Food Standards Australia New Zealand

Introduction: Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) is an independent statutory agency established by the Food Standards Australia New Zealand Act 1991. FSANZ is part of the Australian Government's Health and Ageing portfolio.

FSANZ develops standards that regulate the use of ingredients, processing aids, colourings, additives, vitamins and minerals. The Code also covers the composition of some foods, e.g. dairy, meat and beverages as well as standards developed by new technologies such as genetically modified foods. We are also responsible for some labelling requirements for packaged and unpackaged food, e.g. specific mandatory warnings or advisory labels.

Overarching food policy is set by the ministers in Australia and New Zealand that are responsible for food regulation. These ministers make up the Legislative and Governance Forum on Food Regulation. The Forum develops food regulatory policy and policy guidelines that FSANZ must have regard to when setting food standards.

The Forum has general oversight of the implementation of standards. When we develop standards, the Forum has the capacity to adopt, amend or reject them and to ask us to review them, or create new ones.

Read more about what we do and don't do.

The Parliamentary Secretary for Health and Ageing, the Hon Shayne Neumann MP, has executive responsibility for FSANZ. An agreement or Treaty between the governments of Australia and New Zealand establishes FSANZ's role in setting joint food standards, i.e. standards that apply in both countries.

How we’re organised

FSANZ has offices in Canberra, Australia, and Wellington, New Zealand. We are governed by a Board with a wide range of expertise and experience in food matters, with members drawn from Australia and New Zealand.

Our vision and mission

Vision: A safe food supply protecting and supporting the health of people in Australia and New Zealand.

Mission: To develop effective food standards in collaboration with the Australian and New Zealand governments.

Corporate documents

Through the Corporate Plan, the FSANZ Board sets the culture and directions for the agency over three years.
The former Parliamentary Secretary for Health and Ageing, Catherine King provided FSANZ with a Statement of Expectation outlining how FSANZ should operate to achieve its key objectives. Download the Statement of Expectation (pdf 368kb) | word (36kb).


FSANZ’s Statement of Intent sets out how FSANZ proposes to meet these expectations. Download the Statement of Intent (pdf 565kb) | word (107kb).


Our Annual Report provides a summary of our achievements of the past year and a preview of the year ahead.