Despite it already being 10 years in the making, the due date for the completion of the revised draft Standard for Nutrition Health and Related Claims (Standards 1.2.7 – Proposal P293) has been extended from 14 May 2012 to 31 July 2012.

Under the proposed revised Standard,  all health claims would need to be scientifically substantiated and not be misleading. Foods would also have to meet certain criteria to be eligible to carry health claims.

On 17 February 2012, FSANZ released a consultation paper on the revised draft Standard. Submissions on the consultation paper closed on 30 March 2012.

On 8 May 2012, the Council of Australian Governments (COAG)’s Legislative and Governance Forum on Food Regulation advised FSANZ that the due date for the completion of the review needed to be extended.

The COAG Forum also asked FSANZ to provide a progress report on the review to a meeting of the Forum on 1 June 2012, including the outcomes of the consultation undertaken earlier this year.

Speaking at FoodLegal’s Symposium “Healthy Bodies of Law” in October 2011, Dean Stockwell the General Manager of FSANZ and Chair of its Standards Development Advisory Committee said Australia and New Zealand should not expect the revised official food standard until at least 2012.

Australian Food News believes the latest delay may be connected with the cut-back to funding for the operational needs of FSANZ announced in the recent Federal Budget.

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