Last Ministerial meeting for 2016 makes some significant decisions

The Health Ministers from around Australia meet several times a year to guide food law for each state and territory. The last Ministerial Forum for 2016 was held in late November and made some significant decisions.
1. Further work required on the labelling of added sugars and vegetable oils – impact studies have been requested as a result of the recommendations from the2011 Labelling Logic: Review of Food Labelling Law and Policy report
2. Low THC hemp as a food – impact studies of roadside drug tests in 2017 requested before the Proposal will be further considered
3. Adding Vitamin D to breakfast cereals – approval given, where the breakfast meets the Nutrition Profile Scoring Criterion
4. Synthetic Foods – no clear definition given for what a synthetic food is. Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) asked to determine what safety, labelling and nutritional issues may be involved.
5. The Health Star Rating – Potential change to the requirements for dairy substitute beverages. No change will occur until after the Health Star Rating Review around June 2019.
6. Allergen Labelling – FSANZ requested to present a report on the uptake of the additional voluntary allergen labelling initiativesat the November 2017 meeting