. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/N/AUS/213 
25 May 2007  
 (07-2165) 
Committee on Sanitary a nd Phytosanitary Measures Original:   English 
 
NOTIFICATION  
 
1. Member to Agreement notifying:   AUSTRALIA   
If applicable, name of local government involved:   
2. Agency responsible:   Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) 
3. Products covered (provide tariff item numbe r(s) as specified in national schedules 
deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers should be provided in addition, where 
applicable):   Processed foods  
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable :  All 
countries.  Imported (a s well as domestically produced) foods sold in Australia. 
5. Title, language and number of pages of the notified document:  Draft Assessment for 
Application A540 – Steviol Glycosides as In tense Sweeteners (ava ilable in English, 
89 pages) 
6. Description of content:  FSANZ has received an Application to amend Standard 1.3.1 – 
Food Additives in the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code to approve the use of 
steviol glycosides as intense sweeteners and flavour enhancer in a range of foods.  
7. Objective and rationale:  [ X ] food safety, [ ] animal health, [ ] plant protection, 
[ ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or  disease,  [ ] protec t territory from other 
damage from pests 
New food additives are required to undergo a pre- market assessment of their safety, to ensure 
they are safe for use in foods for human consumption. 
All Applications to change the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code, must be 
assessed in the context of the following objectiv es:  (a) the protection of public health and 
safety; (b) the provision of adequate informati on relating to food to enable consumers to 
make informed choices;  an d (c) the prevention of misl eading or deceptive conduct. 
 
8. International standard, guideline or recommendation:  
[ X ] Codex Alimentarius Commission, [ ] World Organization for Animal Health 
(OIE), [ ] International Plant Protection Convention, [ ] None  
If an international standard, guideline or recommendation exists, give the appropriate 
reference and briefly identify deviations:   Codex General Standard for Food Additives 
(Codex Stan 192-1995, Rev. 7-2006). Steviol glycos ides are not currently included in this 
Codex Standard. 
9. Relevant documents and language(s ) in which these are available:  Australia New 
Zealand Food Standards Code (available in English) G/SPS/N/AUS/213 
Page 2  
 
  10. Proposed date of adoption:   Notification to Government  anticipated December 2007 with 
adoption (gazettal) to follow, pe nding Government consideration. 
11. Proposed date of entry into force:   Date of Gazettal pending Government consideration. 
12. Final date for comments:  27 July 2007 
Agency or authority designated to handle comments:  [ X ] National notification 
authority, [ ] National enquiry point, or address, fax number and E-mail address (if 
available) of other body:   
Food Standards Aust ralia New Zealand 
PO Box 7186 Canberra BC  ACT  2610 Australia Fax: + (61 2) 6271 2278 
E-mail:  slo@foodstandards.gov.au 
 
13. Texts available from:  [ X ] National notification authority, [ ] National enquiry point, 
or address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body:   
Documents are available from the Food Stan dards Australia New Zealand website: 
http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/standardsd evelopment/documentsforpublicco868.cfm 
 
Copies are also available from: 
The Australian SPS Notification Point 
GPO Box 858 Canberra  ACT  2601 
Australia 
Fax: +(61 2) 6272 3678   E-mail:  sps.contact@daff.gov.au