The Food Standards Australia New Zealand Board met on 14 & 15 September 2026 to discuss standards matters.
The FSANZ Board is the accountable authority for the agency.
The Food Ministers Meeting (FMM) routinely ask for certain matters of particular interest decided by the FSANZ Board to be considered in-session at FMM where possible. FSANZ and the FMM Secretariat work collaboratively to align meeting dates as the FSANZ Act requires the FMM to consider FSANZ Board decisions within 60 days of being notified of those decisions. Food ministers requested A1341 - Cell-cultured duck (Anas platyrhynchos domesticus) biomass to be used as a food ingredient be given in-session consideration.
To accommodate the request for in-session FMM consideration while also meeting its statutory timeframes, the FSANZ Board held an in-depth discussion to support its decision at an extraordinary meeting scheduled for 6 October 2026.
The Board’s preliminary discussions supported in-principle the proposed approaches to use cell-cultured duck biomass in combination with other ingredients to make products such as foie gras and pâté.
First Assistant Secretary Population Health Division at the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing
The Board welcomed Helen Grinbergs to her new role and engaged in a discussion of the Australian Government’s priorities for the food regulatory system.
Proposal P1067 – Health Star Rating System
The Board received an update on Proposal P1067 – Health Star Rating System. The update included progress on consultation activities, stakeholder feedback received to date and planned next steps. The Board noted the ongoing work being undertaken in response to the request from Food Ministers.
The Board acknowledged the complexity of the Health Star Rating proposal, including differing stakeholder views on mandatory consideration, the interaction with broader nutrition policy settings, and ongoing public and media interest. The Board noted that further assessment and consultation work is underway.
Proposal P1066 – Young Child Formula Review
The Board noted progress on the review of young child formula, including the completion of the first call for submissions and the strong level of stakeholder participation. Assessment of submissions is continuing and will inform the next stage of consultation.
Principles-based Review of Food Labelling in the Digital Era
The Board received an update on the principles-based review of food labelling in an increasingly digital food environment and noted progress on potential consultation and stakeholder engagement activities. Undertaken in consultation with the Food Regulation Standing Committee (FRSC), the review has developed a framework to support transparent and proportionate consideration of physical, digital, and hybrid food labelling approaches in future policy and regulatory decision-making.
Evaluation Framework
The Board received an update on the development of a Food Regulation System Evaluation Framework. The Framework is intended to support continuous improvement across the food regulatory system by providing a consistent approach to evaluating the effectiveness and outcomes of food regulation activities. The Framework was developed in collaboration with FRSC.
Governance, risk and performance
The Board considered organisational performance, risk management, workforce and culture matters and reviewed progress against strategic priorities. The Board also reviewed stakeholder engagement insights and discussed the external operating environment.
The Board participated in a half-day Annual Risk Workshop to consider FSANZ’s key strategic and organisational risks and its Risk Appetite Statement.
The Board discussed the report on the work of Implementation Subcommittee for Food Regulation (ISFR) from Food System Office, Senior Director and ISFR Chair, Dr Eva Bennet.
The Board's next meeting will be held on 6 October 2026