Food Standards Code(FSC)

What is the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code?

The Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code (the Food Standards Code or FSC) is the comprehensive legal instrument that governs the production, composition, labelling, and safety of food sold in Australia and New Zealand. It is developed and maintained by Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) under the authority of the Food Standards Australia New Zealand Act 1991 (Cth).

The Code is a registered legislative instrument — it is legally binding in Australia through incorporation into state and territory food acts, and in New Zealand through the Food Act 2014. Any food business operating in either country must comply with the applicable standards in the Code.

Structure of the Food Standards Code

The Code is divided into four chapters, each covering a distinct regulatory domain:

Chapter 1 — General food standards. Applies to all food sold in Australia and New Zealand. Covers labelling and information requirements (Standards 1.2.x), ingredients and processing aids (Standards 1.3.x), contaminants (Standard 1.4.1), and novel foods (Standard 1.5.1). This is the chapter most food manufacturers interact with most frequently.

Chapter 2 — Food product standards. Contains compositional and labelling requirements specific to particular food categories — meat and seafood (2.2.x), eggs (2.2.3), dairy products (2.5.x), beverages (2.6.x–2.7.x), cereals (2.1.x), and others. If your product falls into one of these categories, you must comply with both the general standards in Chapter 1 and the product-specific standards in Chapter 2.

Chapter 3 — Food safety standards. Applies to food businesses operating in Australia (not New Zealand, which has its own food safety framework). Covers food safety programs (Standard 3.2.1), food safety practices (Standard 3.2.2), and food premises and equipment (Standard 3.2.3).

Chapter 4 — Primary production standards. Covers primary production and processing of specific food types: seafood (4.2.1), dairy (4.2.4–4.2.7), eggs (4.2.5), seed sprouts (4.2.6), and others.

How the Food Standards Code is Enforced

The Code is enforced by state and territory food authorities in Australia (for example, Safe Food Production Queensland, NSW Food Authority, and equivalent bodies in each state). In New Zealand, enforcement sits with the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI).

FSANZ develops and reviews the standards but does not enforce them directly. If you have a compliance question about a specific standard, your first contact should be your state or territory food authority.

How Standards are Updated

FSANZ reviews and amends the Code through formal proposals and applications. A proposal is FSANZ-initiated; an application is made by industry or other stakeholders seeking a new standard or an amendment. The process involves public consultation. Amendments are gazetted as legislative instruments and given a commencement date, which may include transition periods.

Staying current with Code amendments is an ongoing compliance obligation. Subscribe to FSANZ's update alerts at foodstandards.gov.au.

How Batchbase Applies the Food Standards Code

Every Batchbase feature is built to operate within the Food Standards Code. Nutrition panel generation follows Standard 1.2.8. Allergen tracking follows Standard 1.2.3 Schedule 9. Ingredient list formatting follows Standard 1.2.4. Date marking follows Standard 1.2.5. When FSANZ amends a relevant standard, Batchbase updates its calculation and formatting rules accordingly.

Related Standards and References

• Food Standards Australia New Zealand Act 1991 (Cth) — the Act that establishes FSANZ
• Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code
• FSANZ website — for standard amendments and updates