,An application has been submitted to Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) seeking to amend the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code to explicitly permit the use of molecularly-imprinted adsorbent resins, also referred to as molecularly-imprinted polymers (MIPs), as a processing aid in wine production in Australia.
The application proposes an amendment to Standard 4.5.1 Wine Production Requirements (Australia only) to remove an existing restriction that currently limits the use of these materials in Australian wine production. Molecularly-imprinted polymers are a type of cross-linked polyester resin, a category that is already approved under Standard 1.3.3 (Processing Aids). Specifically, polyester resins, cross-linked, are listed in Schedule 183 as permitted processing aids for use as decolourants, clarifying agents, filtration aids, and adsorbents. As such, they are already permitted for use in food generally in both Australia and New Zealand, and in New Zealand-produced wine and imported wines sold in Australia, subject to applicable production laws.
While Standard 4.5.1 does not specify individual technological purposes for permitted processing aids in Australian wine production, the applicant anticipates that molecularly-imprinted polymers would be used primarily as adsorbent agents. Approval of the amendment would therefore align Australian wine production requirements with existing permissions for the same materials when used in New Zealand wine, imported wines, and other food products.
The application has been submitted by amaea Limited, a commercial producer of molecularly-imprinted, cross-linked polyester resins designed for the selective adsorption of specific molecules from liquids. The company currently markets this technology to wine producers in the United States, Canada, and New Zealand. Internationally, polyester resins, cross-linked, are permitted for food-contact use in the United States under 21 CFR §177.2420 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, and molecularly-imprinted polymers are specifically approved for use in wine production by the U.S. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB).
According to the application, the molecularly-imprinted polymer is intended for repeated use in the removal of targeted compounds from beverages, including wine. The technology is particularly effective in removing compounds associated with off-flavours and aromas, including those linked to smoke taint resulting from bushfire exposure of grapes. The polymers can be regenerated through washing to remove adsorbed compounds, supporting sustainable and repeated use.
From a safety and technological perspective, the processing aid is described as insoluble and macroscopic, with losses into wine prevented through standard filtration techniques already commonly employed in Australian wine production. In practice, the polymers are contained within a packed column, through which wine is passed during treatment. The polymers remain confined within the column, and filters at the column outlets are used to mitigate the risk of any polymer material remaining in the treated wine.
If approved, the amendment would provide regulatory clarity and consistency for Australian wine producers, enabling the controlled use of molecularly-imprinted polymers for targeted remediation purposes while maintaining alignment with existing domestic and international food safety frameworks.
Consumer News Region