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Nutrition information panels

Nutrition information panels Nutrition information panels (NIP) on food labels provide information on the average quantity of energy in kilojoules or in kilojoules and kilocalories and these nutrients:

• protein
• fat
• saturated fat
• carbohydrate
• sugars
• sodium - a component of salt.

• foods sold unpackaged
• foods made and packaged at the point of sale…

  Published 6 October 2020

Labelling review

Labelling review In 2009, Australian and New Zealand food regulation ministers agreed to a comprehensive independent review of food labelling law and policy. An expert panel, chaired by Dr Neal Blewett, AC, undertook the review and the panel's final report, Labelling Logic, was publicly released on 28 January 2011. In December 2011, the Australia and New Zealand Ministerial Forum on Food Regulation (the Forum) agreed on a response to the recommendations contained in the review. As part of this government response, FSANZ was asked to do work on a number of the recommendations. Our work on these recommendations is now complete. Completed work Number Recommendation FSANZ's work 6 That the food safety…

Published 28 August 2019

Labelling review recommendation 12

Labelling review recommendation 12 (May 2017)   Recommendation 12 of an independent review of food labelling stated that where sugars, fats or vegetable oils are added as separate ingredients in a food, the terms 'added sugars' and 'added fats' and/or 'added vegetable oils' be used in the ingredient list as the generic term, followed by a bracketed list (e.g., added sugars (fructose, glucose syrup, honey), added fats (palm oil, milk fat) or added vegetable oils (sunflower oil, palm oil). Ministers responsible for food regulation asked FSANZ to undertake a technical evaluation and provide advice on the…

Published 27 September 2018

Labelling review recommendation 17

Labelling review recommendation 17   (May 2017)  One of the recommendations of an independent review of food labelling was that the declaration in the nutrition information panel (NIP) of the amount of nutrients per serving be no longer mandatory unless a daily intake claim is made.   Manufacturers currently provide nutrient information in the NIP in both 'per serving' amounts and per 100 grams or 100 mls. The recommendation proposed that manufacturers only be required to provide the amounts per 100 grams or 100 mls. Manufacturers would be permitted to provide 'per serving' information voluntarily.  Ministers responsible for food regulation asked FSANZ to assess and provide advice on the recommendation. In their response to the recommendation…

Published 27 September 2018

Labelling review recommendation 26

Labelling review recommendation 26   (June 2017)   In 2011, an independent review of food labelling recommended that energy content be displayed on the labels of all alcoholic beverages, consistent with the requirements for other food products (recommendation 26). The recommendation was based on the premise that providing energy information would help people wanting to manage their energy intake.   In response, ministers responsible for food regulation agreed 'in principle' with the recommendation. Before considering the issue further, ministers asked FSANZ to undertake research,…

Published 27 September 2018

Bisphenol A (BPA)

Bisphenol A (BPA) Bisphenol A (BPA) is a chemical used in the lining of some food and beverage packaging to protect food from contamination and extend shelf life. It’s also used in non-food products. Small amounts of BPA can migrate into food and beverages from containers. For a number of years concerns have been raised that BPA exposure may cause health problems. However, when food safety authorities around the world have reviewed BPA they have generally concluded there are no safety concerns at the levels people are exposed to. In April 2023, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) published a re-evaluation of the risks to public health from the presence of BPA in food. EFSA concluded the tolerable daily intake (or TDI) for BPA should be substantially reduced from the temporary value it had previously…

Published 26 November 2018

Epidemiology studies

Epidemiology studies   We monitor all research on BPA and have prepared responses to some of the studies relating to epidemiology. The table below lists the studies from newest to oldest. Study Key findings/claims FSANZ response Association Between Bisphenol A Exposure and Risk of All-Cause and Cause-Specific Mortality in US Adults Bao et al. (2020) JAMA Network Open 3(8):e2011620. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.11620

• In a cohort study of 3883 US adults enrolled in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), higher urinary BPA levels (measured in 2003-2008) were associated with an increased risk of death from all causes during approximately 10 years of observation.
• Urinary…

  Published 12 October 2020

Studies in experimental animals

Studies in experimental animals   We monitor all research on BPA and have prepared responses to some of the studies relating to experimental animals. The table below lists the studies from newest to oldest. Study Key findings/claims FSANZ response 'Bisphenol A affects early bovine embryo development and metabolism that is negated by an oestrogen receptor inhibitor' Choi et al (2016) science Reports, 6:29318.

• In vitro incubation of bovine embryos with BPA resulted in (i) a decreased percentage (by up to 20%) in embryos considered to be suitable for subsequent transfer into a host, and (ii) an up to 50% increase in glucose consumption rate by the embryos.

• This is an in…

  Published 12 October 2020

Cassava and bamboo shoots

Cassava and bamboo shoots Cassava and bamboo shoots available in Australia and New Zealand are safe to eat provided you prepare them properly. These foods contain cyanogenic glycosides; chemicals that can be broken down to release hydrogen cyanide, which can be harmful to consumers. Under the Food Standards Code cassava and bamboo shoots must be labelled with (or if unpackaged accompanied by) a statement indicating they must be fully cooked (and peeled in the case of cassava) before eating. Cassava The simplest method of detoxifying cassava roots is the wetting method1:

• Peel the tubers, chop them and grind them into flour
• Mix the flour with water in a ratio of 1 part cassava flour to 1.25 parts water, by weight
• Spread the mixture of flour and water in a…

  Published 6 May 2021

Dioxins

Dioxins (February 2012) What are dioxins? Dioxins are chemicals produced when household and industrial waste is burned and as by-products from some industrial chemical processes. They persist in the environment for a long time and can get into food but assessments show the amounts are tiny so the risk to our health is minimal. Dioxins also break down in our bodies and we excrete them. Where do dioxins come from? More than 96 per cent of dioxins in the environment come from air emissions. Dioxins then fall to the ground and occur in trace amounts on soil, plant and water surfaces. In Australia, the major sources of dioxin emissions in the air are bushfires and burning agricultural stubble. Plants do not generally absorb dioxins. However, dioxins can enter the food chain when animals eat plants on which…

Published 31 October 2016