./.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/TBT/N/NZL/5
25 January 2002
(02-0381)
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade Original:  English
NOTIFICATION
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6.
1. Member to Agreement notifying:   NEW ZEALAND
If applicable, name of local government involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2):           
2. Agency responsible:   Australia New Zealand Food Authority (ANZFA)
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers, e-mail and web-site
addresses, if available) of  agency or authority designated to handle comments
regarding the notification shall be indicated if different from above:           
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [ X], 2.10.1 [    ], 5.6.2 [    ], 5.7.1 [    ], other:           
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicab le, otherwise national tariff heading.
ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):   Milk, condensed milks,
evaporated milks, dried milks and beverages made from soy or rice containing no more than
2.5% m/m fat after being diluted, as appropriate, for consumption.
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:   Draft Variation to the
Food Standards Code  (1 page) and Statement of Reasons (1 page), being Attachments 2 and
3 respectively to ANZFA Proposal P240 - Labelling Statements on Reduced Fat andCondensed Milks, in English.
6. Description of content:   Draft amendments to the Australia New Zealand Food Standards
Code and explanation of reasons therefor.
7. Objective and rationale, including the na ture of urgent problems where applicable:
Proposal 240 was raised in February 2001 to review labelling statements on reduced fat and
condensed milk.  In the existing Australian and New Zealand food regulations (the Food
Standards Code, Volume 1  and the New Zealand Food Regulation, 1984)  warning
statements are required on skim, modified and condensed milks.  The warning statements,
which vary between the Australian and New Zealand regulations, have been retained andare included in Clause 3, Standard 1.1.3, Transitional and Temporary Standards of Volume
2.  This clause will cease operation upon repeal of Volume 1  and the New Zealand Food
Regulations 1984 , and so is being reviewed.
The purpose of the review is to address the inappropriateness of feeding milk, condensed
milk, evaporated milk, dried milk, soy and rice beverages with a reduced fat content (less
than 2.5%) to children under two years of age; and to determine if labelling statements on
these products are required.  It is clear from the Dietary Guidelines in Australia and NewZealand that reduced fat milks and condensed milks are not suitable to be fed to children
under two years of age as the primary source of milk.  The consensus amongst public health
groups is that feeding reduced fat milks to children under two years of age in this mannerG/TBT/N/NZL/5
Page 2
could lead to growth and development problems and therefore an advisory statement should
be placed on these products.  The advisory statement should be expanded to cover soy and
rice beverages because anecdotal evidence from dieticians suggest these products are often
fed to children in place of cows milk.
8. Relevant documents:   ANZFA Proposal P240 - Labelling Statements on Reduced Fat and
Condensed Milks; Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code
9. Proposed date of adoption:
Proposed date of entry into force: }Recommendation to Government expected tobe made mid-2002 .  Date of entry into force
dependent on that of Government approval.
10. Final date for comments:   28 February 2002
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [     ] or address, telephone and fax
numbers, e-mail and web-site addresses, if available of the other body:
Documents are available from the Australia New Zealand Food Authority website
(www.anzfa.gov.au ).  Also available from:
Australia New Zealand Food Authority
PO Box 10559
The Terrace
WELLINGTON   6036
NEW ZEALANDTel (04) 473 9942
Fax (04) 473 9855
Email:  anzfa.nz@anzfa.gov.au   
This document is also being notified by Australia.