Australian growers of Moringa oleifera are fighting to reverse a federal food safety ruling that has effectively banned the ancient plant from being sold as a food or food ingredient in Australia, with one grower saying he invested everything he had into his farm just days before the decision was handed down.
Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) rejected an application in November 2025 to list moringa as a food or food ingredient, after the statutory body said it was unable to establish that the plant was safe for human consumption. The ruling applies to the leaves, immature pods and oils of the plant — also known as the drumstick tree — which has long been used in Eastern cuisines and health supplements.
New Application Filed as Growers Face an Uncertain Harvest
Somerset region grower Gary Duffy is leading the push to have the decision overturned. He has written to federal, state and territory health ministers seeking a stay on the determination while FSANZ assesses a new appeal he has compiled. However, a spokesperson from the federal Department of Health, Disability and Ageing confirmed the original rejection was not open to review or suspension by FSANZ or the minister, though a new application was welcomed.
That new application could take up to two years to resolve — a timeline that leaves growers in a precarious position heading into summer harvest.
"Fresh product going into the Melbourne and Sydney markets was all imported from overseas, and we want to try to bridge that gap," Mr Duffy said.
Wide Bay grower Joel Molloy says the decision has put his livelihood at serious risk. He spent a decade working in the moringa industry before relocating from the Gold Coast to Rosedale, approximately five hours north of Brisbane, to establish his own farm. He purchased the property shortly before FSANZ handed down its ruling.
"I invested everything I had into this farm, and it's 10 years of work, and then just overnight it's gone," Mr Molloy said. "We were never consulted; we were never warned."
What the FSANZ Ruling Actually Means
Under the current determination, imported raw moringa can be destroyed at the Australian border or re-exported. However, the ban does not extend to all moringa products — therapeutic goods such as capsules and powders that contain moringa remain available for purchase, provided they are registered with the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA).
FSANZ's original assessment was triggered by an application lodged in January 2024 by Noosa Organica Pty Ltd, which sought to amend the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code to include moringa as a recognised food ingredient. After reviewing the application alongside external peer-reviewed studies, FSANZ handed down its decision late last year.
The authority raised concerns about reproductive effects observed in mice and conflicting results around genotoxicity. It also noted that scientific information regarding the safety of the seed pods and oil was limited, and said it could not determine a safe level of human exposure without further dedicated human studies.
"The decision reinforces that robust high-quality scientific evidence is required when seeking approval for novel foods," a FSANZ spokesperson said.
Industry Consultant Says Process Is Standard — But Growers Want Faster Answers
Food industry consultant Courtney Stewart said the outcome reflects standard procedure for ingredients not widely available in Australia, noting that food standards exist to protect consumers and that scientific evidence must meet a high bar before novel foods are approved.
For growers like Mr Molloy, however, the pace of the process is deeply concerning. With a summer crop due for harvest and no clear pathway to market, he says he hopes for a resolution sooner rather than later.
Mr Duffy's new application is now the industry's best hope of getting moringa back on Australian shelves — though growers face a potentially long wait before they receive any certainty.
