The Right to choose clean food

Food Standards and Regulation

Food is everyone’s issue

Consumers are increasingly concerned about:

• Pesticide residues

• Food allergies and sensitivities

• New technologies: GM, irradiation, nanotech

• Additives

• Food adulteration

Consumer assumptions

• Governments set food regulations with regard to human health

• Governments ensure compliance with regulations

• Companies act ethically and responsibly

Food regulation in Australia - ACA

INTERNATIONALCodex Alimentarius WHO FAO WTO

COMMONWEALTHDept of Health and Ageing, DAFF, AQIS, FSANZ

Local Government and Area Health Services

OTHER: Food industry, Consumers, Health Experts

STATE AND TERRITORYHealth Dept, Agriculture, Primary industry

FSANZ (Food regulator) objectives

1. Protection of public health and safety

2. Provision of adequate information so consumers can make informed choices

3. Prevention of misleading or deceptive conduct

www.foodstandards.gov.au/_srcfiles/Commentary_v101.pdf

Conflict of interest?FSANZ also has to have regard to:

• The need for standards to be based on risk analysis using the best available scientific evidence

• The promotion of consistency between domestic and international food standards

• The desirability of an efficient and internationally competitive food industry

Case studies• Adulteration – oil and melamine• Additives• Food irradiation• Nanotechnology• GM food

7.30 Report into Olive Oil• Australian Olive Association had imported extra virgin olive

oil tested

– All oils failed internationally recognised standards

– Too old

– Refined – not virgin

– Some contained canola and pumace oil (waste product)

No way to reject Oils• Australia has no standards therefore no way to reject oil

and penalise companies

• Australia is at risk of becoming a dumping ground

• “This oil would not be tolerated if we were trying to export it into Italy, but at the same time we are taking oil from Italy or Spain which doesn’t meet their requirements.” Dr Rod Mailer, Australian Oils Research Lab

Melamine – Choice’s concerns

• Concerns about food inspections especially of imported seafood, fruit and vegetables

• Reports of “dirty imports”

• AQIS tests 5% of imported food

• AQIS tests all consignments of “high risk” food (cooked meat, poultry, seafood and some dairy)

• Need to rethink

Food Additives • Some are harmless and beneficial but:

– Nearly 300 approved for use in Australia– 25 of these banned in other countries– Approx 50 linked to cancer– 55 can trigger asthma– 30+ associated with hyperactivity and learning problems– 80+ may contribute to kidney and liver problems– About 30% are produced by Genetic Modification

Citizen groups on additives• Additive Alert – Kids’ First campaign to get 6 food

colourings banned. These colours will be phased out in GB in 2009 because of health concerns

• Low to No Additives – Guide and additive free cookbook

• The Chemical Maze – extensive guide to food additives and cosmetic ingredients

Food irradiation in Australia• 3 irradiation plants operating

• Herbs, spices, teas, and 9 tropical fruits may be irradiated

• Labels:– No labels on unpackaged items – sign nearby

– No clear standard label or warning

– “Non-food” unlabeled ie herbs, health formulations, stockfeed and pet food

www.foodirradiationinfo.org/

Nanotechnology • A nanometre is one billionth of a metre

– DNA is 2.5 nm wide

– A human hair is 80,000 nm wide

– A nanoparticle is a particle with one side measuring 100nm or less

• Nanotechnology could be used in almost any industry

Current uses of nanotech

• Sunscreen• Vitamin supplements• Anti-bacterial fridge liners, cutlery and

breadboards• Tennis racquets

Is it safe to eat?

• Predicted market 2.4 billion US dollars by 2010

• Industrial revolution caused large increase in nanoparticles as by-product – urban air pollution

• Properties change at nano size (gold becomes blue) so hard to predict how particles will act

• Some nanoparticles have similarities to asbestos fibres

• No real idea how or what to test for

• Possible bioaccumulation

Areas where nanotechnology may be used

• Food packaging• Food quality analysis and monitoring• Food processing• Food additives

What is our regulators approach?

• No applications received yet for nanotech in food

• Currently no labelling of vitamins that may have nanotech particles

• No new standard - Considered under Food additives and processing aids

• Not regarded as a novel food

• FSANZ will liaise with nanotech industry

How FSANZ authorises GM food

• No tests done by FSANZ• Relies on tests done by the companies wanting to

release GM food• Will look at published studies but very few exist• Ignores the negative findings of the ones that

have been done

FSANZ approves every GM food• RR canola – BANNED in Austria – rats liver increased 15% - growing in

NSW and Vic

• Bt10 corn (US) – ILLEGAL in Japan and EU. Testing to prevent contamination.

• MON 863 corn (US) BANNED by Austrian Government – liver and kidney toxicity in rats

• Bt63 rice (China) – ILLEGAL EU and NZ. Testing to prevent contamination. No action by FSANZ

• Alpha amylase corn – designed for bioethanol. BANNED in S. Africa for human health concerns

• Greenpeace “Eating in the Dark”

Together, the increasing

exposure to GM foods and the

increasing incidence of

anaphylaxis have a close

association.Anaphylaxis Graph:Paediatric food allergy trends in a community-based specialist allergy practice, 1995-2006, Raymond J Mullins, MJA Vol. 186 No. 12 pp 618-621 * Rate per million population.

Food Approvals Graph:Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ): Genetically Modified Foods & Their Approval Status, http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/foodmatters/gmfoods/gmcurrentapplication1030.cfm

Anaphylaxis Admissions vs.GM Crop Approvals

Allergy tests on RR canola fatally flawed

• Monsanto was not able to identify and characterize one of its intended GM proteins in the GM canola planted in Victoria and New South Wales this year.

Instead they supplied Food Standards with information about a protein that was not expected to be present in the crop.

• Wrong protein tested therefore the whole approval should be invalid

• Please help get the news out

Where is food regulation heading?

• COAG identified food regulation as area to be targeted for ambitious reforms

• Productivity Commission research paper “pressing need for accelerated reforms to reduce regulatory burdens.”

CHOICE – Claire Hughes• Opposes proposals to increase power of NSW and Vic

in Food Ministers Council

• Wants Bettwaite report to be published

• Against fast tracking proposals that limit consumer consultation

• “Our food system is actually designed to promote and protect the health of consumers. It’s not just there to provide the framework for business”

Food Democracy vs Food ControlFood Wars by Tim Lang and Micheal Heasman

Food Democracy

• Bottom up decision making

• Genuinely open debate

• Exploring what people think

Food control

• Top down decisions

• Limited dialogue

• Limited public engagement

In the UK

• Citizens juries on GM

• UK Office of Communications (OFCOM) commissioned research workshops about junk food. Participants voted

• New policy framework Food Matters “there should be a national conversation about how to go about transforming the food system”

• Role of government to facilitate not lead discussion

• Active NGO’s and public vital

Get active• Network

• Contact FSANZ

• Contact Federal and State politicians

• Food Regulation Standing Committee – senior bureaucrats advise Food Ministerial Council on food policy. Do not have to make advice public

• Food Ministerial Council – labelling review

• COAG review of food regulation

• Join MADGE