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

Godiva’s Chocolate Domes Milk Chocolate Coconut Crunch

Date published: 30 December 2021

Product information

Godiva Australia is conducting a recall of Chocolate Domes – Milk Chocolate Coconut Crunch (124g). The product has been available for sale at Woolworths stores​ in Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland, and online from the company’s website.

Date markings

Best before 10/06/2022

Problem

The recall is due to the presence of an undeclared allergen/s (hazelnut).

Food safety hazard

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

Country of origin

Turkey

What to do​

Consumers who have a hazelnut allergy or intolerance should not consume this product, and should return the product to the place of purchase for a full refund.

For further information please contact:

Godiva Australia

https://godiva.com.au/

Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) released the results of the 27^th Australian Total Diet Study (ATDS) this month.The Study gives FSANZ the opportunity to check on what is happening with our national diet , whilst also focussing in on different diet aspects each year.

This year the focus was on investigating the levels of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl (PFAS) in a range of foods and beverages common to the Australian diet.

In food related areas,PFAS have been used in the production of non stick cookware and food packaging and may be found in imported food.

Although there has not been evidence  to date of health effects on humans in small quantities, there is evidence of harm in animal studies, so there is potential concern around the impact on the immune system about PFAS in food being consumed by people.

30 different types of PFAS were included in the Study, across 1336 composite samples. These represented 112 foods commonly eaten across all states and territories. To allow for seasonal variations, the samples were taken in both Autumn and Summer.

Only one type of PFAS was detected at very low levels in less that two percent of the foods sampled. So the Study has shown that Australian consumer exposure to PFAS was very low and therefore are not considered to be a food safety risk at this point.

In the USA, according to the Federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, at least 2.8 million people have antibiotic-resistant  bacteria or fungal infections and of those cases 35000 are fatal.

It is expected that there will be increasing deaths as more and more bacteria and other microbes continue to become resistant to antimicrobials.

Antimicrobial resistance is a significant issue for us all. Over time bacteria and other microbes have built up tolerance to antimicrobials, like antibiotics.

The problem is made worse as there is low levels of antimicrobials used in water and feed for animals to keep mortality rates low. This means that there is a low level of antimicrobials in use which is contributing to the resistance.

We have all changed our behaviours in the last two years because of a virus called SARS CoV-2, but this antimicrobial resistance is a pandemic which some know about (and are terrified) and many do not yet, and it is going to also impact everyone.

The magic silver bullet of antimicrobials no longer have the power they have had in the past. All over the world there are scientists working frantically to find alternatives to antimicrobials in controlling or eliminating infections in humans.

In aged care and hospital, antimicrobial stewardship is one of the requirements of their relevant Standards. These organisations have a responsibility to provide education and support to their clients and patients in reducing antibiotic usage.

In the food industry this level of organizational responsibility is not as high, however there is a need to be aware that antimicrobials may be in raw materials and to ensure that this is included in the Approved Supplier Program.

Antimicrobial Resistance is something we all have to take some responsibility for  by doing the right things, including  using  antibiotics as prescribed.

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

House of Biskota Gluten Free Choc Almond Biscuits 

​Date published: 22 December 2021

Product information

House of Biskota is conducting a recall of Gluten Free Choc Almond Handmade Biscuits. The product has been available for sale at independent retail stores including IGAs in NSW, ACT, QLD, VIC, TAS and SA.

Date markings

All BEST BEFORE dates from and including 09JUN22 up to and including 07DEC2022.

Problem

The recall is due to the presence of an undeclared allergen (milk).

Food safety hazard

Any consumers who have a milk allergy or intolerance may have a reaction if the product is consumed.

Country of origin

Australia

What to do​

Any consumers who have a milk allergy or intolerance should not consume this product and should return the product to the place of purchase for a full refund.

For further information please contact:

House of Biskota

(03) 9338 8509

https://houseofbiskota.com.au​

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

Indulge Butterscotch Pear Ice Cream 

​​​​​​​​Date published: 23 December 2021

Product information

ALDI is conducting a recall of Indulge Butterscotch Pear Gourmet Ice Cream (1 Litre). The product has been available for sale at ALDI stores in QLD, NSW and the ACT.

Date markings BEST BEFORE 09/05/2023

Problem The recall is due to the presence of an undeclared allergen (peanut) due to use of incorrect packaging.

