{"id":"F2015L00458","name":"Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code – Standard 2.3.1 – Fruit and vegetables","slug":"f2015l00458","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":315811,"registerId":"commonwealth-F2015L00458-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-08","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code – Standard 2.3.1 – Fruit and vegetables","content":"![Description: FS_Logo_K](image.001.png)\n\nFood Standards (Proposal P1025 – Code Revision) Variation\n\nThe Board of Food Standards Australia New Zealand gives notice of the making of this standard under section 92 of the Food Standards Australia New Zealand Act 1991. The Standard commences on 1 March 2016.\n\nDated 25 March 2015\n\n![](image.002.png)\n\nStandards Management Officer\n\nDelegate of the Board of Food Standards Australia New Zealand\n\n> Note:\n\n> Note: This Standard will be published in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette No. FSC 96 on 10 April 2015.\n\nStandard 2.3.1 Fruit and vegetables\n\nNote 1 This instrument is a standard under the Food Standards Australia New Zealand Act 1991 (Cth). The standards together make up the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code. See also section 1.1.1—3.\n\nNote 2 The provisions of the Code that apply in New Zealand are incorporated in, or adopted under, the Food Act 2014 (NZ). See also section 1.1.1—3.\n\n2.3.1—1 Name\n\nThis Standard is Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code – Standard 2.3.1 – Fruit and vegetables.\n\nNote Commencement:  \nThis Standard commences on 1 March 2016, being the date specified as the commencement date in notices in the Gazette and the New Zealand Gazette under section 92 of the Food Standards Australia New Zealand Act 1991 (Cth). See also section 93 of that Act.\n\n2.3.1—2 Definitions\n\nNote In this Code (see section 1.1.2—3):\n\nfruit and vegetables means any of fruit, vegetables, nuts, spices, herbs, fungi, legumes and seeds.\n\nNote In Standards 1.2.7 and 1.2.8 the separate terms fruit and vegetable have different definitions and do not include nuts, spices, herbs, fungi, legumes and seeds.\n\n2.3.1—3 Requirement for food sold as fruit and vegetables in brine, etc\n\n(1) A food that is fruit and vegetables in brine, oil, vinegar or water must not have a pH greater than 4.6.\n\n(2) Subsection (1) does not apply to commercially canned fruit and vegetables.\n\n\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"A positive credit balance is required for all requests, including BYOK, so fallback providers remain available. Add credits at https://vercel.com/d?to=%2F%5Bteam%5D%2F%7E%2Fai%3Fmodal%3Dtop-up to continue.","source":"analysis-cron"},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This standard maintains its original narrow scope. It addresses a specific food safety hazard (botulism risk in acidified preserved produce) with a targeted technical requirement. There is no evidence of scope creep — the standard has not expanded to cover additional product categories, processing methods, or regulatory objectives beyond its original public health purpose."},"complexity_factors":["Extremely short — only 3 substantive sections (name, definitions, single requirement)","Only 1 defined term ('fruit and vegetables') with a straightforward definition","Single operative provision with one clear-cut exception (commercially canned products)","No cross-references to other standards within the operative provisions","No conditional logic, nested exceptions, or layered requirements","pH threshold of 4.6 is a well-established, internationally recognised food safety benchmark"],"plain_english_summary":"This standard requires that fruits and vegetables preserved in brine, oil, vinegar or plain water sold in Australia and New Zealand have a pH no higher than 4.6 to prevent growth of Clostridium botulinum (botulism).  \n\nIt applies to manufacturers, importers and retailers of preserved produce (broadly defined to include nuts, spices, herbs, mushrooms, legumes and seeds) but does not apply to commercially canned products, which are covered by separate sterilisation standards."},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The instrument defines covered products and sets a single pH requirement with an explicit exemption. The text itself does not indicate an expansion or contraction of scope from prior provisions; it states definitions and the operative requirement without language that signals a deliberate change of scope within this document (see 2.3.1—2 and 2.3.1—3)."},"complexity_factors":["Single technical threshold: a precise pH limit (≤ 4.6) applies to specified preparations (2.3.1—3(1)).","Narrow exemption: commercially canned fruit and vegetables are expressly excluded, requiring interpretation of 'commercially canned' (2.3.1—3(2)).","Broad definitional scope: 'fruit and vegetables' expressly includes nuts, spices, herbs, fungi, legumes and seeds, expanding which products the pH rule can capture (2.3.1—2).","Cross-references: other parts of the Code use different definitions for 'fruit' and 'vegetable', creating potential inconsistency and interpretive work (note under 2.3.1—2 referring to Standards 1.2.7 and 1.2.8).","Compliance burden on industry: producers/packers/sellers/importers must ensure acidification or controls and undertake pH testing and recordkeeping (implied by the requirement in 2.3.1—3(1)).","Enforcement and administration: application across Australia and New Zealand involves incorporation/adoption mechanics noted in the instrument (Note 1 and Note 2), which can raise jurisdictional implementation issues."],"plain_english_summary":"This standard requires foods sold as “fruit and vegetables in brine, oil, vinegar or water” to have a pH no greater than 4.6; commercially canned products are exempt. It also gives a broad definition of “fruit and vegetables” to include nuts, spices, herbs, fungi, legumes and seeds, so packers, sellers and importers must control acidity and test pH, bearing compliance costs and possible enforcement under the Food Standards Code."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/f2015l00458","history":"/api/acts/f2015l00458/history","analysis":"/api/acts/f2015l00458/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/f2015l00458/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/f2015l00458/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/f2015l00458/documents"}}