A new version of CODEX HACCP is on it’s way and should be available by the end of 2020.

The following are some of the changes expected;

 

1.    Chapter One – Good Hygiene Practices

 Still includes all the supporting programs but no specific inclusion of Allergens as a food safety hazard. However a Draft Cod of Practice for allergen Management for Food Business Owners is being released shortly.

 

2.    The HACCP Preliminary Steps – remain as previously

 

3.    HACCP Principles

a.    Principle One – now reads as Conduct a Hazard Analysis and Identify Control Measures

b.    Principle Two – remains as previously, however there will be an updated version of the Decision Tree being released shortly

c.    Principle Three – the Critical Limits must now be “validated critical limits”

d.    Principle Four – no change

e.    Principle Five – now reads as …monitoring indicates a deviation from a critical limit …..

f.     Principle Six –  now reads Validate the HACCP Plan and then establish procedures for Verification to confirm that nthe HACCP System is working as intended.

g.     Principle Seven – no change

 

4.    Principle Six – changes mean that there needs to validation done before the HACCP Plan is implemented and Verification is to be done aqfter implementation and is evidence that shows consistency of the controls under production conditions.

 

5.    Food Safety Culture  – now embedded into HACCP with the requirement to establish and maintain a positive food safety cuture within the business,including each of the following;

a.    Commitment  by all

b.    Leadewrship to set the right direction and ensure engagement

c.    Awareness of all  of food safety

d.    Open and clear communication

e.    Availability of sufficient resources to ensure food safety requirements are met consistently

 

6.    Definition changes

a.    Disposition instead of disposal or disposing

b.    Deviation instead of loss of control

c.    Validation is gone except for “validation of control measures” – which is about looking at the future of the process to ensure it will comply with requirements

d.    Food Business Operator (FBO) is what we would call a Proprietor in Australia

e.    Verification is about using evidence from the past to ensure that processes remain in compliance.

 

7.    There is still no intergration with Food Fraud  and it only deals with unintentional contamination, so HACCP will remain separate to and running alongside TACCP and VACCP.

The International Commission on Microbiological Specifications for Foods (ICMSF) has recently confirmed that in it’s opinion COVID-19 cannot be considered as a food safety hazard.

There is no evidence to this point that there is any link between eating or handling food and COVID-19 infections, so the ICMSF considers that this virus should not be seen as a food safety risk.

There are certainly food safety issues associated with COVID-19, particularly in relation to potential staff absences due to testing, isolation or illness, and new infection control practices and the impact these may have on production and operations.

The ICMSF is recommending that food businesses,especially those dealing with the public, build the required COVID-19 Safety plans into their current food safety programs and systems.

Although food businesses should already be good at handwashing and cleaning, new controls like the social distancing and, now, masks in workplaces need to be included in everyday management.

Local council Environmental Health Officers and Food Safety / Quality System Auditors will now be including checking of COVID-19 Safe Plans as part of their audits and inspections of food businesses.

To read the full ICMSF opiniongo to https://www.foodauthority.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/2020-09/ICMSF%202020-COVID-19-final%20opinion.pdf

A confectionery company in Australia has just released an ad showing a female Orangutan having a wonderful time playing the drums in a forest. At first you find yourself wondering what is going on, then the voice over announces that this company is going 100 percent palm oil free.

So what is palm oil, where does it come from, why is it used and most importantly why is this company making an ad about being 100 percent palm oil free?

Palm oil is harvested from the fruit of the Africa oil palm tree and like coconut oil is a vegetable oil with a high level of saturated fats.

This makes it solid at room temperature, which gives it very special characteristics in a large variety foods.

Due to being a solid at room temperature, it gives a moist mouth feel  and  has a neutral taste, both of which make it very attractive to consumers.

Due to the high level of saturated fats it does not need to undergo the partial hydrogenation process that other oils need to have to achieve the same effect in the mouth. This significantly reduces the potential amount of trans fatty acids in the foods containing it. Which is a significant health benefit, although consumption of high levels of saturated fats should also be avoided.

