In Australia, the Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) is responsible for carrying out safety assessment of foods including genetically modified foods.

Foods are only permitted for sale in Australia and New Zealand if they:

• have been assessed by FSANZ;
• are considered to be safe; and
• have been approved by the Health Ministers of the two National and eight State and Territory Governments as members of the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Council (ANZFSC).

All food sold in Australia must pass a thorough and rigorous safety assessment by FSANZ to gain approval for use. No other foods require the same level of testing and safety assurances as those derived from genetically modified crops. The safety assessments are based on all currently available data and if any safety concerns arise, the food will not be permitted in the food supply. FSANZ will only recommend approval for genetically modified foods if they are as safe as their conventional counterparts, with no change in nutritional value.

The Food Standards Australia New Zealand's safety assessment process for genetically modified foods is based on principles developed by the World Health Organization (WHO), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

These principles require the cautious use of scientific, risk-based assessment methods and assessments on a case-by-case basis. The principles also require consideration of introduced genetic material and proteins to the food and the intended and unintended effects of the genetic modification, such as changes to levels of nutrients. They also require comparisons with any conventionally produced, unmodified version of an individual GM food, to look for changed characteristics.

For more detailed information on FSANZ and food regulation visit the FSANZ web site at: http://www.FSANZ.gov.au/