Food safety hazard

Any consumers who have a peanut allergy or intolerance may have a reaction if the product is consumed.

Country of origin Australia

What to do​

Consumers who have a peanut allergy or intolerance should not consume this product and should return the product to any ALDI store for a full refund.

For further information please contact:

ALDI Food Recall Hotline on 1800 709 993

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

Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) is calling for public comment on proposed changes to the food standard regulating kava use.

FSANZ has reviewed the kava standard in the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code (the Code) to support a Federal Government pilot program which will allow commercial importation of kava into Australia to build stronger cultural and economic ties with Pacific Island nations.

FSANZ interim CEO Dr Sandra Cuthbert said the proposed changes would clarify the original intent of the kava standard to limit the preparation and consumption of kava beverage to traditional use.

“Kava beverage has a long history of consumption in the South Pacific and plays an important role in traditional community ceremonies where it is consumed as a beverage,” Dr Cuthbert said.

“We’ve reviewed the kava standard in the Code to ensure it continues to meet its intent to support traditional use and protect public health and safety.

“The proposed changes include the requirement for kava beverage to be produced for consumption at the place of preparation.

“FSANZ considers this best describes traditional kava preparation and consumption.”

FSANZ also proposes to add a provision to ensure food additives and processing aids are not added to dried or raw kava root or kava beverages.

The public consultation period will close 6pm (Canberra time) 23 December 2021.

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 as part of our initial consideration of Proposal P1057.

More information

• Read the Initial  ​Initial Consideration Report for Proposal P1057
• How to make a submission

Media contact:

• 0401 714 265 (Australia)
• +61 401 714 265 (from New Zealand)

media@foodstandards.gov.au​

The following is the latest media release from the Food Safety Information Council and is included here with permission.

The Food Safety Information Council and the Australian Chicken Meat Federation today released a consumer survey that found 49% of Australian cooks were still taking a food poisoning risk by washing raw whole chicken before cooking.

Cathy Moir, Council Chair, said washing any raw poultry is very risky as it can spread bacteria to your hands, surfaces and other foods that may not be cooked. Washing is also unnecessary as cooking poultry to 75°C in the centre of a fillet or the thickest part of the thigh will kill any bacteria.

‘We are pleased that rates of washing raw whole chicken has reduced from 60% to 49% since we last asked this question in 2011. Cooks who wash raw chicken pieces with skin on has also reduced from 52% to 43% and washing skinless pieces from 41% to 40%.

‘The survey found that chicken is a popular dish with 78% of respondents cooking whole chicken, 83% cooking chicken pieces with skin on and 88% cooking skinless pieces. But the message is that washing any raw poultry, whether it is chicken, duck, goose or the Christmas turkey, is both unsafe and unnecessary.

“As we gather this Summer with multi-generations of family and friends, here are some of our key Christmas and Summer entertaining food safety tips:

