FSANZ Authorizes Cross-Linked Polyester Resins for Use in Wine

Food Standards Australia New Zealand has published an amendment to the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code that authorizes cross-linked polyester resins for use as an adsorbent processing aid in wine, a regulatory change that takes effect through Amendment No. 251 released on Thursday.

The measure appears in Notification Circular 404-26, which FSANZ published on July 16 under the Food Standards Australia New Zealand Act 1991. The circular includes the formal public notices tied to several code changes and applications, including application A1332, which covers the approval of cross-linked polyester resins in winemaking.

FSANZ said Amendment No. 251 was published in its gazette on July 16 as FSC 191. Along with the wine-related authorization, the same amendment package also includes approvals linked to two enzyme processing aids, endo-1,4-beta-xylanase from Bacillus licheniformis with a gene donor identified as Chryseobacterium cucumeris under application A1304, and alpha-amylase from Bacillus licheniformis containing the gene for alpha-amylase from the gene variant ANZ105 under application A1305. The circular also references M1023, a 2024 proposal on maximum residue limit harmonization.

For wineries operating in Australia and New Zealand, the approval adds a new permitted processing aid within the legal framework that governs production practices. That matters because changes to the list of authorized technological aids can affect compliance decisions in the cellar, shape how producers approach clarification or adsorption steps, and potentially influence operating costs depending on whether businesses adopt the newly permitted material.

FSANZ did not provide additional technical detail in the circular about how broadly the resin may be used across wine styles or what commercial uptake may follow. The notice instead serves as the formal publication of the code amendment and directs readers to the FSANZ gazette page and work plan for more information on current applications and proposals.

The update is part of FSANZ’s regular notification process, which is used to inform the public, submitters and relevant government agencies of actions taken under the food standards code. Previous notification circulars and gazettes remain available through the agency’s website.