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Food Science: Standards and patents for Food Science

This guide provides an overview of key resources available for Food Science, and some strategies to effectively find high quality information.

What is a standard?

 

A standard is a document that provides requirements, specifications, guidelines or characteristics that can be used consistently to ensure that materials, products, processes and services are fit for their purpose. - International Standards Organization, ISO.

Food Standards

 

Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) is an independent statutory agency established by the Food Standards Act Australia New Zealand 1991.

The FSANZ develops Food Standards (Food Standards Code) which regulate:

  • food safety and handling
  • food labelling and advertising
  • food composition, including contaminants, residues and additives.

For non-food standards, including those recognised internationally, you can find them in databases like Standards Australia.

Australian Standards Online: A guide for users

 

Standards are subject to licensing and restrictions and are accessible through select databases. To access Standards Australia, users need to create an individual account on i2i (the Standards Australia platform) with their university email address to access Standards files. These files can be printed or downloaded but will include digital rights management (DRM) features and watermarks to prevent unauthorised sharing.

What is a patent?

 

A patent is an exclusive right granted for an invention. To get a patent, technical information about the invention must be disclosed to the public in a patent application.

Patent protection is granted for a limited period and only applicable in the country or region in which the patent has been filed and granted. Once a patent expires, the protection ends, and an invention enters the public domain; that is, anyone can commercially exploit the invention without infringing the patent.

Food Patents

 

Food-related inventions can be patented. Patents provide valuable insights into innovations, research and development trends, and also market dynamics.

Understand patent information

 

 

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Who

Inventor(s): who invented the patent
Applicant(s): who holds the rights of exclusive use of a patent

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What

Description of the claimed invention and related developments in the field of technology.

List of claims indicating the scope of patent protection sought by the applicant.

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When

 Priority Date in Priority Number: the date when a patent application is firstly filed at a patent office. Once the patent is granted, the inventor will have the exclusive right to use his invention from the filing date.

  • A standard patent lasts for up to 20 years.
  • An innovation patent only lasts for up to 8 years.
  • Pharmaceutical patents can last up to 25 years.

Legal status: grant, application, withdrawn, expired, abandoned, etc.

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Where

Patents are territory-specific. In application number or publication number, country codes  means in which countries the patent is protected.

WIPO covers 193 countries and states in 2020. A patent with WO in publication number is protected worldwide within 30 months of filing date, more information is available on WIPO website.

Patents for Science