Submission from Allergy & Anaphylaxis Australia

Summary

Allergy & Anaphylaxis Australia (A&AA) is deeply concerned that the Illness Reduction Strategy 2018 – 2021+ will seemingly not address allergic reactions on the basis that “allergens were not a defined hazard”. It also appears that there is little or no impetus through either Food Regulation Standing Committee (FRSC) or Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) to address this issue through effective alternate strategies.

It is fortunate that some States and Territories do have strategies in place and will continue to enact unilateral and non-uniform legislation to address this undefined but recognised hazard particularly in the food service area. Nonetheless this action usurps the role of FRSC and FSANZ.

A&AA proposes a number of measures to move forward promptly on this real and increasing hazard. To illustrate the extent of the problem there has been 1353 anaphylaxis presentations to Victorian emergency departments since November 2018 (as at 3/6/19). Personal correspondence from the Victorian Anaphylaxis Notifications scheme reveals that twenty three percent of anaphylaxis presentations to Victorian emergency departments were due to food from food service establishments (fifteen percent of these were referred to local council).

Full submission download here: A&AA Food Standards Food Safety submission June 2019272.95 KB

 

 

Content created June 2019