FSANZ approves hemp products as food

Food Standards Australia and New Zealand (FSANZ) has announced its approval for the sale of low-THC hemp seed products as a food in Australia.

FSANZ has prepared and assessed a proposal to develop a food regulatory measure to permit the sale of food derived from the seeds of low delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol varieties of Cannabis sativa.

Paul Benhaim, founder and CEO of Australia’s largest grower of hemp, Hemp Foods Australia, says the international market for hemp foods is currently estimated at $1 billion annually. Benhaim expects the demand for Australian hemp foods will quadruple in the next few years.

“This is another positive step in the year’s long work and investment in achieving legalisation for omega-3 rich hemp as a food in Australia.

“It will also contribute significantly toward more sustainable farming in Australia, with the added bonus of creating considerable job opportunities for Australia’s farming industry.”

As a food, hemp is a nutritious source of plant-based protein and can be used as food ingredients like flour, oil and protein powder.

The decision by FSANZ is a key step toward the final approval of the plant for human consumption, with a decision due to go before the Australia and New Zealand Ministerial Forum on Food Regulation on Friday, 28 April 2017, when the next Council of Australian Governments (COAG) meeting is scheduled to take place.

Hemp Foods Australia says it is confident the Ministers will grant legalisation, which would see hemp foods become legal to purchase nationally from November 2017.