It has been found in a recent report that food regulators in Australia and New Zealand have permitted processed food manufacturers to market food products even if these are not verified independently.

General health claims can be made to sell products, said ministers, after a food and nutrition 2012 report was released last month in Australia. While the ministers have asked to include benefits like ‘product X boosts the immune system’, consumer organizations have been strictly criticizing them on their words.

Though, food manufacturers are happy with the same. They are of the opinion that this decision would help them innovation of food items.

It is being said by public health firms that the decision would instead of benefitting patients, harm them. Where one in every four people has already been suffering from being obese or overweight, the general claims may further possibly mislead them and cause them to suffer. And cure of obesity as well as other diet-related diseases has already been costing the country some $16bn a year.

Also, it is the reason that the National Health and Medical Research Council’s (NHMRC) is being called to maintain the Australian Dietary Guidelines as well as the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating.