Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) has approved a proposal recommending permission be given for the sale of raw milk hard to very hard cooked curd cheeses in Australia.

However, FSANZ will not currently be recommending permission for other raw milk cheeses, concluding that raw drinking milk presents too high a risk to consider any permission in the Code.

FSANZ Chief Executive Officer Steve McCutcheon said the decision had been notified to food regulation ministers who have 60 days to seek a review. If ministers do not ask for a review the decision will be gazetted and become part of food law in Australian states and territories.

Proposal 1007 had looked at whether or not permission should be given for raw milk (non-pasteurised) products to be sold in Australia.

“During assessment, FSANZ looked at the production and processing measures and product characteristics needed to provide a high level of safety for consumers,” Mr McCutcheon said.

“The permission for non-pasteurised hard to very hard cooked curd cheeses will involve changes to the Food Standards Code relating to storage time and moisture content requirements.”

Mr McCutcheon said FSANZ was looking at permissions for other raw milk cheeses through a new proposal that will use technical work already completed through P1007.

“Other raw milk cheeses are being considered separately because a wider range of processing measures and product characteristics need to be considered,” he said.

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