal. These cells are then placed in a huge fermentation tank with a nutrient-rich liquid, which is designed to replicate the body of a living animal. From there, the cells grow and multiply naturally. After just 79 days, a 'harvesting' process occurs where the meat is separated from the liquid, like curds from whey, and then crafted into delicacies like parfait and foie gras. Quail might seem like an odd choice, but that's exactly the point – Vow intentionally steered away from everyday meats like chicken or beef to avoid direct comparisons. Rather than competing for shelf space at the supermarket, the startup is also focusing on fine dining. Its cultured Japanese quail foie gras is set to debut on menus at Sydney's Kitchen by Mike, NEL, Olio and The Waratah, plus Bottarga, 1Hotel and The Lincoln in Melbourne – all within the next few months, if everything goes to plan. Photograph: Supplied | Vow Vow originally created the product to address global food shortages, but cultivated meat also carries potential environmental and ethical benefits – it's made without farms, emissions or animal harm. That said, as a niche product, it comes with high costs and energy demands. There's also ongoing debate around how it should be labelled, with concerns that using the word 'meat' and livestock imagery on packaging could mislead consumers. Would you be game to give it a go? A 2023 FSANZ survey of Australians and New Zealanders found that only 24 per cent would readily incorporate it into their diets, with almost half (48 per cent) saying they wouldn't. But the food world is moving fast – so who knows what our dinner plates will look like in a decade? Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Australia newsletter for more news, travel inspo and activity ideas, straight to your inbox. RECOMMENDED:
