Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code – Schedule 14 – Technological purposes performed by substances used as food additives

Administered by Department of Health, Disability and Ageing

Legislation au F2015L00436 In force Legislative Instrument

Legislation content

Schedule 14 Technological purposes performed by substances used as food additives

Note 1 This instrument is a standard under the Food Standards Australia New Zealand Act 1991 (Cth). The standards together make up the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code. See also section 1.1.1—3.

 Substances used as food additives and substances used as processing aids are regulated by Standard 1.1.1, Standard 1.3.1 and Standard 1.3.3. This Standard lists technological purposes for paragraph 1.1.2—11(1)(b) (definition of used as a food additive) and paragraph 1.1.2—13(1)(c) and subparagraph 1.1.2—13(2)(a)(iii) (definition of used as a processing aid).

Note 2 The provisions of the Code that apply in New Zealand are incorporated in, or adopted under, the Food Act 2014 (NZ). See also section 1.1.1—3.

S14—1 Name

  This Standard is Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code – Schedule 14 – Technological purposes performed by substances used as food additives.

 Note Commencement:
This Standard commences on 1 March 2016, being the date specified as the commencement date in notices in the Gazette and the New Zealand Gazette under section 92 of the Food Standards Australia New Zealand Act 1991 (Cth). See also section 93 of that Act.

S14—2 Technological purposes

  The technological purposes performed by substances used as food additives are set out in the table.

Technological purposes

Purpose

Sub-classes

Definition

Acidity regulator

acid, alkali, base, buffer, buffering agent, pH adjusting agent

alters or controls the acidity or alkalinity of a food

Anti-caking agent

anti-caking agent, anti-stick agent, drying agent, dusting powder

reduces the tendency of individual food particles to adhere or improves flow characteristics

Antioxidant

antioxidant, antioxidant synergist

retards or prevents the oxidative deterioration of a food

Bulking agent

bulking agent, filler

contributes to the volume of a food without contributing significantly to its available energy

Colouring

 

adds or restores colour to foods

Colour fixative

colour fixative, colour stabiliser

stabilises, retains or intensifies an existing colour of a food

Emulsifier

emulsifier, emulsifying salt, plasticiser, dispersing agent, surface active agent, surfactant, wetting agent

facilitates the formation or maintenance of an emulsion between two or more immiscible phases

Firming agent

 

contributes to firmness of food or interacts with gelling agents to produce or strengthen a gel

Flavour enhancer

flavour enhancer, flavour modifier, tenderiser

enhances the existing taste or odour of a food

Flavouring

(excluding herbs and spices and intense sweeteners)

 

intense preparations which are added to foods to impart taste or odour, which are used in small amounts and are not intended to be consumed alone, but do not include herbs, spices and substances which have an exclusively sweet, sour or salt taste

Foaming agent

whipping agent, aerating agent

facilitates the formation of a homogeneous dispersion of a gaseous phase in a liquid or solid food

Gelling agent

 

modifies food texture through gel formation

Glazing agent

coating, sealing agent, polish

imparts a coating to the external surface of a food

Humectant

moisture/water retention agent, wetting agent

retards moisture loss from food or promotes the dissolution of a solid in an aqueous medium

Intense sweetener

 

replaces the sweetness normally provided by sugars in foods without contributing significantly to their available energy

Preservative

antimicrobial preservative, antimycotic agent, bacteriophage control agent, chemosterilant, disinfection agent

retards or prevents the deterioration of a food by micro organisms

Propellant

 

gas, other than air, which expels a food from a container

Raising agent

 

liberates gas and thereby increases the volume of a food

Sequestrant

 

forms chemical complexes with metallic ions

Stabiliser

binder, firming agent, water binding agent, foam stabiliser

maintains the homogeneous dispersion of two or more immiscible substances in a food

Thickener

thickening agent, texturiser, bodying agent

increases the viscosity of a food

____________________

Amendment History

The Amendment History provides information about each amendment to the Standard. The information includes commencement or cessation information for relevant amendments.

 

These amendments are made under section 92 of the Food Standards Australia New Zealand Act 1991 unless otherwise indicated. Amendments do not have a specific date for cessation unless indicated as such.

 

About this compilation

 

This is compilation No. 2 of Schedule 14 as in force on 19 July 2023 (up to Amendment No. 220). It includes any commenced amendment affecting the compilation to that date.

 

Prepared by Food Standards Australia New Zealand on 19 July 2023.

 

Uncommenced amendments or provisions ceasing to have effect

 

To assist stakeholders, the effect of any uncommenced amendments or provisions which will cease to have effect, may be reflected in the Standard as shaded boxed text with the relevant commencement or cessation date. These amendments will be reflected in a compilation registered on the Federal Register of Legislative Instruments including or omitting those amendments and provided in the Amendment History once the date is passed.

