ISC Annual Report to FRSC
July 2010 - June 2011
Executive Summary
Over period July 2010 – June 2011; ISC completed the following activities:
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Pilot of the integrated model to support standards development/adoption and promote consistent implementation of
Primary Production and Processing Standards completed on the Eggs and Egg products Primary Production and Processing
Standard.
Implementation materials developed for the Primary Production and Processing Standard for Poultry Meat.
An engagement and communications mechanism with Local Government was successfully implemented.
A draft model inspection/assessment guideline for retail and food service business was prepared.
A draft stakeholder engagement approach to allow for a consistent stakeholder engagement across ISC activities was
developed.
A communications workshop was held, where key communications messages for ISC for ISC and a revised Strategy for
consistent implementation and enforcement of food regulation in Australia were key outcomes.
Over period July 2011- June 2012; ISC will work on the following priorities:
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Finalise compliance plan for the Production and Processing Standard for Seed Sprouts.
Develop a draft compliance plan for the Primary Production and Processing Standard for meat products.
Develop implementation materials for the Nutrition, Health and Related Claims Standard.
Implement performance indicators 3.1 and 3.2 to the National Food Incident Response Protocol.
Trial the model inspection/assessment template and a draft framework for publicly available performance reporting on
Local Government areas across jurisdictions.
In conjunction with the FRSC Ad-Hoc Working Group develop a whole of food regulation system stakeholder engagement
strategy.
Finalise the role and scope of ISC Component 6.
Provide recommendations to FRSC concerning the ISC terms of reference.
During July 2011- June 2012, ISC will also continue to work on its regular business as provided in the ISC strategy for consistent
implementation and enforcement of food regulation in Australia.
Introduction:
The ISC terms of reference require ISC to prepare an annual report for FRSC on its progress towards consistent implementation. This
report lists the key achievements for the period July 2010 – June 2011.
During the period July 2010 – June 2011, ISC met on two occasions, in August 2010 and February 2011. ISC held its annual planning
meeting in November 2010. This report discusses the following:
a)
Progress against the 2010-11 ISC priorities endorsed by FRSC in March 2010;
b)
The 2011-12 ISC priorities endorsed by FRSC in April 2011;
b)
Key outcomes achieved by the various Components within ISC against the ISC strategy for consistent
implementation and enforcement of food regulation in Australia1 (the ISC strategy) during July 2010 – July 2011.
a) Report on the 2010-11 ISC priorities2:
The 2010-11 priorities for ISC were:
1. Implementation planning for new standards:
(i)
Integrated model for standards development and consistent implementation piloted for Egg PPPS.
(ii)
Explore implementation arrangements for the Primary Production and Processing Standard for Poultry Meat.
(iii)
Health Claims Standard3
1
2
www.foodsecretariat.health.gov.au
The ISC 2010-11 priorities were endorsed by FRSC in March 2010 (refer FRSC 27: agenda item 2.2 Attachment 2).
2. Consistent implementation – Local Government
(i)
Develop a Local Government engagement and communication mechanism.
(ii)
Develop a framework for publicly available performance reporting.
(iii)
Develop a model inspection/assessment guideline for retail and food service business.
3. Communications and stakeholder relationships
(i)
Project plan developed.
(ii)
Stakeholder relations package developed (includes stakeholder ‘map’ and general principles for engaging stakeholders in
ISC projects.
(iii)
Suitable pilot exercise to test stakeholder relations guide and stakeholder ‘map’ identified.
(iv)
Following pilot, stakeholder relations guide presented to ISC for consideration.
(v)
Stakeholder relations guide presented to FRSC for endorsement.
4. Performance measurement and reporting:
(i)
Revise program logic model in accordance with new ISC component structure.
(ii)
Prepare amended performance indicators consistent with the new ISC component model.
(iii)
Recommendation presented to FRSC.
(iv)
Implement performance indicators.