It has excellent oxidation properties so does not turn rancid, depending upon the product containing it, there is an elimination or reduction of preservatives.

It is a ingredient that has  a low financial cost for the benefits it gives to a variety of foods.

Currently in Australia there is no specific mandatory requirement for the labelling of Palm Oil on food products, even though there has been applications for this. It was denied as the application was not based on food legislation but environmental issues. Manufacturers who could have used it in their product and choose not to will often label the food as Palm oil free.

Although financially it is a cheap ingredient, it can have a very high social and environmental cost, depending upon where it is sourced from.

The beloved Orangutan’s preferred habitat is also the same places where these palm trees grow and traditionally this is where the harvests have occurred. This has significantly contributed to this magnificent creature  now being on the endangered list.

The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil is a group comprised of manufacturers who have made a decision to only use Palm oil which has been sources from eco-friendly areas.

With this oil being such a useful and cost effective ingredient, it is not likely to be leaving our ingredient lists anytime soon, but manufacturers now have a choice , they can source it from eco-friendly area, which will not impact on the Orangutan, or they can chose, like the confectionery company, to go Palm Oil free.

So this company has made a social decision to replace palm oil with other permitted ingredients to achieve the same texture and food safety and are advertising this through this new ad, we have seen lately.

This decision  will mean that there is highly likelihood to have been an increased cost of raw materials, but the company has decided that it is prepared to wear that cost in the hope that  by being more environmentally aware, and letting the public know, that there will be an increase in sales to offset this increase.

So the ad with the drum playing female Orangutan is an example of how organisations now need to not only consider financial costs but social and environmental costs as well in their decision making.

The following is a new recall notice from the New South Wales Food Authority and is included here with permission.

The NSW Food Authority advises:

Haigh’s Chocolates is conducting a recall of Haigh’s Milk MaltiChocs 250g. The product has been available for sale at Haigh’s Chocolates stores in NSW, SA and ACT.

Product details:

• Haigh’s Milk MaltiChocs 250g, cardboard box
• ​Best Before 17 Jan 21

Problem: The recall is due to the presence of an undeclared allergen (hazelnut) as a result of hazelnut chocs being packaged in Maltichoc packaging.

Food safety hazard: Any consumers who have a hazelnut allergy or intolerance may have a reaction if the product is consumed.

Country of origin: Australia.

What to do: Consumers who have a hazelnut allergy or intolerance should not consume this product and should return it to the place of purchase for a full refund. Any consumers concerned about their health should seek medical advice.

For further information please contact:  

Haigh’s Chocolates
08 8372 7035
www.haighschocolates.com.au

The following is  a new media release from the food Safety Information Council and is included here with permission.

The Food Safety Information Council today alerted consumers about food safety risks, especially from parasites, in preparing your own raw fish dishes such as sushi, sashimi, ceviche, gravlax and cold smoked salmon. If learning how to make your own sushi has been one of your #quarantinegoals, consider where you source your ingredients, how you handle them and how you store both your ingredients and your final masterpiece.

Cathy Moir, Council Chair, said that fish is an important part of a nutritious diet and we should be consuming 2 to 3 serves of it each week. However, like any raw food, there can be some safety risks from raw fish dishes. She urged budding raw-chefs following global e-learning trends to keep both themselves and dinner-party guests safe.

‘There are food safety rules governing the raw fish dishes that you buy from a food outlet but, if you prepare them yourselves, remember that raw fish can be a hazardous food and can be a source of infection from parasites. Traditional additions to raw fish dishes such as vinegar, lemon juice or salt will not kill the infectious stages of parasites.

‘There is evidence that seafood parasitic illness is increasing around the world, although currently not widely reported in Australia. This increase may be due to a greater consumption of raw and undercooked wild caught fish, the fact that fishing boats throw more fish waste overboard and growth in numbers of sea mammals, such as seals, whales and dolphins, which are the major hosts of the anisakid parasite and lead to wild fish contamination.

