. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SPS/N/AUS/133
16 October 2001
(01-5047)
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Original:  English
NOTIFICATION
1. Member to Agreement notifying:  AUSTRALIA
If applicable, name of local government involved:           
2. Agency responsible:  Australia New Zealand Food Authority
3. Products covered (provide tariff item number(s) as specified in national schedules
deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where
applicable).  Food and processed food. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the
extent relevant or practicable:  Imported (as well as domestically produced) foods sold in
Australia
4. Title and number of pages of the notified document:  Application A413 – Final
Assessment Report for Irradiation of Herbs, Spices, Herbal Infusions and Teas (112 pages)
5. Description of content: Currently the irradiation of food for human consumption is not
permitted in Australia or New Zealand.  ANZFA has received an application to amend
Standards A17 and 1.5.3 – Irradiation of Foods in the Australia New Zealand Food
Standards Code  to permit food products including; herbs, spices, and herbal infusions to be
irradiated for supply for human consumption in Australia.  The objective of the application
is to provide additional or alternative technologies to reduce pathogenic microbial
contamination and control of quarantine pests, control of weed seeds and inhibition of
sprouting in certain food products.
6. Objective and rationale: [  X ] food safety,  [     ] animal health,  [     ] plant protection,
[    ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease,
[    ] protect territory from other damage from pests           
7. An international standard, guideline or recommendation does not exist [     ].
If an international standard, guideline or recommendation exists, give the appropriate
reference and briefly identify deviations: Codex General Standard for Irradiated Foods –
1983, Codex Standard on the Labelling of Pre packaged Foods.  While these standards apply
to all products, the proposed amendments to the Australia New Zealand Food Standards
Code  would apply only to those f oods specified.  Pre market a pproval would be required for
irradiation of other foods on a case by case basis.
8. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  Australian Food
Standards Code ¸ New Zealand Food Regulations 1984  (both available in English)
9. Proposed date of adoption:  Recommendation to Government anticipated late 2001;
adoption to follow pending Government approval.G/SPS/N/AUS/133
Page 2
10. Proposed date of entry into force:  Not known, date of entry subject to Government
approval (see 9. above)
11. Final date for comments:  20 November 2001
Agency or authority designated to handle comments:  [   ] National notification
authority, [  X ] National enquiry point, or address, fax number and E-mail address (if
available) of other body:
12. Texts available from: [     ] National notification authority, [     ] National enquiry point
or address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of 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 7186Canberra Mail Centre ACT 2610 0
AUSTRALIA       
Fax :  (+61) 2 62712278
Email: info@anzfa.gov.au