Discussion:
During the period July 2010 – June 2011, ISC completed priorities 1 (i), 1 (ii), 2 (i), 3 (i), 3 (ii) and will soon complete priority 2 (iii).
Priorities 4 (i), 4 (ii) and 4 (iii) were completed by March 2010.
At ISC 25 (February 2011), it was agreed to seek FRSC consent to suspend further work on Priorities 3 (iii), 3 (iv) and 3 (v) to allow a
strategic, whole of food regulation system approach to stakeholder engagement to be managed through the combined resources of the
FRSC Ad-Hoc Working Group, aided by the ISC Stakeholder Relations Working Group. FRSC agreed to this in April 2011.
At ISC 25, it was also agreed to implement performance indicators for ISC Component 3 during 2011 as a pilot to allow any
operational issues surrounding the performance indicators to be addressed before they are applied more broadly to the ISC workplan.
At ISC 25, it was further noted that the Blewett review on food labeling law and policy did not prevent ISC undertaking work to assist
FSANZ in the finalisation of the Nutrition, Health and Related Claims Standard.
b) 2011-12 ISC priorities4:
In April 2011, FRSC agreed to the following priorities for ISC in 2011-12:
1. Implementation planning for new standards:
(i)
Obtain FRSC agreement to apply the integrated model to all Primary Production and Processing Standards.
(ii)
Process for moving relevant Australian Standards related to the production of various meat and meat products for human
consumption into the ISC and FRSC framework.
(iii)
Apply the integrated model to the following PPP Standards:
Meat and Meat Products
Seed sprouts
Raw milk products
(iv)
Develop a package to assist with consistent implementation of the Health Claims (draft Standard 1.2.7).
3
Note commencement of this work was subject to processes undertaken by ANZFRMC commissioned independent review of food
labelling law and policy.
4
The ISC 2011-12 priorities were endorsed by FRSC in April 2011 (refer FRSC 29: agenda item 2.2 Attachment 1).
2. Performance measurement and reporting:
(i)
Performance indicators 3.1 and 3.2 to be piloted on the activities of the National Food Incident Response Protocol.
(ii)
Performance indicators implemented across workplan.
3. Consistent implementation: Local Government:
(i)
Implement the agreed mechanism for engaging Local Government in ISC activities.
(ii)
Develop a model inspection/assessment guideline for retail and food service businesses.
(iii)
Develop a national framework for publicly available performance reporting.
(iv)
Develop a consistent reporting approach by jurisdictions to collect data on Food Act activities on a minimum number of
key issues on an annual basis.
4. Communications and stakeholder relationships
(i)
Key communications messages for ISC agreed.
(ii)
ISC strategy for consistent implementation and enforcement of food regulation updated.
(iii)
ISC communications work plan drafted and communications tools identified.
(iv)
Stakeholder relations package implemented into ISC workplan.
(v)
ISC terms of reference reviewed.
Discussion:
a)
Implementation planning for new standards:
In April 2011, FRSC endorsed the integrated model for standards development and consistent implementation and agreed that it be
applied to the development and review of all Primary Production and Processing Standards. This decision was noted by ANZFMRC
in May 2011.
In May 2011, ANZFRMC agreed to not request a review of the Primary Production and Processing Standard for Eggs and Egg
Products (the Egg Standard). The implementation package prepared for the Egg Standard as the pilot of the integrated model will
soon be available for download from the ISC website. It is noted that the implementation materials prepared for the Primary
Production and Processing Standard for Poultry Meat will also soon be available from the ISC website.
During 2010-11, work progresses in applying the integrated model to the Primary Production and Processing Standards for meat and
meat products, seed sprouts and raw milk products.
On 20 June 2011 FSANZ obtained agreement from the Standards Development Committee for raw milk products to amend the scope
of the raw milk product standard to allow only thermally processed cheeses to be produced.
