Important food safety update

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Registration for Food Safety National Programmes and Food Control Plans under the Food Act 2014.

The Food Act 2014 helps make sure that food sold throughout New Zealand is safe. The new Act has a sliding scale where businesses that have higher food safety risks will operate under more stringent food safety requirements than lower-risk food businesses. The Act brings in new food safety measures:

  • food control plans (FCPs) – written plans for managing food safety on a day-to-day basis. These are used by higher risk businesses
  • national programmes (1-3) – a set of food safety rules for medium and low risk businesses. You don’t need a written plan (or develop written procedures), but must register, meet food safety standards, keep some records, and get checked.

This is a reminder that all businesses operating under a Food Control Plan must have been registered by March 2017. For the potato industry, these would be manufacturers of ready to eat salads.

Producers of potatoes and packing operations (packhouses) operating under National Programme 1, and manufacturers of dried or dehydrated potatoes, crisps, popcorn, pretzels, soy crisps or similar snack products and frozen potatoes, operating under National Programme 2 will need to transition to the new requirements between 1 July 2018 and 28 February 2019. You should apply by 30 November 2018 to register your National Programme 1 or 2 business.

For more information please visit the MPI website