User Guides to the Food Standards Code
The following user guides have been developed by Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) in consultation with Australian and New Zealand government and industry representatives, to help manufacturers, retailers and food officers interpret and apply the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code.
The guides, unlike the standards, are not legally binding. However, if in any doubt about interpreting the standards, you should seek independent legal advice.
Please note these guides are in the process of being updated.
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Labelling
Overview of Food Labelling This guide provides background information on the general labelling requirements in the Code.
Legibility Requirements for Food Labels This guide discusses ways of making information that must be included on a food label as easy to read as possible.
Warning and Advisory Declarations This guide defines mandatory prescribed, warning, and advisory statements and declarations, and identifies which foods must carry these statements and declarations.
Ingredient Labelling This guide explains ingredient labelling, when it is required, and the way in which it must be presented.
Date Marking This guide aims to help manufacturers decide whether food should be date-marked with a ' best-before' or a ' use-by' date.
Nutrition Information Labelling This guide explains when nutrition information is required and the way in which it must be presented.
Percentage Labelling This guide looks at the changes in percentage labelling requirements and which characterising ingredients or components should be declared in relation to food.
Labelling of Alcoholic Beverages
Food Safety Standards (Australia only)
Safe Food Australia – A Guide to the Food Safety Standards. This guide has been developed to interpret the three manadatory food safety standards contained in the Code. The guide was prepared primarily for use by the government agencies responsible for the enforcement of the standards.
Safe Seafood Australia A guide to the Australian Primary Production and Processing Standard for Seafood.
Food Safety Programs - A guide to Standard 3.2.1 Food Safety Programs The guide has been developed to help enforcement officers understand the general intent of individual clauses in Standard 3.2.1.
A guide to Standard 3.3.1 - Food Safety Programs for Food Service to Vulnerable Persons
Guides to Standard 4.2.4 -Primary Production and Processing Standard for Dairy Products Part 1 Dairy Primary Production Requirements, Part 2 Dairy Collection and Transport Requirements and Part 3 Dairy Processing
Others
Mandatory Iodine Fortification User Guide (Australia only)
Mandatory Folic Acid Fortification User Guide’
Meat and Meat Products This guide clarifies the intent of many of the provisions in Standard 2.2.1 and explains how other standards in the new Code relate to meat and meat product
Microbiological Limits for Foods This guide explains information in the standard and presents new microbiological guideline criteria that are additional to the standard but not mandatory.
Methods of Analysis for Foods This guide will help analysts to choose appropriate methods of analysis for food where these are not specified in the Code
Generally Expected Levels ( GELS) for Metal Contaminants This guide helps to identify a range of contaminant levels that would normally be expected in particular foods.