FoodLegal Bulletin Foreword September 2011

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Welcome to the September 2011 issue of FoodLegal Bulletin

We are excited about our upcoming Symposium. Hurry to secure a seat below.

This issue of FoodLegal Bulletin begins with a FREE article on Current Developments in Food Law and Food Policy.

Our second article, A Series on Sweeteners: Aspartame is the first in a series of articles on regulatory policy issues in relation to different sweeteners in the Australian and international marketplace. Future articles will consider Stevia and other natural sweeteners.

Our article Legal Collars and Glue: The Law of Starch in Australia explores the regulatory approaches to Starch in the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code. This ancient material is a necessity in modern food manufacture whilst appearing in many new guises with a range of regulatory effects.  

Often on different sides of politics, CHOICE and the Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC) have come together to propose a Supermarket Ombudsman. In our article, Supermarket Ombudsman: What might  this role become? we examine the joint submission from CHOICE and the AFGC to the Senate Committee examining the impact of the milk price wars.

Certification of a standard is a vital process in the making of food quality standards and safety assurance standards. However, who certifies the certifier? Can the quality and consistency of the certification processes themselves be assured? We examine this and other questions in our article, Who Certifies the Certifiers? The ongoing contest between industry QA people and government regulators.

Class actions (or representative proceedings) are on the rise in Australia. In our article, Class Actions and the Food Industry we provide the legislative framework of class actions in Australia and discuss important court cases of relevance to the food industry.

On 10 October 2011, our symposium Healthy Bodies of Law: Food or Therapeutic? Finding Advantages in the Regulatory Differences at The Menzies Hotel in Sydney has a top line-up of experts speaking. This symposium is a MUST for all those interested in foods or beverages with health-oriented functions, or sport drinks, energy drinks or supplements, and lots more about the regulatory choices to be considered for innovative food or therapeutic products, and rules and techniques for marketing such products. Bookings essential. Book NOW to avoid disappointment.

Happy reading!

Joe Lederman
Editor of FoodLegal Bulletin