Speaking last night to the Law Society of NSW on the first anniversary of the Australian Consumer Law (ACL), the Chairman of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) ,  Mr Rod Sims, issued a warning to businesses. According to Mr Sims, ensuring that businesses do not engage in misleading and deceptive conduct “goes to the heart of a market economy where consumers can make more informed choices.” “Too many businesses still have a long way to go before they meet legal and public... ...Read more »

Caffeine toxicity from energy drink consumption is increasing in Australia, particularly among adolescents, according to new research published today in the Medical Journal of Australia. The scientists behind the research, Dr Naren Gunja, a clinical senior toxicologist at the University of Sydney, and Dr Jared Brown, senior poisons specialist at the New South Wales Poisons Information Centre, say the figures would justify tightening of regulation for caffeinated energy drinks in Australia. Their... ...Read more »

The Managing Principal of food-specialist law firm FoodLegal, Joe Lederman, has called for an official investigation into the current system of food safety administration in the State of Victoria. Mr Lederman says that his firm has been “inundated” by phone calls from municipal Environmental Health officers around Victoria, following statements attributed to him in an earlier article published by Australian Food News. Mr Lederman was also quoted previously by the Herald Sun newspaper in Melbourne... ...Read more »

Australian and New Zealand ministers today put nutrition and preventative health at the heart of a plan to reform laws on packaged food and drink product labelling in Australia. Ministers met in Melbourne today to consider their response to the recommendations in the Food Labelling Review Report, Labelling Logic (also known as the Blewett report). This was the first meeting of the Legislative and Governance Forum on Food Regulation (Forum). The Forum on Food Regulation replaces the Australia and... ...Read more »

The Federal Government has announced today that it does not support the Traffic Light labelling system previously recommended by the Blewett Report. However, it does support the report’s recommendation on palm oil labelling in Australia. The Federal Government’s position was released today, ahead of the 9 December meeting of food and health ministers comprising the Australian New Zealand Food Regulation Ministerial Council. Front-of-pack labelling Minister for Health and Ageing, Nicola Roxon... ...Read more »

Differences in recommended serving sizes on like-for-like Australian food products are making it “near impossible” for shoppers to compare the nutritional content of the products, according to new research by Sydney-based medical research body, The George Institute. The George Institute’s study contained in its ‘Examination of serving sizes of selected food products in Australia’ report, published today, was commissioned by Australian consumer advocacy group CHOICE. The George Institute’s... ...Read more »

The Australian Federal Treasurer today approved SABMiller’s acquisition of Australian brewer Foster’s and the remaining 50% of Pacific Beverages, on recommendation from the Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB). The Treasurer’s approval of the transaction marks the final regulatory condition to be satisfied ahead of the shareholder vote at the upcoming scheme meeting scheduled for 1 December 2011. In a statement released today, SABMiller said the acquisition is expected to be completed... ...Read more »

The latest study by researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health, in the USA, has raised fresh debate over the regulation of Bisphenol A (BpA), a chemical compound often used as protective lining on the inside of cans containing food or beverages. The Harvard study’s findings were published on 22 November 2011, in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The researchers say their study is one of the first to quantify BpA levels in humans after ingestion of canned foods. Exposure... ...Read more »

A new primary production and processing standard for seed sprouts has been approved by the Food Standards Australia New Zealand Board. FSANZ said the objective of the standard is to reduce the incidence of food-borne illness associated with seed sprouts by introducing food regulatory measures for sprouts processors. Measures in the standard include requirements for producers to identify potential hazards and implement control measures to address those hazards. Sprout producers must also have evidence... ...Read more »

New Danish research published today in the American Journal of Hypertension claims that, contrary to previous findings, reducing the amount of sodium in one’s diet may not have an overall positive impact on heart health. The findings add to a growing body of evidence that the general recommendation of reducing dietary sodium as a preventative heath measure should be re-evaluated. The study titled ‘Effects of Low-Sodium Diet vs. High-Sodium Diet on Blood Pressure’ was undertaken by researchers... ...Read more »