Food Labeling

Food labeling regulations

• role of Food Standards Australia and New Zealand FSANZ
• Goal - a safe and well informed consumers
• develop and administer Aust and NZ food standard code
• develop food standards that cover tje whole of the food chain paddock to plate, manufacturing to farming.

food label

• whats on a food label
• nmost packaged food must have nut panel
• must be per 100g or 100ml
• exceptions
• very small packaging
• not significant nut value (herbs spices tea coffee)
• unpackages foods
• food made at POS ie bread @ bakery
• Food label

Food labeling

• Characterising Ingredient = mentioned in the name of the food ie strawberry yopghurt
• associated with the name of the food
• emphasised in the label in words or picture
• * must show the % of characterising ingredient in the product.

GMO foods

• Biotechnology- use of oganism cell cultures or enzymes to produce food plants or animals or develop micorganisims for specific uses
• techniques used in biotechnology - Recimbinant DNA (gene technology) + genetic engineering to selectively modify plants animals and micororganisms
• Genetically modified organisms GMO = plants animals and organisms that have been genetically modified using techniques of modern gene technology
• Traditional cross breeding = humand have manipulated plants and animals for generations. by selecting plants and animals with desired characteristics (high yueild drought tolerant) to breed the next generation
• Traditional Vs Technology
• Traditional
• slow, impercise
• use 2 plants of the same species different varieites
• Genetic
• introduce specific gene needed to procedure desired outcome
• genes from one organism are instered into another of the same or different specices.

GMO Foods FSANZ

• FSANZ define GMO as foods that contain novel DNA or novel protein or have altered characterisitcs
• aust it's high in biotech crops NZ doesn't have any
• OGTR Office of gene technology regulator- oversees development and environmental release of GMO's, must be labeled must have pre market approval.
• must be labeled or if unpackaged must me located near product
• exempt if <0.1% in flavouring <1% of GMO food if unintentionally present
• exempt if food is sold in fast food, vending and cateres
• GMO food feed to animals, animals are not labeld
• 5% of total grain fend to animals was GMO
• Advantages
• potential to contribute to sustainable food supply, esp as popn increases and climate change brings new challenges, more pest and disease, drought tolerant crops
• potential to increase nutrient value, or phytochemical content.
• Disadvantages
• the ability to mapiluate food exceeds our understanding of enviornemtna nd health issues.
• benefits so far have been towards the manufactures of GMO seeds and producers of the food.
• monofarming
• disruption of biodiversity
• potential introduction of new diseases, allergyns and toxins.
• ethical delema, how many human genes does an organism have to have to be considered human?
• cross contamination of non-gmo crops

GMO crops in Australia

• Corn
• Cotton
• Canola
• soyabeen
• sugar beet
• and potato
• * no fresh food in Australia in GMO

Health Claims

• Nutrient health claims are claims about the content or certain nutrients ie good source of calicum"
• to be used in packaging they need to meet criteria set out the in the standard.
• General health claims = a nutrient or substance in a food and its effect of ahalth function, ie calisum is good for your bones
• High level health claim = a nutrient or substance and its relationship to serious disease. eg diets high in calcium may reduce the rise of osteoperososis in ppl 65
• Health star rating- volunatry system, takes into account four aspects vibrations to food associated with increasing risk factors, Energy, fat, sodium and sugar. as well as positive aspects of food such as fibre and protien.
• the health star rating is only comparing like products. ie two yoghuts, not yoghurt vs milo.