Recommended changes to New Zealand regulations covering dietary supplements are likely to be tabled in parliament early next year.

"The main purpose of this proposal is to harmonise the regulations for Food For Special Medical Purposes (FFSMP) in Australia and New Zealand," said Food Safety Authority adviser Ursula Egan.

The revamp of a standard for "supplemented food" is expected to shake up the multi-billion dollar industry which has built up around dietary supplements.

"We propose to amend the dietary supplement regulations and to have a new supplemented food standard," Egan said.

This meant the current dietary supplement regulations would be changed to cover therapeutic-type products in capsules or powders targeted to health benefits rather than nutrition.

The new supplemented food standard will pick up some sports foods and others with higher levels of vitamins and minerals, and some other added nutrients not permitted in the food standards code.

"NZFSA supports the objectives of this proposal but we are aware of the need to ensure that the introduction of any regulatory restrictions will not adversely affect the supply of these specialist products into New Zealand," Egan added.

She said the Health Ministry started working on the law changes 10 years ago and the authority had been working with it for the past four years.

"We are hopeful that it will come to fruition early next year," said Egan, who noted similar hopes had been expressed before.

Source: NZ Food Authority