AusBiotech has prepared a draft response to the Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) consultation paper, Food Derived Using New Breeding Techniques, which was released for public comment in February 2018.
This draft submission was prepared by AusBiotech’s AusAg & Foodtech Committee, a special interest industry group dedicated to supporting the agriculture, food and industrial biotechnology sectors.
The submission is now open for comment by AusBiotech members engaged in delivering economic benefits to Australia through the commercialisation of biotechnology, and represents a collation of comments and submissions from AusBiotech members to date.
AusBiotech supports the objectives of the Review of the Food Standards Code, which is exploring options for regulation of food derived using new technologies and is considering the definitions in the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code for ‘food produced using gene technology’ and ‘gene technology’.
FSANZ said the paper looks at the new breeding techniques and how food laws should apply to food derived from them after a range of new plant and animal breeding techniques have been developed.
FSANZ said: “We have been monitoring these techniques and working with experts to understand how foods produced using them should be regulated by food laws. At this stage, we are not proposing any changes to the Code. The review is being conducted to ensure that a broad range of issues has been considered before any decision is made to consider varying the Code.
“If, after considering all feedback, we decide to raise a proposal to change the Code, there would be further consultation with the community.”
The closing date for submissions is 12 April 2018 and AusBiotech members are invited to comment on the draft submission to AusBiotech’s Deputy CEO, Lorraine Chiroiu, by 10 April 2018 to lchiroiu@ausbiotech.org.
The FSANZ Consultation paper can be found online and there is information on the website on how to make a submission directly.