21 August 2017 [22-17] Approval report – Application A1127 Processing Aids in Wine Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) has assessed an application made by The Winemakers’ Federation of Australia to seek permission for the use of silver chloride, ammonium bisulphite, chitin-glucan and PVI/PVP as processing aids for wine. On 26 April, FSANZ sought submissions on a draft variation and published an associated report. FSANZ received three submissions. FSANZ approved the draft variation on 9 August 2017. The Australia and New Zealand Ministerial Forum on Food Regulation was notified of FSANZ’s decision on 17 August 2017. This Report is provided pursuant to paragraph 33(1)(b) of the Food Standards Australia New Zealand Act 1991 (the FSANZ Act).
1.4 Reasons for accepting Application The Application was accepted for assessment because: it complied with the procedural requirements under subsection 22(2) of the FSANZ Act it related to a matter that warranted the variation of a food regulatory measure. 1.5 Procedure for assessment The Application was assessed under the General Procedure. 1.6 Decision The draft variation as proposed following assessment was approved with amendments. The reference to silver chloride was removed from the amendment to the Table to clause 4 of Standard 4.5.1 for the reasons explained in section 2.1 below. The draft variation was also amended to make clear that the processing aids are permitted for use in the manufacture of wine, sparkling wine and fortified wine. The variation takes effect on the date of gazettal. The approved draft variation, as varied after consideration of submissions, is at Attachment A. The related explanatory statement is at Attachment B. An explanatory statement is required to accompany an instrument if it is lodged on the Federal Register of Legislation. 2 Summary of the findings 2.1 Summary of issues raised in submissions The Victorian Health & Economic Development Departments raised a number of issues. A private submitter raised one issue and a third submission from The New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries supported the Application. Table 1: Summary of issues Issue Raised by FSANZ response (including any amendments to drafting) FSANZ has not proposed an acceptable daily intake for any of the processing aids and has therefore proposed that the Food Standards Code be amended to permit each processing aid to be added at levels consistent with good manufacturing practice (GMP). This differs from the approach used in the European Union where prescriptive requirements apply to the use of these processing aids in wine manufacture. The departments seek clarification from FSANZ about implications of setting levels for use for these processing aids at GMP rather than following the prescriptive Victorian Departments of Health and Human Services, and Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources FSANZ concluded that there are no public health and safety concerns from the proposed use of these substances as processing aids to produce wine, hence the use at GMP levels is justified. Furthermore, when used correctly, these processing aids (with the possibility that some SO2 remains in the wine when ammonium bisulphite is used) are removed from wine before bottling. The use of these processing aids will be self-regulated by industry as excess use may impact negatively on wine quality, such as the removal of important thiol aromatics, an