To protect human safety and health Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) has approved – as an interim emergency measure - an amendment to the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code in response to the Australian Government's decision to allow the commercial importation of kava into Australia in December 2021.
The decision followed concern the consumption of kava outside historically safe practices had potential to adversely impact health and well-being, especially for consumers not familiar with its occasional and ceremonial use.
The interim amendments made to Standard 2.6.3 Kava in March 2022 limit preparation of kava beverages to historically safe (traditional) use by:
− Prohibiting the use of food additives and processing aids
− Requiring kava to be sourced from Noble varieties of the kava plant which have an established safety profile, consistent with the Codex Regional Standard for Kava.
This interim measure came into force in March 2022.
FSANZ will review this interim emergency measure and decide within 12 months whether to affirm, amend or repeal the measure, taking into account comments by WTO members received as a result of this notification.
All proposals to change the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code must be assessed in the context of the following objectives: (a) the protection of public health and safety; (b) the provision of adequate information relating to food to enable consumers to make informed choices; and (c) the prevention of misleading or deceptive conduct.
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