Imported Food Notice (IFN) 01-24 advises importers and brokers of regulatory changes to mandatory allergen declarations on food labels that come into effect on 25 February 2024.

Key points:

• Changes have been made to how allergens are declared on food labels to make it easier for consumers to identify allergens present in a food.

• Food that is manufactured or produced from 25 February 2024 onwards must meet the new requirements in Standards 1.2.3 of the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code.

• At the end of the transition period on 25 February 2024, a two-year stock in trade period will allow a food packaged and labelled before the end of the transition period to continue to be sold for up to 2 years.

• If food is required to have a label, importers must declare allergens for each ingredient, food additive or processing aid, that is, or contains, an allergen.