Feedback being taken for food regulation modernisation

The Australia New Zealand Food Regulatory System is currently undergoing its most significant reform and modernisation effort since its inception in the 2000s and feedback is being sought from interested parties.

At the end of 2021, the Food Ministers’ Meeting announced that it would be moving ahead with a substantial overhaul of regulations, with ambitious updates that would impact the ways that food manufacturing businesses operate. The consultation process is an important component of the planning phase of this modernisation and the creation of the ‘Horizon Scan’ document is the first step in this new planning process.

The Horizon Scan can be downloaded for review. It takes a broad view of the wide food system challenges and opportunities, looking at issues such as sustainability, consumer demand, food quality and quantity, technology, food fraud, nutrition, labelling and food supply chains.

Three consultation questions are now online for the response of interested parties asking:

1. Are the trends, issues, risks and opportunities affecting the broader food system accurately captured in the Horizon Scan? If you answered no, which matters have not been captured?
2. To what extent are there activities underway within your organisation, to manage these issues and risks and to leverage these opportunities?
3. What opportunities do you consider exist for future work or partnerships, for mutual benefit?

The consultation period runs until 7 August 2022. Visit the Department of Health and Aged Care site to submit responses.

Image credit: ©stock.adobe.com/au/Freedomz