The Australia and New Zealand Ministerial Forum on Food Regulation has agreed to minor Health Star Rating (HSR) modifications to ensure fresh juices do not receive a lower rating than diet soft drinks.
Last week industry body Ausveg called for "common sense to prevail" when the ministers met to discuss changes to the HSR system.
Under the proposed changes, fresh 100 per cent Australian apple juice and orange juice would receive two and two-and-a-half stars, respectively, while diet cola would be given three-and-a-half stars.
Ausveg, alongside other industry bodies such as Citrus Australia, Apple and Pear Australia Limited and the National Farmers’ Federation Horticulture Council, were against the proposed change.
Auveg CEO James Whiteside said it was important the HSR didn't confuse consumers. “People reading labels that tell them a soft drink, which has added sugars and artificial sweeteners, has a higher HSR than a natural juice would be confused and could be led to believe that fruits and vegetables are not healthy, which is simply not the case.”
The forum supported a proposal for a minor adjustment to the HSR review calculator to address the anomaly.
Diet beverages will now achieve no more than 3.5 stars, as this option best aligns with the intention from the HSR Five-Year Review recommendations and with the Australian and New Zealand dietary guidelines, it said.
The Federal Department of Health would provide further advice in relation to adjusting the HSR calculator for 100 per cent fruit and vegetable juices (no added sugar) for discussion at the next meeting in February 2021.
In July, the forum endorsed the HSR Review Implementation Plan with a two-year transition period commencing 15 November 2020. In November 2019, the forum received the report of a five-year review into the HSR and its 10 recommendations, some of which related to the treatment and classification of minimally processed foods.
The ministers also agreed a 12-month stock-in-trade provision would be permitted for eligible products following the two-year transition period. Ministers also agreed to the application of an automatic five-star rating to all fresh and minimally processed fruit and vegetable products.