1. Wash hands: Another recent survey has found the number of times people wash their hands each day dropped 15% since last year. Don’t forget to wash your hands with soap and water before preparing and cooking food, and after handling shell eggs, seafood, raw meat and poultry, burgers and sausages. Watch how to wash your hands correctly using the Glitterbug here
2. Clean utensils: Ensure your tools, utensils and chopping-boards are cleaned and dried thoroughly before you start preparing your food and ensure you clean them with hot soapy water after use. Use separate chopping-boards such as red for raw meat/poultry and  green for vegetables.
3. Don’t strain your fridge: Plan ahead and don’t buy more food than you need. It’s vital that you don’t overstock your fridge and freezer, as this won’t allow the cool air to circulate freely and perishable food cannot be adequately frozen or chilled. Less food will also help to reduce food waste.
4. Make space: Prevent overstocking by making room in your fridge for perishable foods by removing alcohol and soft drinks and put them on ice in a container or laundry sink. This also stops guests opening the fridge so often and helps to maintain the temperature at 5°C or below. Use a fridge thermometer to check the fridge temperature.
5. Bird or bits? Think about getting a turkey breast that is simpler to cook, rather than a whole turkey. If you do need a whole turkey ask your supermarket if they sell them fresh rather than frozen. Otherwise it must be covered and defrosted in your fridge which can take several days and also increase the risk of potentially contaminating ready to eat foods stored in the fridge.
6. Cook poultry correctly: Cook the any poultry until a meat thermometer shows it has reached 75° C in the thickest part of the thigh and cook any stuffing separately as it will slow the cooking and the inside of the bird might not be fully cooked. Probe thermometers are readily available, easy to use and help you make sure that food has reached the right temperature.
7. Don’t go raw. Cooked egg dishes are simple and nutritious but try to avoid raw or minimally cooked egg dishes, such as raw egg mayonnaise or aioli, eggnog or fancy desserts like tiramisu, which can be a particular risk for food poisoning. A safer alternative, if you want to serve raw egg dishes, is to use pasteurised egg products.
8. Christmas ham won’t last forever– check the storage instructions and best before or use by date before removing the ham from its plastic wrap, cover it with clean cloth soaked in water and vinegar so it doesn’t dry out, and store it in the fridge at or below 5°C. Keep the cloth moist to stop the ham drying out too much. It is important to remember that the use by date on the original packaging won’t apply after the packaging has been removed, so check the fine print and see if the ham has a suggested shelf life after opening. Reduced salt hams are now becoming popular but will not last as long as conventional hams so think how much you are going to use in the next week or so and freeze the rest for later.
9. Phased roll-out: Don’t leave perishable chilled foods out for more than two hours. These foods include cold meats, soft cheeses like Camembert and Brie, cold poultry, cooked seafood like prawns and smoked salmon, pâtés, sushi and salads. Put out small amounts and replace them (do not top them up) from the fridge.
10. Get it cold, quick. Refrigerate leftovers as soon as possible. If perishable foods and leftovers have been left out of the fridge for less than two hours they should be okay to refrigerate or freeze to eat later, so long as they haven’t been sitting out on a hot day. Never eat perishable food that has been unrefrigerated for more than four hours as it may not be safe and should be thrown away. Food should not be refrigerated if it has been outside in the heat for more than an hour and discarded after it has sat outside for 2 hours.
11. Get it right hot. Always reheat leftovers to 75°C the centre of the item or the thickest part to kill any food poisoning bugs. Use a probe thermometer or the auto reheat function of your microwave (following any prompts) to help you make sure that the leftovers have been reheated safely.

‘We would like to thank our partner Tonic Media Network who will be showing our handwashing and food safety community service announcements in GP, Pharmacy and hospital waiting rooms around Australia this Summer. Also, thanks to our member First for Training, the Australian Chicken Meat Federation and Accord for their charitable donations to fund our Summer campaign.\,” Ms Mir concluded.

Survey details:

The chicken washing survey was conducted nationally by Omnipoll amongst 1219 people aged 18+ over the period 7-12 October 2021. Respondents were drawn from the online consumer panel managed by Lightspeed Research, OmniPoll’s online partner and to help reflect the overall population distribution. Results were post-weighted to Australian Bureau of Statistics (2016 Census) data on education, age, sex and area.

Media Contacts:

Lydia Buchtmann, Food Safety Information Council, 0407 626 688

Annabel Selby-Jones, Australian Chicken Meat Federation, 0437 002 861 or annabel.selby-jones@chicken.org.au

The following is a new media release from Food Standards Australia New Zealand and is about a potential new processing aid  from a genetically modified source. It is included here with permission.

A processing aid is not an ingredient as such, but is used in the processing of food. This potential aid is sourced from a genetically modified strain of E.coli.

The following is a media release from Food Standards Australia New Zealand about a review of Very Low Energy Diets.

it is included here with permission.

Call for comment on Very Low Energy Diets

Date: 19/11/2021

Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) is calling for comment on an application to codify Very Low Energy Diets (VLED) within Standard 2.9.5 – Food for Special Medical Purposes (FSMP) in the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code (the Code).

The application also seeks alignment with an international standard, the CODEX Standard for Formula Foods for Use in Very Low Energy Diets for Weight Reduction (Codex STAN 203-1995).

FSANZ interim Chief Executive Officer Dr Sandra Cuthbert said if approved, the variation would provide regulatory clarity and certainty for VLED and foster international harmonisation.

“VLED are formulated for the dietary management of overweight and obesity and are intended for use under medical supervision, providing the sole source of nutrition within a narrow energy range to assist safe and fast weight loss,” Dr Cuthbert said.

“Foods produced for consumption as part of very low energy diets have been available in the Australian and New Zealand marketplace for more than 20 years and are manufactured according to the international standard CODEX STAN 203/1995 to allow for a harmonised approach to production.

“In New Zealand, VLED are regulated by Standard 2.9.6 – Transitional standard for special purpose foods, however, there is no applicable standard for the Australian market.