 

 

The following abbreviations may be used in the table below:

 

ad = added or inserted am = amended

exp = expired or ceased to have effect rep = repealed

rs = repealed and substituted

 

Schedule 14 was published in the Food Standards Gazette No. FSC96 on 10 April 2015 as part of Amendment 154 (F2015L00436 –- 2 April 2015) and has since been amended as follows:

 

Section affected

A’ment No.

FRLI registration

Gazette

Commencement

(Cessation)

How affected

Description of amendment

table to S14—2

157

F2015L01374

1 Sept 2015

FSC99

3 Sept 2015

 

1 March 2016

 

am

Correction of typographical errors in the table under the definitions for ‘firming agent’ and ‘raising agent’.

Table to S14—2

220

F2023L01004

11 July 2023

FSC160

19 July 2023

19 July 2023

rs

Omit and substitute typographical error

 

Overview

The Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code – Schedule 14 – Technological purposes performed by substances used as food additives, published on 10 April 2015 and amended on 19 July 2023, is a legislative instrument under the Food Standards Australia New Zealand Act 1991. This code was introduced to regulate and clarify the technological purposes of substances used as food additives and processing aids, ensuring the safety and quality of food products in Australia and New Zealand. The purpose of the instrument is to provide a comprehensive list of technological purposes for substances used as food additives and processing aids, thereby promoting consumer safety and harmonising food standards across the two countries. The enactment and amendments are managed by Food Standards Australia New Zealand, with the objective of maintaining high food safety standards and facilitating trade by ensuring that food products meet consistent regulatory requirements. This legislative instrument is designed to address the need for clear and specific definitions of the technological purposes of substances used in food production, thereby providing a robust framework for regulatory oversight. The instrument is integral to the Food Standards Australia New Zealand Act 1991, which establishes the authority for setting food standards in Australia and New Zealand. The amendments to the instrument, such as the corrections made on 1 September 2015 and 19 July 2023, reflect ongoing efforts to refine and enhance the regulatory framework, ensuring that it remains effective and up-to-date with current food safety practices and technological advancements.

Scope and Application

This legislative instrument, F2015L00436, is a standard under the Food Standards Australia New Zealand Act 1991 (Cth) and applies to the technological purposes performed by substances used as food additives in Australia and New Zealand. This Standard is part of the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code and commenced on 1 March 2016. It applies to food additives and processing aids, regulating their use through Standard 1.1.1, Standard 1.3.1 and Standard 1.3.3, and specifies the technological purposes for which they can be used. The Code's provisions applicable in New Zealand are incorporated in, or adopted under, the Food Act 2014 (NZ). This Standard has been amended several times to correct typographical errors, with the most recent amendment (Amendment No. 220) coming into effect on 19 July 2023. The Standard sets out various technological purposes for food additives, including acidity regulators, anti-caking agents, antioxidants, bulking agents, and more, each with sub-classes and definitions. The application of this Standard is extended or restricted through subordinate instruments under section 92 of the Food Standards Australia New Zealand Act 1991 (Cth), with relevant commencement or cessation information provided in the Amendment History.

Key Provisions

The main operative sections of this legislation, Schedule 14 of the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code, specify the technological purposes for which substances can be used as food additives. These purposes are listed in a table, and include functions such as altering acidity, preventing oxidation, enhancing flavours, and stabilising foods (S14-2). This schedule is part of the Food Standards Australia New Zealand Act 1991 (Cth), and it commenced on 1 March 2016 (S14-1). The Schedule was first published in the Food Standards Gazette No. FSC96 on 10 April 2015 as part of Amendment 154 and has since been amended to correct typographical errors (Amendment History). The obligations imposed by this legislation are primarily on food manufacturers, processors, and suppliers who use additives in their products. They must ensure that any substances used as food additives or processing aids perform only the specified technological purposes, as outlined in the table in the schedule (S14-2). Manufacturers must also comply with other relevant standards, including Standard 1.1.1, Standard 1.3.1, and Standard 1.3.3 (Note 1). This legislation does not explicitly outline specific offences, penalties, or civil and criminal consequences for breaches of the standards. However, breaches of food standards generally can result in actions by Food Standards Australia New Zealand, which may include warning letters, public notices, product recalls, court proceedings, and fines. The maximum penalties for breaches of food standards can vary depending on the nature and seriousness of the breach, and can include substantial fines and imprisonment.

Legal classification tags

Area of Law
Food Law
Instrument
Legislative Instrument
Concepts
Definitions & Interpretation
Commencement Provisions
Regulatory Standards

Interactions

Authorises

All Versions

Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation at 26 August 2026. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to https://www.legislation.gov.au.