Food Act Report 2009/2010 - SA Health - SA.Gov.au

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Appendix 11A Survey to Assess the Levels of the Permitted AdditivesSulphur Dioxide and Nitrates, as well as the Use ofColours in Cheese and Cheese ProductsAims and Scope of the InvestigationTwenty (20) cheese products were sampled, with a focus on products specifically marketed for children.Products included cheese sticks, cheese shapes, individually wrapped cheese portions and cheese spreads.Incidental to the main survey, where the cheese was considered to be highly coloured, those samples were analysedfor the presence of artificial colours; and where claims were made on the label with respect to fat content, theproduct was also analysed for fat content.The survey also checked compliance against the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code (the Code) at thepoint of sale.Background to the surveyIn recent years there has been an increase of cheese products specifically targeting young children in the marketplace.These include brightly coloured packaging with cartoon characters, individually wrapped portions, and cheeseportions shaped like well-known children’s characters or in animal shapes. This could be related to an increase inHealthy Eating Guidelines for School Lunches, and the reduced number of child care facilities that provide meals forunder five year olds.While many surveys had previously been undertaken to review the microbiological safety of cheese products, with afocus on soft cheese, little work has been done in recent years to assess the chemical safety of cheese products andconformity to the requirements of the Code.Additionally, although cheese products are clearly labelled, parents may not be aware that the addition ofpreservatives to cheese products is permitted to prevent or slow down the growth of mould, yeast and bacteria,which may spoil food and cause severe illness in people. The most widely used preservatives are sulphites (includingsulphur dioxide), sorbates (including sorbic acid), and nitrates.It is quite uncommon for people to have allergic reactions to sorbates in foods; however sulphites may cause asthmalikesymptoms in those who have asthma or chronic allergic conditions.Additionally, although nitrates have been added to foods as a preservative for many years, some people choose toavoid them, as other studies have suggested a link between consumption of high levels of nitrates in foods and longtermhealth risks such as cancer.In the last 10 years there has only been one study that considered the presence of additives in cheese products. It istherefore timely and appropriate to ensure that mandatory limits for these additives are adhered to in cheese products.Food Act Report Year ending 30 June 2010 page 90
Appendix 11StandardsThe Food Act 2001 requires food businesses not to sell food that is unsafe or unsuitable for human consumption.Standard 1.3.1 of the Code, Schedule 1 includes the following permitted additives in cheese and cheese products:SCHEDULE 1. Permitted uses of food additives by food type 1.6 Cheese and cheese products*INS Number Additive Name Max Permitted Level Qualifications160b Annatto extracts 50 mg/kg200 201 202 203220 221 222 223224 225 228Sorbic acid and sodium, potassiumand calcium sorbatesSulphur dioxide and sodium andpotassium sulphites3000 mg/kg300 mg/kg234 Nisin GMP235 Pimaricin (natamycin) 15 mg/kg251 252Nitrates(potassium and sodium salts)50 mg/kgon cheese surfaces,based on individualcheese weightcalculated asnitrate ion338 Phosphoric acid GMP555 Potassium aluminium silicate 10000 mg/kg560 Potassium silicate 10000 mg/kg*Additives in Schedules 2, 3 and 4 are permittedWhat foods were tested?A total of 20 samples of cheese products were tested, which were obtained from a range of supermarket outletsacross metropolitan Adelaide. Only one sampled product was manufactured in South Australia and three productswere imported.Samples consisted of cheese sticks, cheese shapes, individually wrapped cheese portions, cheese spreads and otherhighly coloured cheese products.What did we test for?All samples were delivered to the National Measurement Institute and analysed for• Sulphur dioxide, sodium sulphite, sodium bisulphite, sodium metabisulphite, potassium metabisulphite, potassiumsulphite, potassium bisulphite – (calculated as sulphur dioxide)• Sodium nitrate, potassium nitrate – (calculated as nitrates).page 91Food Act Report Year ending 30 June 2010
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Component 3: Food safety incidence
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Administration of the Food Act 2001
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Activities of Food Policy and Progr
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Cluster 1: Salmonella Typhimurium p
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District Council Orroroo and Carrie
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Appendix 1Appendix IFood Safety Sur
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Appendix 1StandardsPart 1.2 of the
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Page 45 and 46: Appendix 2ResultsMicrobiological Re
Page 47 and 48: Appendix 3Appendix IIIFood Safety S
Page 49 and 50: Appendix 3ResultsProduct TypeB. cer
Page 51 and 52: Appendix 4Appendix IVFood Safety Su
Page 53 and 54: Appendix 4ResultsVegetable TypeSamp
Page 55 and 56: Appendix 5Appendix VFood Safety Sur
Page 57 and 58: Appendix 5ResultsTable 1. Microbiol
Page 59 and 60: Appendix 6Appendix VIFood Safety Su
Page 61 and 62: Appendix 6ResultsNumber Type of Fis
Page 63 and 64: Appendix 7Appendix VIIFood Safety S
Page 65 and 66: Appendix 7Notifications of Campylob
Page 67 and 68: Appendix 7Discussion of ResultsEigh
Page 69 and 70: Appendix 8Appendix VIIIFood Safety
Page 71 and 72: Appendix 8Notifications of Campylob
Page 73 and 74: Appendix 8General Labelling Require
Page 75 and 76: Appendix 9Appendix IXFood Safety Su
Page 77 and 78: Appendix 9In addition to mandatory
Page 79 and 80: Appendix 9Sample Product Result3022
Page 81 and 82: Appendix 9ConclusionThis is the fir
Page 83 and 84: Appendix 10Appendix XFood Safety Su
Page 85 and 86: Appendix 10Table 1: Guideline level
Page 87 and 88: Appendix 10BusinessProductSPC(at 30
Page 89: Appendix 11Appendix XIFood Safety S
Page 93 and 94: Appendix 11Assessment of ResultsAll
Page 95: For more informationFood Policy and
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