Fortification of the Food Supply with Vitamins and Minerals: Consultation Paper on Draft Policy Guidelines

The attached consultation paper has been prepared by the Food Regulation Standing Committee (FRSC) as part of the process of developing policy guidance. Your comments are invited on the issues raised in the paper. Fortification of the food supply with vitamins and minerals is permitted under the joint Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code. Standard 1.3.2 Vitamins and Minerals sets out the provisions for voluntary fortification whereas mandatory fortification requirements are contained in the relevant standards for cereals and cereal flours; edible oil spreads; and salt and salt products. The key factors underlying the need for a policy review of fortification include an increase in the number of industry applications to Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) to voluntarily fortify foods; requests to the Ministerial Council to consider mandatory fortification to address significant public health issues; and advances in nutrition science and improvements in our understanding of health and nutrition. The consultation paper recognises the inter-relationships between the food type dietary supplements, novel foods and nutrition and health claims policy development processes. These three policy areas have already been subject to public consultation and while novel foods and health claims policies are nearing completion, it is intended that the policy on food type dietary supplements will now develop in parallel to the policy on fortification. Policy development on food type dietary supplements, however, will need to consider additional issues relating to the foods/medicines interface. The Food Regulation Standing Committee has developed the Consultation paper to seek community views on options for the regulation of the fortification of food. The question to be considered with respect to mandatory fortification is whether to continue to permit mandatory fortification or not, and if so, under what conditions. Three options are also presented for voluntary fortification (ie fortification that is permitted by government but is used at the discretion of industry). It is likely that a policy guideline covering mandatory fortification will proceed in advance of policy on voluntary fortification because of the broader range of issues to be addressed in considering voluntary fortification. Your comments on the issues outlined will enable FRSC to provide advice to Ministers, as part of their decision making process.