Correct labelling is a critical part of food manufacturing, and helps keep consumers safe. But it isn’t always easy. Fiona Fleming has spoken about how to make labelling regulations and compliance less of a headache.
Fiona Fleming is managing director of the Australian Institute of Food Science and Technology (AIFST). She spoke to Food & Beverage Industry News about the help at hand for manufacturers needing to understand labelling regulations and other compliance requirements.
Two key issues Ms Fleming notes are correct labelling of imported foods and the declaration of food allergens. Both provide significant challenges, with Australia a global hot spot for food allergies, notably Melbourne.
“It is important to remember that just because something is approved to be used in a food product overseas, it doesn’t mean it’s been approved to be used here,” she said.
“Any ingredient that is in a food product has to be labelled, and it is up to the importer to ensure that foods they bring into Australia and New Zealand have the correct allergen declarations to comply with ANZ requirements.”
The article highlights the benefits of the Product Information Form (PIF) in navigating the labelling minefield. The PIF allows companies to include a variety of information about food products and ingredients in a single document that meets information needs for legal and regulatory compliance in Australia and New Zealand, in a standardised manner.
The PIF is an industry tool that can improve company efficiency and reliability in managing product specification and other related data when applied across the sector.
Fiona Fleming, Managing Director, AIFST
You can read the full article here