‘Symptoms of parasitic infection are wide ranging and can include stomach ache, vomiting, diarrhoea, as well as allergic type reactions such as tingling tongue, cough, a strange rash, heart palpitations or even anaphylactic shock. Symptoms can occur within six hours or up to a week after consumption. Allergic symptoms can occasionally be immediate. Some of these symptoms may be prolonged or become chronic until the parasite is physically evicted from the body or appropriate treatment is prescribed by your doctor.

‘If you want to prepare raw fish dishes yourself follow these 6 simple tips:

1. Know your source: source good quality fish from a reputable supplier that uses the Australian Fish Names Standard so you know what type of fish you are buying.
2. Avoid that home catch: it is best not to use recreational fish caught personally, or by friends, in raw fish dishes.
3. Freeze it: freezing the fish for a minimum of seven days (longer for large fish) will kill parasites. It’s important to know from your retailer if the fish you are purchasing has been frozen and for how long. Remember that freezing will not kill food poisoning bacteria or viruses or prevent allergic reactions from parasites.
4. Wash your hands: before and after preparing the raw fish wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds and dry thoroughly.
5. Wash your tools: make sure all utensils and chopping boards are thoroughly washed in warm soapy water and dried. Take particular care to scrupulously clean bamboo rolling mats for sushi; they should be scrubbed using a brush with soap under hot water to remove any food residue and left to dry thoroughly.
6. Cool rice quickly: remember that sushi rice can also be a food poisoning risk as toxins can form if it cools slowly. Follow sushi recipes carefully, especially the amount of vinegar to be added, and once cooked divide the rice into small containers, cover and cool in the fridge. This is generally one of the most important food safety issues for sushi.

‘Pregnant women, the elderly and people with poor immune systems should not eat raw fish dishes or cold cooked prawns and cold smoked fish because of the potentially fatal risk of the food poisoning bacteria Listeria.  This applies whether the raw fish dishes are bought commercially or prepared at home. A safer alternative for these groups is to cook any fish or seafood to at least 63°C in the centre using a thermometer.

‘We should all have more fish in our diets, and both raw and cooked sea foods are a great way of including more Omega 3 and 6 in our routine. Doing so safely doesn’t need to be a chore. When these points become part of food-prep habits, we roll up fun, safety and insta-worthy plates into one great evening,’ Ms Moir concluded.

Thanks to Associate Professor Shokoofeh Shamsi, Charles Sturt University for her expertise in fish parasites.

Media contact:

Lydia Buchtmann, Food Safety Information Council, 0407 626 688 or info@foodsafety.asn.au

For more information see:

Parasites in Seafood fact sheet

Fish names

The Wineslinger Awards’ Top 50 Venues 2020 have been announced with only the Northern Territory missing out on at least one venue making the list.

Making it to the list is the first stage in the process, with each of the 50 venues  now in the running for the ‘Wineslinger’, ‘Best New Haunt’, the ‘Maverick’ and ‘People’s Choice’ trophies.

Sommeliers, journalists and hospitality professionals from across the country are involved in the voting process.

Voting for the trophies ends on 19 October 2020 at 12.00pm and it is now open to the public to choose the ‘People’s Choice’.  FDor each vote by the public, a $1 will be donated by Wineslinger to the hospitality relief program “Tip Jar”, so we not only get to vote for our favourite wine place but can help support those working in it whilst we vote.

The award ceremony will be done virtually  because of COVID-19 on the 19 October 2020

Wineslinger Founder Rory Kent said;“COVID-19 has made it a pretty tough year for venues nationwide, with forced closures across the industry. We’ve all been bottled up. Some adapted by pivoting to selling wine retail and food as takeaway, some others battened down the hatches and waited for the storm to pass, while others cut their losses and shut up shop. Right now is a time when venues need support and recognition more than ever. It’s a time to celebrate those places and hospitality professionals that we love. Additionally, we’re determined to raise funds through Tip Jar that will feed, house, employ, upskill and support the food and beverage industry.”

