Call for comment on D-allulose as a novel food

Source: Australia and New Zealand Food Standards

​​Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) is calling for comment on an application to permit D-allulose as a novel food.

FSANZ CEO Dr Sandra Cuthbert said if permitted, D-allulose can be added to foods as a low energy substitute for sugar.

“D-allulose does not contribute significant metabolisable energy after consumption compared to traditional sugars,” Dr Cuthbert said.

“FSANZ’s safety assessment found no public health and safety concerns for Australian and New Zealand consumers.”

The D-allulose is manufactured by an enzymatic conversion of fructose, via a D-psicose 3-epimerase enzyme from immobilised Microbacterium foliorum.

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Call for comment on food made from a new type of GM soybean line

Source: Australia and New Zealand Food Standards

​​​​​​Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) is calling for comment on an application to permit the sale and use of food made from a new genetically modified (GM) soybean.

FSANZ CEO Dr Sandra Cuthbert said soybean line MON94313 was genetically modified to provide it with herbicide tolerance.

“If approved, food made from this type of GM soybean could be imported into Australia and New Zealand in the form of soybean oil, milk, flour, meal, protein isolates and other processed products,” Dr Cuthbert said.

“Our safety assessment considered the specific genetic modification process, the nutrient content compared to a non-GM food of its type, and any potential allergic or toxic effects in humans.

“FSANZ found no potential public health and safety concerns with this GM soybean. It is as safe as non-GM soybean varieties.”

Safety assessments are a key part of the approval process for all GM foods. To help people make informed choices, food made from this soybean would need to be labelled as ‘genetically modified’ if novel DNA and/or novel proteins were contained in the final food.

FSANZ’s approval would not permit the GM soybean to be grown in Australia or New Zealand. Importation of unprocessed viable soybean seeds or any cultivation would require separate regulatory assessment and approval by the Gene Technology Regulator in Australia and the Environmental Protection Authority in New Zealand.

To have your say about this application, see our ca​ll for comment page. Submissions close at 6pm (AEDT) 11 December 2023.

What happens to my feedback?

Submissions will be published to our website as soon as possible at the end of the public comment period.

FSANZ will consider all feedback received through this submission process before deciding on whether to approve the application.

FSANZ’s decision will be notified to ministers responsible for food regulation who can ask for a review or agree that the standard should become law.

Call for comment to permit the use of a new processing aid

Source: Australia and New Zealand Food Standards

​Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) is calling for comment on an application to permit the use of the enzyme transglut​aminase (EC 2.3.2.13) as a processing aid.

FSANZ CEO Dr Sandra Cuthbert said the enzyme would be used in brewing and the manufacturing and/or processing of food products.

“If approved, the enzyme may be used as a processing aid in brewing and in the production of bakery and other cereal-based products such as pasta and noodles, cheese, fermented dairy products, dairy analogues, egg substitutes, meat products, fish products, meat analogues and fish analogues,” Dr Cuthbert said.

The enzyme is sourced from genetically modified Bacillus licheniformis containing the transglutaminase gene from Streptomyces mobaraensis.

B. licheniformis has a long history of safe use as a production microorganism of enzyme processing aids, including several that are already permitted in the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code,” Dr Cuthbert said.

“Our assessment found no safety or health concerns with its intended use.”  

To have your say about this application, see our call for comment page​. Submissions close at 6pm (Canberra time) 21 November 2023.

What happens to my feedback?

Submissions will be published to our website as soon as possible at the end of the public comment period.

FSANZ will consider all feedback received through this submission process before deciding on whether to approve the application.

FSANZ’s decision will be notified to ministers responsible for food regulation who can ask for a review or agree that the standard should become law.

Call for comment on new source of human identical milk oligosaccharide in infant formula products

Source: Australia and New Zealand Food Standards

​Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) is calling for comment on an application to permit a new genetically modified source organism for the production of a human identical milk oligosaccharide used in infant formula products.

2′-fucosyllactose (2ʹ-FL) is a non-digestible carbohydrate, or oligosaccharide, found naturally in human milk. It can be used as a nutritive substance in infant formula products at levels consistent with those found in human milk. 

FSANZ CEO Dr Sandra Cuthbert said FSANZ’s safety assessment concluded there were no public health and safety concerns associated with the application.

“The applicant’s 2′-FL is chemically and structurally identical to the naturally occurring substance present in human milk and other 2′-FL already assessed and permitted by FSANZ,” she said.

Dr Cuthbert said while breastfeeding was the recommended way to feed infants, this option was not always available to parents.

“Infant formula products provide a safe and nutritious substitute for human milk where required,” she said.

“All commercially produced infant formula products available in Australia and New Zealand must comply with the composition and safety requirements outlined in the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code.”

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Call for comment on a new enzyme processing aid from a GM source

Source: Australia and New Zealand Food Standards

​​Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) is calling for comment on an application to allow a new enzyme processing aid from a genetically-modified (GM) microbial source.

