. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/N/AUS/221 
14 March 2008  
 (08-1167) 
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 numb er(s) as specified in national schedules 
deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers should be provided in addition, where 
applicable):  Ready-to-eat cassava chips (snack foods) 
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable :  All 
Countries.  Imported (as well as domestically produced) foods so ld in Australi a/New Zealand. 
5. Title, language and number of pages of the notified document:  Assessment for Proposal 
P1002 – Hydrocyanic acid in ready-to-eat cassa va chips (available in English, 34 pages) 
6. Description of content:  FSANZ has prepared a Proposal to vary Standard 1.4.1 – 
Contaminants and Natural Toxicants of the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code  in 
relation to limits for hydrocyanic acid in ready-to-eat cassava chips.  
7. 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   
To protect public health and safety by instituting a maximum level for hydrocyanic acid in 
ready-to-eat cassava chips.  
All Proposals to change the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code , must be assessed 
in the context of the following objectives:  (a) the protection of public health and safety; (b) 
the provision of adequate information relating to food to enable consumers to make informed 
choices;  and (c) the prevention of  misleading 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 Standard for Edible Cassava Flour (a food 
for direct human consumption) 
9. Relevant documents and langu age(s) in which these are available:   Australia New 
Zealand Food Standards Code (Available in English) G/SPS/N/AUS/221 
Page 2  
 
  10. Proposed date of adoption:  Notification to Government anticipated April 2008 with 
adoption (gazettal) to follow, pe nding Government consideration. 
11. Proposed date of entry into force:  Date of Gazettal pending Government consideration (see 
10. above). 
12. Final date for comments:  28 April 2008 (please use this date ra ther than the date referred to 
in the document text 
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:  standards.manage ment@foodstandards.gov.au 
13. Texts available from:  [ X ] National notificati on authority, [   ] Na tional enquiry point, 
or address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body: 
Documents are available fro m the Food Standards Austra lia 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