Australia, New Zealand Look at Fortified Beverage Regulations

WELLINGTON, New Zealand--On Jan. 15, FoodStandards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) invited individuals and organizations tocomment on an application that would permit the sale of non-alcoholic,water-based beverages containing vitamins and minerals. Previously, these typesof beverages could only be manufactured in New Zealand and not Australia, andunder the Trans Tasman Mutual Recognition Arrangement, these drinks weremanufactured in New Zealand and then sold in Australia. This application, filedby Australasian Soft Drink Association Ltd., sought to create a harmonized setof regulations for these drinks in both countries, and to allow Australianmanufacturers the opportunity to produce these beverages.

The application also sought permission to add vitamins andminerals to formulated beverages at levels above existing permissions in theFood Standards Code. "We will therefore be looking at the exposure ofconsumers to these vitamins and minerals from all sources, whether anyvulnerable groups within the community would be adversely affected, and the useof formulated beverages in other foods," said Ian Lindenmayer, managingdirector of FSANZ (www.foodstandards.gov.au)."Finally, we want advice on whether FSANZ should treat formulated beveragesas a general purpose food or as having a supplemental purpose similar tofood-type dietary supplements."