. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SPS/N/NZL/261
21 October 2003
(03-5556)
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Original:  English
NOTIFICATION
1. Member to Agreement notifying:   NEW ZEALAND
If applicable, name of local government involved:
2. Agency responsible:   Food Standards Austra lia New Zealand (FSANZ)
3. Products covered (provide tariff item number(s) as specified in national schedules
deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers should be provided in addition, where
applicable):  Fresh cassava and bamboo shoots
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable:  Pacific
Island Countries exporting cassava, Asian count ries exporting bamboo shoots, growers of
cassava or bamboo shoots in New Zealand and importers of cassava or bamboo shoots into
New Zealand.  The commercial trade in both cassava and bamboo shoots is relatively small
and the proposed regulatory changes are likely to have a minimal impact on trade.
5. Title, language and number of pages of the notified document:   P257 – Advice on the
preparation of cassava and ba mboo shoots – Draft Assessment Report (available in English,
49 pages)
6. Description of content: Cassava and bamboo shoots cont ain potentially toxic compounds
called cyanogenic glycosides, which break down to form hydrogen cyanide.  The potentialtoxicity can be reduced by appropriate preparat ion of the plant material prior to consumption
as food.  Currently, fresh cassava and bamboo shoots can be sold without any statements or
advice to consumers to alert them to the potential risks related to the use of these raw or
improperly prepared foods.  The dietary exposure to cassava and bamboo shoots in New
Zealand is low and the likelihood of an acute cyanide intoxication event is assessed as low,but not insignificant given that the general population has a low level of knowledge about
the appropriate preparation required for the safe consumption of these products.  It is
recommended that directions should be required to accompany the sale of cassava and
bamboo shoots and that cassava be limited to sweet varieties of cassava.
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
Proposal P257 was raised to consider the potential safety risks associated with consumption
of cassava and bamboo shoots, which contain potentially toxic cyanogenic glycosides, and
appropriate risk management strategies.  The three primary objectives of this Proposal are:
1. To examine the public health and safety risk associated with consuming raw or
inadequately prepared cassava.  To determine whether any risk management measures arenecessary in New Zealand.
2. To examine the public health and safety risk associated with consuming raw or
inadequately prepared bamboo shoots.  To determine whether any risk management
measures are necessary in New Zealand.G/SPS/N/NZL/261
Page 2
3. To examine the public health and safety risk associated with consuming commercially
available processed cassava and bamboo products.
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 tomake informed choices; and (c) the prevention of misleading or deceptive conduct.
8. International standard, gu ideline or recommendation:
[ X ] Codex Alimentarius Commission, [   ] Office International des Epizooties,
[   ] International Plant Prot ection Convention, [   ] None
If an international standard , guideline or recommendation exists, give the appropriate
reference and briefly identify deviations:   Recommendations are consistent with the Codex
Standard for Sweet Cassava (adopted at 26th session Codex Alimentarius Commission,
Alinorm 03/35)
9. Relevant documents and language(s ) in which these are available: Australia New
Zealand Food Standards Code  (English)
10. Proposed date of adoption:   Notification to Government anticipated in the first half of
2004  with adoption (gazettal) to follow, pending Government consideration.
11. Proposed date of entry into force:   Date of gazettal pending Government consideration
(see 10. above).
12. Final date for comments:  31 December 2003
Agency or authority designated to handl e comments:  [ X ] National notification
authority, [   ] National enquiry point, or address, fax number and E-mail address (if
available) of other body:
Food Standards Australia New Zealand
PO Box 10559Wellington 6036
NEW ZEALAND
Fax:  + 64 4 473 9855
E-mail:   info@foodstandards.govt.nz
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 Standards Australia New Zealand website:
www.foodstandards.gov.au/standardsdevelopment .
Copies are also available from:
The NZ SPS Notification Point
PO Box 2526
WellingtonNEW ZEALAND
Fax:  +64 4 4744219
Email:  sps@maf.govt.nz