Mycotoxin risk management in New Zealand and Australian food

Abstract

In 2002 New Zealand and Australia initiated a joint food regulatory approach, codified in the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code. Prior to drafting of the joint Code a series of risk assessments were carried out by Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ; then Australia New Zealand Food Authority). This included a review of the maximum permitted concentrations of non-metals in food, including mycotoxins. On the basis of this review, just three classes of mycotoxins were included in the joint Food Standards Code: aflatoxins, in peanut and tree nuts; ergot, in cereal grains; and phomopsins, in lupin seeds and products of lupin seeds. Both countries apply import controls on the basis of aflatoxins standards, but not ergot or phomopsins. New Zealand and Australia are moving domestic food regulation from an inspection-based system to a risk-based approach. Consequently, instead of the responsibility for food safety being placed on regulatory authorities to find any problems, responsibility is moved to the persons in charge of the food operation who must be proactive in the way they manage food safety and suitability and must demonstrate how they manage food safety. There is evidence in both Australia and New Zealand for increasing industry mycotoxin monitoring to support a risk-based approach. Analysis of domestically produced foods and non-regulated imported foods for mycotoxins by regulatory bodies is mainly carried out to support risk assessment activities.