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Dear Gordon Rouse,
Thank you for your recent letter to the Hon Pete Hodgson regarding the labelling of processed oils, specifically hydrogenated oils or trans fatty acids (TFA). As the labelling of food falls within my portfolio responsibilities as the minister for Food Safety, your letter has been referred to me for response.
It may be helpful if I give you some background to the current rules around the labelling of processed oils and the supporting rationale. Saturated fat content in foods is required on food labels (under Standard 1.2.8 of the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code (the Code)) as part of the Nutrition Information Panel. Mandatory labelling of products containing TFA was last considered in the late 1990s, and the decision not to mandate such labelling was based on the low intakes of TFA in New Zealand and Australia and because a reduction in saturated fatty acid intake was more likely to have a positive health outcome than an equivalent reduction in TFA intake.
You may not be aware of a recent development with respect to TFA. New Zealand is participating in the Australia-New Zealand collaboration on Transfats which met for the first time in February 2007. The aim of this group is to identify approaches to reduce the amount of TFA in the food supply while not raising the level of risk arising from other nutrients and food components. The collaboration will also be identifying ways to improve consumer awareness and understanding about TFA.
Membership of the collaboration includes the National Heart Foundation of Australia, the New Zealand National Heart Foundation, the Australian Food and Grocery Council, the New Zealand Food and Grocery Council, the Dietetic Association of Australia, the New Zealand Food Safety Authority (NZFSA) and Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ).
While addressing approaches to reduce TFA in the food supply this group has acknowledged that the current consumption of TFA is low – 0.6% of total food energy in New Zealand compared with 15.3% of total food energy from saturated fats. However, the collaboration strongly supports a focus on the reduction of both TFA and saturated fats from the diet of New Zealanders and Australians.
In 2006 NZFSA conducted research which showed that TFA content in manufactured and processed foods was generally low (less than 5% TFA). The results suggest that partially hydrogenated fats are not widely used by the food manufacturing and bakery industries in New Zealand (as evidenced by low TFA). The research also showed that the level of TFA in some categories of products has declined since previous surveys in 1995 and 1998 and that TFA content of many products resulted from naturally occurring levels in animal fats. Currently, NZFSA is considering options for monitoring changes in TFA in the food supply.
At this stage, the Australia-New Zealand collaboration on Transfats will not be specifically addressing issues of TFA labelling. However, FSANZ is undertaking a review of the potential health risks associated with the levels of TFA consumed by Australians and New Zealanders. The review, soon to be published, will be available on the FSANZ website at: www.foodstandards.gov.au
and will discuss risk management options. You raise the issue of claims about natural ingredients in food. FSANZ will shortly be releasing a paper for public consultation on nutrition, health and related claims (Proposal P293, preliminary final assessment report). This will also be available on FSANZ website.
Thank you again for your letter and I hope that my reply is helpful.
Yours sincerely,
Hon Annette King, Minister for Food Safety |
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Current Poll Results
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The milk I consume most is: |
Naturalea 4% unhomogenised (
13 %)
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Farmhouse (4%) unhomogenised (
5 %)
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Standard (3.3%) homogenised (
8 %)
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Low Fat Milk Homogenised (
33 %)
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Real Farm Milk - non pasteurised (
41 %)
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