Two recent FSANZ decisions are quietly reshaping what Australian winemakers can reach for in the cellar. On 5 August 2026, the FSANZ Board approved changes to the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code to permit the use of chitosan extracted from white button mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus) as a processing aid in wine, beer, cider and other alcoholic beverages [1]. Both come at a moment when Australian producers, from the Barossa Valley to Margaret River, need every compliant option available.

A1306: Mushroom Chitosan Finally Arrives for Australian Winemakers

Chitosan is a well-established fining and microbial stabilisation agent in global winemaking. Until now, however, its use in Australia was limited: only New Zealand-made wine and imported wine could legally employ it.

On 5 August 2026, the FSANZ Board approved changes to the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code to permit the use of chitosan extracted from white button mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus) as a processing aid in wine, beer, cider and other alcoholic beverages. The FSANZ A1306 page was last updated on 17 August 2026 [1].

What is chitosan and why does it matter? Derived from the cell walls of fungi rather than from crustaceans (the traditional source), Agaricus bisporus chitosan is suitable for use in wines targeting consumers with shellfish sensitivities. It functions as both a fining agent — helping to clarify wine by binding and precipitating unwanted particles — and a microbial stabilisation agent, with demonstrated activity against spoilage organisms. For producers in regions like McLaren Vale and Yarra Valley, where preserving delicate aromatic profiles is paramount, having a gentle, effective fining option that avoids the use of animal-derived products is a genuine advantage.

The approved use level is GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice), meaning winemakers apply the minimum quantity necessary to achieve the intended technological purpose — there is no fixed maximum residue limit to calculate, but GMP still demands discipline and documentation.

Important notice before you use it: Following Board approval, the amendment must be gazetted before it has legal force. Monitor the FSANZ website and the Commonwealth Gazette to confirm gazettal status before incorporating mushroom chitosan into your Australian-made wine.

Cellar Book and LIP Record-Keeping Obligations

Both approvals operate within the existing Australian winemaking compliance framework. Winemakers must maintain accurate records of all processing aid additions, and these obligations connect directly to:

Cellar book records: Every addition of chitosan — date, lot, quantity, vessel — must be recorded. This is not optional; it is the backbone of traceability from grape to bottle and the evidence base for any regulatory inquiry.
LIP (Label Integrity Programme) records: Wine Australia administers the LIP, which underpins the integrity of GI claims on labels. If you are making a Barossa Shiraz or a Margaret River Chardonnay, your LIP records must accurately reflect all winemaking inputs, including processing aids. Processing aids that are removed before bottling may still need to be declared as used; check current Wine Australia guidance on LIP record categories.
Lot traceability: If you blend lots — some treated with one aid, some untreated — your records must allow you to reconstruct the composition of every finished batch. This is particularly important if the final wine carries a GI or vintage claim.

What to Check Before Using Either Aid

Here is a practical checklist for Australian winemakers:

A1306 (mushroom chitosan): FSANZ Board approved 5 August 2026 [1]. Do not use in Australian-made wine until gazettal is confirmed. Monitor the FSANZ website and the Commonwealth Gazette.
Source documentation: Retain the technical data sheet and certificate of analysis from your oenological supplier for each batch of processing aid used. These support both your cellar book entries and any AGWA audit.
LIP declarations: Update your LIP record templates to include the new processing aid categories. If you are uncertain, contact Wine Australia directly.
GI integrity: If treated wine is to carry a regional GI — Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, Margaret River, Yarra Valley — ensure all records are complete before submitting LIP declarations.

Keeping Your Compliance Records in Order

Managing the intersection of new processing aids, cellar book obligations and LIP record-keeping across multiple lots and vintages is genuinely complex — particularly for wineries running concurrent ferments across several GI parcels. Cepaos supports winemakers with additions and cellar book records per lot, helping ensure that every processing aid addition is captured at the vessel level and can be traced back through harvest intake to the source vineyard block. The regulatory compliance module is designed to align with the record-keeping requirements applicable in your jurisdiction, including the Australian cellar book framework.

Stay across both FSANZ approvals and their gazettal status as the 2026–27 season progresses. To see how Cepaos can support your cellar book and lot-level record-keeping for new processing aids, visit https://cepaos.com/en-AU?ref=blog_auto_2026-w44.

Sources

A1306 - Chitosan from white button mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus) for use as a processing aid. | Food Standards Australia New Zealand — foodstandards.gov.au, accessed 28 October 2026. https://www.foodstandards.gov.au/food-standards-code/applications/a1306-chitosan-white-button-mushrooms-agaricus-bisporus-use