On 4 November 2022, the Food Standards Australia and New Zealand issued Circular 219-22 amending the Australian and New Zealand Codex Alimentarius. The main contents include:

Addition of phytosterols, phytostanols or their esters as a novel food to plant-based milk alternatives

(1) Approved the addition of phytosterols. 

    1. phytosteranols or their esters as a novel food ingredients to plant-based milk products with the requirements that the calcium content of the final product should not be less than 100mg/100mL and the saturated fatty acid content should not exceed 0.75g /100mL; 

    2. The total phytosterol content in the final product should be between 0.8-2.2g/250mL;

The revision will take effect from the date of publication of the government Gazette.

(2) 2-Methyloxolane (2-methyloxolane) is proposed to be approved as a food processing aid (used as an extraction solvent) with a maximum dosage of 20mg/kg.

Comments will be solicited until December 8, 2022.

For more information, see

https://www.foodstandards.gov.au/code/changes/circulars/Pages/Notification%20Circular%20219-22.aspx