FSANZ CEO Dr Sandra Cuthbert said if permitted, the enzyme beta-fructofuranosidase would be used as a processing aid in the production of short-chain fructooligosaccharides (scFOS) and to reduce sugar (sucrose) levels in treated fruit and vegetable products.

“The enzyme is sourced from a genetically modified (GM) strain of Trichoderma reesei containing the beta-fructofuranosidase gene from Aspergillus niger,” Dr Cuthbert said.

T. reesei has a long history of safe use as a production microorganism of enzyme processing aids, including several that are already permitted in the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code.”

FSANZ has conducted a safety assessment which found no health and safety concerns for Australian and New Zealand consumers.

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Call for comment on genetically modified banana application

Source: Australia and New Zealand Food Standards

​Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) is calling for comment on an application from the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) to permit food from a disease-resistant genetically modified (GM) banana.

FSANZ CEO Dr Sandra Cuthbert said banana line QCAV-4 was genetically modified to provide resistance to the fungal disease Fusarium wilt tropical race 4 (TR4) also known as Panama disease.

“This is the first whole GM fruit assessed by FSANZ and, if approved, would also be a world-first approval for a GM banana,” she said.

Dr Cuthbert said safety assessments were a key part of the approval process for all GM foods.

“The FSANZ assessment for the GM banana considered the specific genetic modification process, potential unintended changes, the nutrient content compared to a non-GM food of its type and any potential allergic or toxic effects in humans ,” she said.

“Our safety assessment found no potential public health and safety concerns. The GM banana is as safe as non-GM banana varieties.”

Dr Cuthbert said if the application was approved, food derived from this GM banana would be permitted for sale in Australia, including as fresh fruit, dried or frozen banana or banana pulp.

“Food from this banana line would need to be labelled as ‘genetically modified’ so consumers can make informed choices about the food they eat,” she said.

“Most importantly, consumers can be assured all approved GM food has gone through vigorous scientific assessment to ensure it is safe.”

To have your say about this application, see our call for comment page​. Submissions close at 6pm (Canberra time) 8 November 2023.

The applicant also is seeking a licence for the commercial cultivation of banana line QCAV-4 from the Office of the Gene Technology Regulator (OGTR) (see Background below).

What happens to my feedback?

Submissions will be published to our website as soon as possible at the end of the public comment period.

FSANZ will consider all feedback received through this submission process before deciding on whether to approve the application.

FSANZ’s decision will be notified to ministers responsible for food regulation who can ask for a review or agree that the standard should become law.

Call for comment on the use of an enzyme processing aid in brewing and potable alcohol

Source: Australia and New Zealand Food Standards

​​​Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) is calling for comment on an application to permit the enzyme cellulase to be used as a processing aid in brewing and the production of potable alcohol.

FSANZ CEO Dr Sandra Cuthbert said the enzyme would be sourced from genetically modified Aspergillus niger, containing the cellulase gene from Trichoderma reesei.

“Our safety assessment has found no health and safety concerns for Australian and New Zealand consumers,” Dr Cuthbert said.

“If approved, the enzyme could be used as a processing aid in the manufacture of alcohol products such as spirits.”

Dr Cuthbert also said improvements and efficiencies from the use of the enzyme in brewing and the production of potable alcohol may benefit the food industry.

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Call for comment on defining added sugars for making claims about food

Source: Australia and New Zealand Food Standards

Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) is calling for comment on a proposal to clarify and define added sugars for the purposes of making claims about food.

FSANZ has prepared Proposal P1062 – Defining added sugars for claims to consider and assess changes to ‘no added sugar(s)’ nutrition content claim conditions in the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code (the Code).

FSANZ CEO Dr Sandra Cuthbert said the Code permits voluntary ‘no added sugar’ claims to be made on foods

“Australian and New Zealand food ministers have asked FSANZ to ensure voluntary no added sugar claims align with Australian and New Zealand dietary guidelines to help consumers make informed decisions in line with these guidelines,” Dr Cuthbert said. 

“Australian dietary guidelines recommend limiting intake of foods and drinks containing added sugars, while New Zealand guidelines recommend choosing and/or preparing foods and drinks with little or no added sugars.”

Dr Cuthbert said FSANZ had worked with Australian and New Zealand food and health authorities and used the best available evidence to develop proposed Code amendments.

“These amendments seek to clarify no added sugar(s) claim conditions to support consumers to make informed decisions about sugar in their diet,” Dr Cuthbert said.

“We encourage consumers and stakeholders to have their say on the proposed changes during our public consultation period.”

The period for comment closes at 6pm (Canberra time) on Tuesday 3 October 2023.

What happens to my feedback?

We will publish all submissions to our website as soon as possible at the end of the public comment period.

All feedback will be considered by FSANZ before making a decision on whether to approve the proposal.

Our decision will be notified to ministers responsible for food regulation who can ask for a review or agree to include the amendment in the Food Standards Code.