The Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce continues to be actively concerned regarding Australia's food safety responsibilities to consumers.
Jurisdiction for making decisions related to blocking or testing imported foods is shared by FSANZ and the departments of Agriculture and Health, as well as state departments and food safety authorities.
Canned and preserved fruit is classed as a "surveillance food import", which means 5 per cent of consignments are screened by the Department of Agriculture This will remain unchanged, but lead and tin testing will now be added to existing labelling checks undertaken at the border. Imported peaches would be subject to additional screening.
The Department of Agriculture increased the inspection rate back up to 100 per cent of consignments for tinned Tuna in late February 2015. The Australian Government said all tuna imported from the factory linked to the latest scombroid poisoning scare will be inspected and tested for histamine and held at the border until results of the laboratory analysis confirm, showing that the food is safe for human consumption.
Full story at ABC Rural.