At ISC 25 (February 2011), ISC agreed to terms of reference and an implementation timetable for a ISC Working Group to assist
FSANZ in progressing the Nutrition, Health and Related Claims Standard. The Working Group has met twice between February –
June 2011 and continues to work towards completion of a compliance and enforcement framework and implementation materials for
the Health Claims Standard. It is anticipated that this work should be complete by the end of 2011.
b)
Performance measurement and reporting
As discussed during 2011, Performance indicators for ISC Component 3 will be implemented as a trial to allow operational issues to
be identified before proceeding to full implementation of all performance indicators across the ISC workplan.
c)
Consistent implementation: Local Government
Due to the extensive resources required to establish and implement an engagement mechanism for advising Local Government on ISC
activities, the initial timeframe projected for completion of the model inspection/assessment checklist could not be achieved (initially
targeted as February 2011).
A draft inspection/assessment checklist was provided to ISC 25 (February 2011) for consideration, where it was noted this would be
finalised by the end of June 2011.
Completion of this work will allow resources to be directed towards a nationally consistent publicly available performance reporting
system. It is noted that such a system would be voluntary.
Concerns with the overall engagement of the Local Government sector in the food regulation system were noted at FRSC 29 (April
2011), where it was agreed that the FRSC Chair would formally correspond with appropriate stakeholders on this matter.
d)
Communications and Stakeholder relationships
At ISC 24 (August 2010) when considering the draft stakeholder relations package, ISC agreed that a more comprehensive
examination of over-arching stakeholder communications messages was required to allow for the stakeholder package to be
successfully implemented.
This led to ISC hosting a communications workshop in November 2010, where the following key outcomes were agreed and presented
to ISC 25 (February 2011):
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Key communications messages for ISC.
An update to the strategy for consistent implementation and enforcement of food regulation in Australia.
A communications workplan.
Review the stakeholder relations package in light of the above outcomes.
At ISC 25, items concerning updates to the ISC website and issues concerning the future of the annual stakeholder consultation forum
were also heard.
The resultant discussion on these items provided ISC with the view that a strategic, whole of food regulation system approach to
stakeholder engagement was required. It was agreed to seek FRSC advice on this matter. In April 2011, FRSC agreed to pursue a
joint ISC/FRSC strategy for stakeholder engagement under the auspices of the FRSC Ad-hoc Working Group, aided by the ISC
Stakeholder Relations Working Group.
e) Key outcomes achieved by the various ISC Components in the ISC strategy:
The key achievements from the eight Components of ISC over the period
July 2010 – June 2011 are listed in Table 1.
Component
1
2
3
July 2010 – June 2011 Achievements
a) The coordinated food survey plan for 2010 to 2013
was agreed. Key surveys to be progressed include:
- Microbiological survey of nuts and nut products.
- Survey of Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat
foods.
- Survey of mercury in fish.
- Mandatory folic acid fortification of wheat flour for
bread making compliance survey.
- Survey of cyanogenic glycosides in plant based
foods.
- Food contact packaging material migration survey.
- Survey of the prevalence and levels of allergens in
foods.
- Survey of iodine in seaweed and seaweed containing
products.
- Label monitoring survey.
- 23rd Australian Total Diet Study.
The iodine in seaweed survey was finalised in
February 2011.
a) A 12 month trial of a process for altering date marks
on foods was commenced. This work now resides
under Component 5.
b) Agreement by FRSC that the integrated model be
applied to the development and review of all Primary
Production and Processing Standards was obtained.
c) Pilot of integrated model on Eggs and Egg Product
Standard was completed.
d) Implementation materials for Poultry Primary
Production and Processing Standard were developed.
e) Integrated model applied to:
- Seed Sprouts Production and Processing Standard.
- Raw milk products Standard (Proposal 1007).
- Meat and meat products Standard.
f) Work to develop implementation materials for
Health Claims Standard commenced.
g) Review of Component 2 Working Groups/Projects
completed.
a) Annex for National Food Incident Response
Protocol (zoonoses management) completed.
