. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SPS/N/AUS/130
25 July 2001
(01-3690)
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Original:  English
NOTIFICATION OF EMERGENCY MEASURES
1. Member to Agreement notifying:  AUSTRALIA
If applicable, name of local government involved:           
2. Agency responsible:  Australia New Zealand Food Authority (ANZFA)
3. Products covered (provide tariff item number(s) as specified in national schedules
deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where
applicable). Soy sauces (Tariff number: 2103 10 00 14) and oyster sauces or products
containing soy sauce or oyster sauce as an ingredient (Tariff number: 2103 90 00 18)
Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable:  World
wide
4. Title and number of pages of the notified document:  Australian Government Press
Release of 22 June 2001 ("ANZFA issues warning on consumption of soy sauce") available
at www.anzfa.gov.au.
5. Description of content:  On 22 June 2001 the Australia Ne w Zealand Authority (ANZFA)
announced, as an emergency provision, that all soy and oyster sauce based productsexported to Australia will be held at the border by the Australian Quarantine and Inspection
Service and tested for 3-monochloropropane- 1,2-diol (3-MCPD).  Products that exceed a
limit of 0.02 mg/kg for 3-MCPD will be refused entry to the Australian market.  The action
is in response to the recent withdrawal of a range of soy- and oyster-based products from
the United Kingdom after surveys showed unacceptable levels of the chloropropanols 3-
MCPD and 1,3–chloropropanol (1,3-DCP).
ANZFA is undertaking a survey to test fo r both 3-MCPD and 1,3-DCP in soy and oyster
sauce products on sale in Australia.  ANZFA is also proposing to amend the Food Standards
Code to set an upper limit for chloropropanols in soy and oyster sauces in Australia.
6. Objective and rationale:  [  X ] food safety,  [     ] animal health,  [     ] plant protection,
[    ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [     ] protect territory from
other damage from pests           
7. Nature of the urgent problem(s):  Potential presence of carcinogens 3-MCPD and 1,3-
DCP in soy and oyster sauce products sold in Australia.
8. An international standard, guideline or recommendation does not exist [     ].
If an international standard, guideline or recommendation exists, give its appropriate
reference and briefly identify deviations:  Measure is consistent with the European
Commission’s legal maximum limit of 0.02mg/kg for 3-MCPD (established in March 2001and due to come into force in April 2002).G/SPS/N/AUS/130
Page 2
9. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available: Section 3 (a) (ii) of
the Imported Food Control Act 1992 (Available in English at
www.aqis.gov.au/docs/cleb/ifcatoc.htm)
10. Date of entry into force/period of application (as applicable):  22 June 2001
11. Texts available from/and agency or authority designated to handle comments:
[    ] National notification authority, [  X ] National enquiry point or address, fax
number and E-mail address (if available) of other body:           