Plant-based food: Europe’s phrase phase out for dairy imitators

You won’t catch any plant-based foods giving even the slightest hint they’re anything like dairy in Europe from next year, and now there’s pressure for Australia to follow suit with a similar ban.

Dairy debate: Pressure is mounting on the government to stamp out the use of dairy phrases such as milk and cheese for plant-based imitations.

PRESSURE  is mounting for Australia to curb the use of dairy phrases such as milk and cheese for plant-based imitations after moves by Europe last week.

The European parliament voted to ban any indirect reference to dairy products for plant-based foods, which means descriptors including “yoghurt-style” and “cream imitation” cannot be used from next year.

Direct reference to milk, cheese or butter for plant-based alternatives has been outlawed in the eurozone for the past three years, but the latest move stops manufacturers from even hinting at a dairy connection.

It’s prompted the dairy lobby in Australia to urge Canberra to stop dragging its feet and introduce similar terminology restrictions.

“We’ve heard forthright statements from federal and state ministers underpinning the need for truth in labelling reform,” Dairy Connect chief executive Shaughn Morgan said.

“The time has come for the rubber to hit the road.”

Mr Morgan hoped a review of the Food Standards Act launched last month would provide an opportunity for change.

The Nationals voted in favour of reforming labelling requirements for plant-based milk products at the party’s federal council in September last year.

The issue was raised at the November 2019 ministerial food forum – then chaired by former minister Bridget McKenzie – where ministers tasked the food regulations standing committee to develop a policy guideline to “differentiate ‘synthetic’ animal products from their natural or conventional equivalents”.

The forum has not discussed the issue since; it is due to meet again this month.

Agriculture Minister David Littleproud did not respond to specific questions on what policy work was being undertaken, nor if he would seek legislated changes to the code.

Mr Littleproud said he has established an industry-led working group to “work through these issues”.

“We are strongly committed to ensuring our food labelling rules promote truthful labelling,” he said.

The industry group – which includes representatives from the National Farmers’ Federation, red meat, dairy, grains, and Coles and Woolworths – had its first meeting in September.

Despite Europe’s dairy move, in a similar vote on the same day, European MPs rejected a proposal to ban the use of words like “sausage” and “burger” to describe vegan and vegetarian products.

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