July 2011 – June 2012 workplan
a) Carry out survey planning workshops as per
regular review schedules.
b) Annual report for 2011-12 on survey program
and follow up activities.
c) Finalise 2011-2014 Co-ordinated Food Survey
Plan: present to ISC in August 2011.
d) Complete work on risk register for Co-ordinated
Food Survey Plan.
a) Present outcome of Component 2 review to ISC.
b) Complete work on applying integrated model to
seed sprouts and raw milk products standards
(Proposal 1007).
c) Develop draft implementation package for meat
Standard and consult with SDC.
d) Complete implementation materials for Health
Claims Standard.
a) Complete piloting of Performance Indicators 3.1
and 3.2.
Component
4
5
6
July 2010 – June 2011 Achievements
b) De-brief completed for the following incidents:
- Hepatitis A incident.
- Thyroid dysfunction incident.
- Weight loss products: Sibutramine.
- Listeria in fresh fruit salad.
- Peanut contamination of soy flour.
c) Review of food recall protocol conducted.
d) Revisions made to the National Food Incident
Response Protocol to include escalation process and
other matters.
e) Piloting of Performance Indicators 3.1 and 3.2
commenced.
a) Local Government communications and
engagement mechanism implemented.
b) Outcomes statements provided to Local
Government stakeholders following ISC meetings.
c) Draft model inspection/assessment template
completed.
a) GM Compliance and Enforcement Strategy
endorsed by ISC.
b) Interim Administrative process for delivered meals
organizations completed.
c) NATA accreditation obtained by laboratory for
hydrocyanic acid detection in cassava chips.
d) Compliance strategy developed for Caffeinated
energy drinks.
e) Work commenced on a compliance strategy for
infant formula labeling.
a) Undertake trial of Home Jurisdiction Rule.
b) Progress work towards the formation of an Expert
Advisory Group for analytical capability and capacity
issues.
c) Monitor and report on the implementation of the
National Regulatory Food Safety Auditor Guideline.
d) Progress work towards a workshop at ISC 26 to
scope the role and function of Component 6.
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a) ISC food communicators group continues to meet
regularly and discuss matters as they arise.
b) Hosted communications workshop in November
2010.
c) Presented key communications messages, updated
ISC strategy, draft communications workplan and
stakeholder relations approach to ISC 25.
d) FRSC agreement obtained to progress a whole of
food regulation system approach to stakeholder
engagement strategy.
e) Summary of outcomes statements prepared for
stakeholders from ISC 24 and ISC 25.
f) Review of content on ISC website commenced.
g) Review of annual stakeholder forums undertaken.
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a) Commence implementation of performance
indicators 3.1 and 3.2.
July 2011 – June 2012 workplan
a) Finalise model inspection/assessment templates
for Local Government and other associated
materials.
b) Commence work on model system for publicly
available performance reporting (it is noted that
system will be voluntary).
a) Complete compliance and enforcement strategy
for infant formula labeling.
b) Contingent on progress of FSANZ legislative
audit, develop a strategic and pro-active plan for
compliance planning for existing standards.
b) Undertake trial of pro-active strategy for
compliance planning for existing standards and
report back to ISC.
a) Host workshop on role and function of ISC
Component 6 at ISC 26.
b) Complete work arising from this workshop
concerning the role and function of Component 6.
c) Finalise any information required for FRSC 30
(October 2011) on the National Regulatory Food
Safety Auditor Guideline.
d) Progress work of the Expert Advisory Group on
analytical capability and capacity issues.
e) Present outcomes of Home Jurisdiction Rule trial
to ISC.
a) Progress whole of food regulation system
stakeholder engagement strategy with FRSC Adhoc Working Group.
b) Finalise amendments to ISC strategy.
c) Present updates to ISC operating procedures to
ISC for agreement.
a) Complete piloting of performance indicators 3.1
and 3.2 and then commence further implementation
of performance indicators.
b) Prepare ISC annual report for
2011-2012.
Over the period 2011-12, ISC will continue to review how it deploys its limited resources most effectively in pursuing matters
provided in the Strategy for consistent implementation and enforcement of food regulation in Australia.