Australian and New Zealand ministers responsible for the regulation of food and beverages met in Canberra last week, and announced a full review of the Policy Guideline for formulated caffeinated energy drinks. The meeting of the Australia and New ZeaZealand Food Regulation Ministerial Council also discussed closer scrutiny of infant formula, scores on doors for restaurants, a review of the mandatory folate fortification of bread flour, and its response to the Blewett labelling review, which it expects... ...Read more »

A study in the Medical Journal of Australia shows that blood folate levels have significantly improved since the introduction of mandatory fortification of bread flour with folic acid in 2009. The news has been welcomed by the Parliamentary Secretary for Health and Ageing, Catherine King. “Since September 2009, Australian millers have added folic acid (a form of the B vitamin folate) to wheat flour for making bread,” King said. “I congratulate industry for the work they’ve done in implementing... ...Read more »

One of the leaders of the Australian flour milling industry, Mark Laucke of Laucke Flour, has written an open letter to the Australian Food Industry expressing serious reservations about the mandatory fortification of flour with folic acid. On 13 September 2009 it became compulsory in Australia for all bread-making flour to be fortified with folic acid as a consequence of an amendment to the Food Standards Code passed two years ago that took effect on that date. Laucke’s concerns are expressed... ...Read more »

New Zealand is contemplating a deferral of the proposed mandatory fortification of folic acid in bread until 2012 in response to concerns about the safety of the move. Australia and New Zealand are currently due to make folic acid fortification mandatory as of September 13, but New Zealand is calling for public comment regarding the possibility of putting the plan on the back burner. Australia is expected to go ahead regardless, creating fears that the joint regulatory system seen across Australia... ...Read more »

Australian consumers should have the right to claim for compensation if they are adversely affected by food which has been fortified with additives by Government mandate, according to Deakin University’s Adjunct Professor Joe Lederman. Professor Lederman who was addressing an international symposium on Food Law and Policy, run by Deakin University’s Law School at the weekend, said the mandatory fortification of bread-making flour with folic acid was due to take effect from 13 September... ...Read more »