So where are the best wine venues for 2020 – is yours on the list?

ACT

Bar Rochford, Canberra

NEW SOUTH WALES

10 William Street, Paddington

Alberto’s Lounge, Sydney

Bentley Restaurant & Bar, Sydney

Bibo Wine Bar, Double Bay

Dear Sainte Eloise, Potts Point

Ester, Chippendale

Fix Wine, Sydney

Fleet, Brunswick Heads

Love, Tilly Devine, Darlinghurst

Ode Bar, Bondi

Poly, Surry Hills

Ragazzi, Sydney

Where’s Nick, Marrickville

WyNo x Bodega, Surry Hills

QUEENSLAND

Cru Bar + Cellar, Fortitude Valley

La Lune Wine Co, South Brisbane

La Lupa, West End

Maeve Wine Bar, South Brisbane

Snack Man, Fortitude Valley

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Hellbound, Adelaide

Leigh Street Wine Room, Adelaide

Mother Vine, Adelaide

The Salopian Inn, McLaren Vale

The Summertown Aristologist, Summertown

TASMANIA

Havilah, Launceston

Lucinda, Hobart

Sonny, Hobart

Stillwater, Launceston

Tom McHugo’s Hobart Hotel, Hobart

VICTORIA

Bar Liberty, Fitzroy

Carlton Wine Room, Carlton

City Wine Shop, Melbourne

Embla, Melbourne

Etta, Brunswick East

France-Soir, South Yarra

Geralds Bar, Carlton North

Marion, Fitzroy

Napier Quarter, Fitzroy

Old Palm Liquor, Brunswick East

Union Street Wine, Geelong

Winespeake, Daylesford

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Lalla Rookh, Perth

Le Rebelle, Mount Lawley

Liberté, Albany

Lulu La Delizia, Subiaco

Madalena’s Bar, South Fremantle

Petition Wine Merchant, Perth

Settlers Tavern, Margaret River

Wines of While, Perth

The following is a notice from Food Standards Australia New Zealand and is included here with permission.

P1050 – Pregnancy warning labels on alcoholic beverages

July 2020

The Australian and New Zealand governments advise women not to consume alcohol during pregnancy.

On 17 July 2020, Minister’s responsible for food regulation (the Forum) accepted a proposed draft standard for pregnancy warning labels. In making its decision, the Forum confirmed its ongoing commitment to mandatory pregnancy warning labels on alcohol to ensure women are appropriately informed about the advice to not consume alcohol while pregnant. See the Forum communique here.

On 31 July 2020, the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code was amended to include new requirements for pregnancy warning labels on packaged alcoholic beverages.

Information for industry including downloadable labels are available at the Food Standards Australia and New Zealand website.

Forum Request for Review

On 17 February 2020, FSANZ notified the Forum of its decision to approve an amendment to the Food Standards Code to require a pregnancy warning label on packaged alcoholic beverages sold in Australia and New Zealand.

On 7 April 2020, the Forum requested a review of the amendment on the grounds that it places an unreasonable cost burden on industry. The Forum requested the review consider the colour requirements of the label and signal wording.

Following its review, FSANZ notified the Forum of its decision to reaffirm the amendment with a change to the signal words from ‘HEALTH WARNING’ to ‘PREGNANCY WARNING’, and an extended transition period for implementation from two years to three years.

If you ask people which is your least favourite vegetable, Brussel sprouts is a very popular answer. Others will say when done with garlic or other flavourings, they are a favourite. The fact is that these are not the most popular of the vegetables, Their relatives in the cruciferous vegetables, cabbage and broccoli are also not that popular.

The problem is that these vegetables are likely to be the best of all vegetables when it comes to preventing advanced blood vessel disease, particularly in older women.

A recent study of 684 older women from Western Australia has shown that with a higher consumption of these vegetables in their diets that there is a lower build up of calcium on the aorta, which is a significant cause for heart attack and stroke.

