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Issue 2, August 2006

Food Premises Newsletter from the City of Monash Environmental Health Unit

Country of Origin Food Labeling

Country of origin food labeling laws have recently been introduced to provide consumers with information on the country where their food is grown, produced, manufactured or packaged.

The new laws have also been broadened to include unpackaged fresh and preserved pork products and unpackaged fresh and processed seafood, vegetables, nuts and fruit.

The laws take effect on the following dates:

• Packaged foods – 8 December 2005 (to be phased in over a two year period. There will also be a further 12 months for old manufactured stock to be used up).
• Unpackaged fresh food, unpackaged processed food, and fresh vegetables and fruit – 8 June 2006.
• Unpackaged fresh pork and pork products such as ham and bacon – 8 December 2006.

The new country of origin labeling laws do not apply to other unpackaged products such as fresh lamb, beef, chicken, eggs, dairy products, grains and vegetable oils.

Labels must be in English, clear and unambiguous, legible to the average person and distinct from the background. The sign adjacent to unpackaged food must be in size of type of at least 9mm e.g.

PRODUCT OF AUSTRALIA

Like many of the labeling laws, country of origin labeling does not apply to food sold for immediate consumption in restaurants, cafes or take away shops. However, catering packs provided to these types of establishments will be required to comply with the new laws and declare the country of origin of the food in or on the catering pack.

For further information please contact Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) on (02) 6271 2241, email info@foodstandards.gov.au or visit the FSANZ website: www.foodstandards.gov.au.

This information has been reproduced with permission from FSANZ.

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Updated: 9 August 2006

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