Comment Sought on Feasibility of Extending Country of Origin Labeling 2006
Report Highlights:
Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) is calling for public comment on a discussion paper about the feasibility of extending the new Australian country of origin labeling standard to include the labeling of two or less fruit and/or vegetable processed food ingredients. The comment period ends at close of business, Wednesday, March 8, 2006 (Canberra time).
Introduction
Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) is calling for public comment on a discussion paper about the feasibility of extending the new Australian country of origin labeling standard to include the labeling of two or less fruit and/or vegetable processed food ingredients.
Australia already has a new country of origin labeling standard that was gazetted in December 2005 (see report number AS5048). The new standard will ensure that, from June 8, 2006, unpackaged fruit, vegetables, nuts, and seafood will be clearly labeled with their country of origin, whether that is Australia or another country. Unpackaged pork products will have to have country of origin labeling from December 8, 2006 and the changes to packaged foods, most of which already are labeled, will have to occur by December 2007. These changes are estimated to cost a one-off $60 million.
FSANZ Discussion Paper
When the Australia and New Zealand Food Regulation Ministerial Council agreed to the new country of origin labeling standard in November 2005, the ministers asked FSANZ to look at the feasibility of extending the standard further.
FSANZ has now prepared a discussion paper on the feasibility of extending the new standard to include the names of the countries where the fruit or vegetables were grown for products with two or less whole fruit and/or vegetables. For example labeling mixed frozen peas and carrots with the peas coming from Australia and the carrots from China.
The feasibility study looks at labeling of whole, shelled, diced, peeled, chopped or diced fruit and vegetables, such as peeled or chopped canned tomatoes, but not crushed or pureed tomatoes. It also includes, at the request of ministers, juices and soy milks with two or less fruit and/or vegetable ingredients.