New questionnaire to collect allergen info

Food companies will find it easier to collect required information to meet the legal obligations surrounding the sale of food with a new product information form, launched recently.

The Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC) has released a new version of the popular Supplier Questionnaire — the Product Information Form (PIF), used by companies to share information about the origins of ingredients, their composition and the presence of allergens in their products.

Intended for both Australian and New Zealand companies, the form was launched at the Allergen Bureau Conference in Brisbane, signifying the successful conclusion of the pilot and review stage during the past 18 months.

The council’s chief executive, Dick Wells, said that this form was an example of how Australia and New Zealand lead the world in reducing complexity and improving consistency and cooperation across the food manufacturing sector.

“The form is designed to provide a single template to replace the numerous company-specific information forms used across the food supply chain between suppliers and manufacturers.

“We encourage all ingredient suppliers and food manufacturers to use this one document to help them meet their legal obligations under the Food Standards Code. We are expecting this new, updated version will be taken up right across the industry,” said Wells.

A number of changes have been made as a result of reviewing the pilot form, such as expanded information fields, improved ease of use and provision for suppliers to include their logo on the front page of the form.

For further information, visit www.allergenbureau.net.