Federal Industry Minister Ian MacFarlane is promising major changes to Australia's food labelling laws in the wake of the frozen berries hepatitis A scare.

Mr MacFarlane is set to make a joint submission to cabinet with Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce.

The submission includes using symbols and larger print on packaging to show whether food is Australian grown or imported.

Mr MacFarlane says Australia's food labelling laws have been inadequate for about 30 years.

"Certainly since the late '80s it's been an issue that the NFF (National Farmers Federation) has grappled with," Mr MacFarlane told 612 ABC Brisbane.

"They've tried to sort out equity for farmers and try to protect consumers.

"I have to say the time has come where there are going to have to be some hard decisions made."

The Federal Government is under pressure to change food labelling laws following the recall of frozen berries that have been linked to 18 cases of hepatitis A.

The berries were grown in China and packaged by Victorian company Patties Foods.

Mr MacFarlane said he instigated a House of Representatives committee inquiry into food labelling laws last year and the committee reported its findings before Christmas.

"The committee has made a set of recommendations and I will respond to those recommendations," the minister said.

"We are determined to get a system which is more than words so we are looking at a symbol... that will allow people to look at a product and say I recognise that symbol as made in Australia or not."

He said the committee also recommended that country of origin labels be 30 or 50 per cent larger than the surrounding print.

"In the case of berries of course it was marked made in China," Mr MacFarlane said.

"People made a conscious decision, assuming they could see it on the label.

"We do need a system that works.

"I can understand why people are becoming frustrated."

Mr MacFarlane said the proposed labelling laws would help protect consumers and let them make an informed choice.

"It may say packaged in Australia from 50 per cent Australian produce or fully imported produce," he said.

"It can't hedge its bets by saying imported and or Australian produce.

"It actually will have to delineate in percentage terms between what they are.

"That's part of what we're trying to do with the symbol."

He says the Government is also looking at ways to improve inspection and quarantine of imported food to protect consumers.