The build up of this fatty calcium deposits restricts vessel resulting in a higher chance of heart attacks and strokes.

The research has been published in the British Journal of Nutrition was done by ECU’s School of Medical and Health Sciences and The University of Western Australia

Lead researcher Dr Lauren Blekkenhorst said; “In our previous studies, we identified those with a higher intake of these vegetables had a reduced risk of having a clinical cardiovascular disease event, such as a heart attack or stroke, but we weren’t sure why.”

It may be the increased level of Vitamin K in these vegetables which may be the factor contributing to this calcium decrease, but how that works is yet to be determined

Dr Blekkenhorst said “That’s not to say the only vegetables we should be eating are broccoli, cabbage and Brussels sprouts. We should be eating a wide variety of vegetables every day for overall health and wellbeing.”

The Heart Foundation Manager, Food and Nutrition, Beth Meertens said; “Heart disease is the single leading cause of death in Australia and poor diet is responsible for the largest proportion of the burden of heart disease, accounting for 65.5 percent of the total burden of heart disease.The Heart Foundation recommends that Australians try to include at least five serves of vegetables in their daily diets, along with fruit, seafood, lean meats, dairy and healthy oils found in nuts and seeds. Unfortunately, over 90 percent of Australian adults don’t eat this recommended daily intake of vegetables.”

So have some Brussel sprouts or cabbage in a nice garlic sauce or find another way to get another  extra serve  of these heart savers  into your diet each day.

The following is the latest food recall notice from Food Standards Australia New Zealand and is included here with permission;

Inner Goodness UHT Soy Milk 1L  

​Date published: 14 August 2020

Product information

ALDI is conducting a recall of Inner Goodness Regular UHT Soy Milk 1L. The product has been available for sale at all ALDI stores.

Date markings

Best Before 12/03/2021

Problem

The recall is due to potential microbial contamination.

Food safety hazard

Food products with microbial contamination may cause illness if consumed.

Country of origin

Australia

What to do​

Customers should not consume this product and should return it to any ALDI store for a refund of the purchase price. Any consumers concerned about their health should seek medical advice.

For further information please contact:

Food Recall Hotline on 1800 709 993

 

Additives in the Food Standards Code are ingredients added to food to improve, one of more characteristics or issues related to that food. They can be for several reasons including; enhancing flavour, modifying textures, extending shelf life or even improving appearance.

Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ)is responsible for ensuring that the additives permitted by the Food Standards Code are safe for consumption and achiev what is expected.

To add a new additive to the current list can be either through an Application from outside FSANZ or a Proposal from within.

Usually these processes are about adding another additive to a current category.

However, there is a current Application before FSANZ about a whole new type of food additive. The following is from a current media release from FSANZ and is included here with permission.

 

 Call for comment on a new type of food additive

Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) is calling for comment on an Application to allow a new type of additive under the Food Standards Code.​

FSANZ CEO Mark Booth said the additive is sourced from a particular type of mushroom called ‘sweet osmanthus ear’, and if approved, would be used to preserve non-alcoholic drinks.

“Extracts from the mushroom (known as jelly mushroom glycolipids) are used to protect food from common yeasts, moulds and bacteria that may grow over time.”

“We carried out a safety assessment and found it is safe for use based on the proposed maximum permitted levels the Application calls for.”

“To help people make informed choices about their food, mandatory labelling requirements apply and this food additive will need to be declared on the ingredients list.” Mr Booth said.

To have your say, see our call for comment page.
Submissions close: 17 September 2020.​ 6pm (AEST)

What happens to my feedback?

Submissions will be published to our website as soon as possible after the end of the public comment period.

We will consider all feedback received through this submission process before making a decision on whether to approve the application.

FSANZ’s decision will be notified to ministers responsible for food regulation who can ask for a review or agree that the standard should become law.

More information

• How to make a submission
• Read the assessment documents: A1180 – Natural Glycolipids as a preservative in non-alcoholic beverages

Additives and processing aids​​​