Ingredients to be listed on packet

Press, 24 October 1984, Page 8

Ingredients to be listed on packet

Wellington reporter Food manufacturers will soon be required to list ingredients and date-mark packets, announced the Minister of Health, Dr Bassett, yesterday. He said the measures were among a budget of regulations which had been signed and would soon be gazetted. • Most changes would come into force on November 1, he said. The exceptions were the date-marking requirement which would become effective on January 1 and the labelling regulation which would apply from November 1, 1985. The delay was to allow manufacturers time to use existing stock and prepare new labels. “No doubt some parts of the new regulations will be controversial. Some manufacturers are reluctant to

provide a list of ingredients on the packets and dislike date-marking food,” he said. “Some wish to continue to make misleading claims on labels and in advertising.” However, he said, the stricter rules would bring New Zealand into line with overseas practices and had been sought by customers for many years. They were based on the Food and Agricultural Organisation and World Health Organisation’s international standards together with recommendations by the New Zealand Food Standards Committee and Health Department. Revised standards had also been introduced for processed meats, meat and bread additives, edible fats and oils, fancy cheeses, fruit juices and beer, he said.

Fruit nectars, salt substitutes, manufactured fish products, and some special purpose food such as glutenfree food, infant food and low-energy foods, and drinks would also be subject to new requirements. Where appropriate, pesticide residues had .< been aligned with acceptable international levels and adjustment made for the permissible metal content of foods, Dr Bassett said.. The regulations were not the last word from the Government on the subject and if they seemed to “weigh too heavily” on interested parties he would be prepared to reconsider them, he said. “But manufacturers must understand that my concern for their interests has to be weighed against consumers’ rights and reasonable expectations.”