Updates from the Food Ministers' Meeting

The Food Ministers’ Meeting (FMM) met on 5 August to discuss matters concerning food regulation and policy. Composed of Australian and New Zealand ministers for food, with the Australian Local Government Association and Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) attending as observers, the meeting saw a continued commitment made to three priorities for the Food Regulation System.

These included: reducing foodborne illness, particularly related to campylobacter and salmonella; supporting public health objectives that aim to reduce chronic disease relating to overweightness and obesity; and maintaining a well-developed, robust and agile Food Regulation System through a reform agenda that will be progressed in combination with a review of the Food Standards Australia New Zealand Act 1991.

During the meeting the FMM did not request reviews of the draft alterations of the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code regarding the labelling and composition of energy drinks or of the primary production and processing of fresh berries, vegetables and melons, both of which are topics undergoing continued analysis by FSANZ.

The ministers also agreed that the use of a list of leafy veggies covered by these regulations will be subject to a decision by the Food Regulation Standing Committee, with FMM to be informed of this decision if there are any updates.

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