Send submissions to FoodLabellingReview@health.gov.au
by the 20th Nov 2009
This is an email about it from Additive alert.

You may be aware that our food regulator, FSANZ, have recently announced a comprehensive review of our current food labelling law and policy.

The review is being undertaken by The Council of Australian Governments (COAG) and the Australia and New Zealand Food Regulation Ministerial Council (Ministerial Council) and their first round of public consultation closes this Friday 20 November.

This is a very important review ( they are few and far between) and has the scope to improve our labelling laws for food additives, genetically modified foods and nanotechnology. The way things stand at the moment there is no requirement for food labels to tell us about GM content or if products contain nanoparticles, despite the widespread concern about the long term safety of these ingredients.

Many of you may have already sent your comments in but, if you have not, then I urge you please to take 5 minutes to have your say. Just copy and paste the following paragraphs ( edit to add your own words if you want to) and send it to the Review Panel at FoodLabellingReview@health.gov.au no later than this Friday 20 November.
( Dont forget to add in your name and contact details at the end or else it will not be valid!!)

Thanks for your help!!


Best Regards
Julie

FOOD LABELLING REVIEW SUBMISSION

I wish to register my concerns about food labelling in Australia and request that proposed changes to the food labelling provisions in this country be amended to include the following changes:

FOOD ADDITIVES

Declare all food additives.

There currently exists a 5% loophole in our food standards code in relation to food additives, whereby if an ingredient comprises less than 5% of a food product then the food additives in that ingredient do not have to be declared on the label. Many consumers wish to avoid certain food additives which are often not disclosed on the labels under this loophole. I request that the food labelling review ensure that this 5% loophole is removed and that the new legislation requires manufacturers to declare the presence of ALL food additives in products, no matter how small the quantity, to enable consumers to exercise informed choice.

Warning labels for harmful colours:

As a result of the 2007 Southampton study into the effect of some food colours on children’s behaviour, the EU has introduced legislation ,effective July 2010, requiring any products which continue to use the artificial colours 102, 110, 122, 124 129 to carry a warning label. To ensure that Australian consumers enjoy the same level of protection as EU consumers , I request the food labelling review to ensure that Australian products using the above 6 colours be required to carry a warning label advising consumers that these additives may have an adverse effect on attention and behaviour in some children.

Genetically modified content

I request that the food labelling review also ensure that all genetically modified content is clearly disclosed on labels to enable consumers to exercise informed choice.

Nanoparticles

I request that products with ANY nanotechnology component be fully disclosed on the labelling also to ensure consumers can exercise informed choice.

Yours sincerely



( YOUR NAME ADDRESS AND CONTACT PHONE NUMBER)

Chocolate Mousse Tart
(adapted from recipe Rawlicious thermomix booklet)

Crust Ingredients
80g shredded coconut
300g macadamias or almonds (can be soaked and dehydrated if you have a dehydrater)
65g dates
pinch sea salt
1 tablespoon cold pressed almond oil or organic coconut oil (if not dehydrating nuts may only need a little to no oil)

Method
Place coconut in Tm bowl and mill for 10 seconds on speed 8
Add remaining ingredients and mix for 1 min on speed 9
Using MC push base into pie plate or cake tin and put into freezer to set

Filling ingredients
Flesh of 3 large avocados or 4 small
30-50g Cacao powder (50 g makes it very rich)
100g agave syrup
good pinch of sea salt

Filling method
Place all ingredients into TM bowl and blend for 1 minute on speed 6 until smooth. Scrape down sides and repeat.
Spread the filling mix on top of prepared crust and garnish with strawberries or other berries and mint leaves.
Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Variations
Would be lovely with a fruit/berry puree as a layer on the crust first and then the mousse. Alternatively you can slice bananas onto the base before filling.

Notes
I don’t have a dehydrator so I did the crust with raw macadamia’s and it turned out well but is probably moister than if using dehydrated nuts.
The mousse is really smooth and moussie. No avocado flavour or taste was detected at all and would pass as chocolate mousse to people who didn’t know. Was delicious and got the thumbs up from the raw foodies who tried it.
I would definitely make it again although try with less (30g?) cacao as 50g it was really rich for me.

[I also didn't wash out the bowl and made a yummy choc fruit smoothie from the mousse left in there - adding a banana, apple and handful of strawberries some ice and water

A friend is asking if the TM can do shots as her compressor just broke.

I'm thinking it can whiz it up but you will keep the fibre so it will be thick.
What are others thoughts or experiences

I have just put together ones I found on here (I had a better list but my computer shut down and lost it)
If you have others could you please add them also are we allowed to post the addresses for other forums if so lets get a list of them together too.

http://thermorecipes.blogspot.com/

http://brazen20au.blogspot.com/

http://thermomixmagic.blogspot.com/

http://thermomix-er.blogspot.com/

failsafethermomix.blogspot.com

http://quirkycooking.blogspot.com/

http://acanadianfoodie.spaces.live.com/?_c11_BlogPart_BlogPart=blogview&_c=BlogPart&partqs=cat%3dThermomix

Hi Everyone

I just signed up to start my thermomix demonstrator training tomorrow, can't wait to get my thermomix and start sharing it with friends.

I'm in North Qld Australia

Looking forward to enjoying the forums