“After undertaking nutritional adequacy and safety assessments, FSANZ is satisfied that adoption of the Codex STAN 203-1995 nutrient composition poses minimal risk of nutritional concerns to Australian and New Zealand consumers.

“Regulation of VLED as foods for special medical purposes further ensures safe and adequate use due to the existing regulatory measures of the standard.”

Interested parties are invited to have their say on the draft variation by 6pm (Canberra Time) 17 December 2021.

What happens to my feedback?

We will publish all submissions to our website as soon as possible at the end of the public comment period.

All feedback will be considered by FSANZ before making a decision on whether to approve the application/proposal.

Our decision will be notified to ministers responsible for food regulation who can ask for a review or agree to include the amendment in the Food Standards Code.

More information

• How to make a submission
• Read the assessment documents
• Foods for special medical purposes

​Media contact:

• 0401 714 265
• +61 401 714 265

media@foodstandards.gov.au

The following are current food recall notices from Food Standards Australia New Zealand and are included here with permission.

Health Lab – Health Lab Kids Varieties

Date updated: 26 November 2021

Product information

Health Lab is conducting a recall of Mylk Chocolate Zillions 100g, Whyte Chocolate Zillions 100g and Mixed Kwalas 96g. The products have been available for sale at Woolworths and Big W nationally.

Date markings- Best Before 23 Aug 22 and 23 Oct 22

Problem – The recall is due to the presence of an undeclared allergen (milk).

Food safety hazard

Any consumers who have a (milk) allergy or intolerance may have a reaction if the product is consumed.

Country of origin -Australia

What to do

Consumers who have a (milk) allergy or intolerance should not consume this product and should return the products to the place of purchase for a full refund.

For further information please contact:

Health Lab (03) 9999 8535  www.healthlab.com.au

The Cottage Persian Labneh 300g  

Date published: 26 November 2021 (Updated 26 November 2021 – to include an additional undeclared allergen (milk))

Product information

The Cottage is conducting a recall of Persian Labneh. The product has been available for sale at Harris Farm Markets stores in NSW and QLD.

Date markings – BEST BEFORE dates from and including 25 NOV 2021 up to and including 28 APR 2022.

Problem – The recall is due to the presence of undeclared allergens (milk, sesame and soy).

Food safety hazard

Any consumers who have a (milk or sesame or soy) allergy or intolerance may have a reaction if the product is consumed.

Country of origin – Australia

What to do

Consumers who have a (milk or sesame or soy) allergy or intolerance should not consume this product and should return the product to the place of purchase for a full refund.

For further information please contact:

The Cottage 02 8036 8197 admin@thecottage.com.au

Barossa Fine Foods 110g Pate Products

Date published: 26 November 2021

Product information

Knoll Consultants & Investments Pty. Ltd. is conducting a recall of Duck & Walnut Pate 110g, Black Pepper Port Pate 110g and Duck Terrine Pate 110g . The product has been available for sale at IGA supermarkets and independent grocers in NSW, ACT, QLD, VIC, SA, NT, WA and Foodlands in SA.

Date markings – USE BY: 17 Dec 2021

Problem -The recall is due to microbial (listeria monocytogenes) contamination.

Food safety hazard

Listeria may cause illness in pregnant women and their unborn babies, the elderly and people with low immune systems.

Country of origin – Australia

What to do

Consumers should not eat this product. Any consumers concerned about their health should seek medical advice. and should return the products to the place of purchase for a full refund.

For further information please contact:

Knoll Consultants & Investments Pty. Ltd. (08) 8255 3900  https://www.barossafinefoods.com.au

Shirreza Tahini

Date published: 26 November 2021

Product information

Atlas Fine Foods Pty Ltd is conducting a recall of Shirreza Tahini 700g. The product has been available for sale at Persian grocery stores in NSW, QLD and VIC.

Date markings – EXP: 10.12.2022

Problem – The recall is due to the presence of an undeclared allergen (peanut).

Food safety hazard

Any consumers who have a peanut allergy or intolerance may have a reaction if the product is consumed.

Country of origin -Iran

What to do

Consumers who have a peanut allergy or intolerance should not consume this product and should return the product to the place of purchase for a full refund.

For further information please contact: Atlas Fine Foods Pty Ltd 03 9706 5750

www.atlasfinefoods.com.au