Hold-up on
No decision from
FSANZ until April
N
ew Zealanders hoping it will soon be legal
to sell protein rich food products made from
hemp seeds have learned they will have to
wait until next year.
A decision on whether hemp seeds can be sold in food
products was due to be made in November but has been
delayed until April 2017.
Under current laws only hemp seed oil can be sold legally
but other hemp seed foods cannot be sold for human
consumption.
Some retailers have used loopholes to sell hemp protein as
non-food products but the industry is still overwhelmed
by red-tape.
FSANZ said it would now be discussed the proposal at a
meeting of Australian and New Zealand food ministers,
known as The Forum, in April.
“The assessment has been delayed to enable resolution
of technical aspects”, a spokesperson for FSANZ said.
LUCRATIVE Legalisation of hemp
seed food would add at least $4
million to New Zealand’s economy
every year.