Update from Vincent Arbuckle, Deputy Director-General, New Zealand Food Safety

Kia ora koutou,

This month has been a busy one at New Zealand Food Safety. You may have seen that we have released the third module of our Food Safety Basics for food service eLearning series. Since the series launched in May, more than 10,000 people have accessed the first module which introduces the basics of food safety, and over 4,000 for the second module on hygiene.

I am delighted to see so many people accessing the free modules, as they are a tangible way for food businesses to upskill their staff in food safety while saving on costs. This is one of many ways we are working to support businesses to produce safe and suitable food.

Module three focuses on ‘maintaining a food safe workplace,’ and is now available on the MPI website. The remaining three modules will be released over the coming months.

Recently, I spent time in Auckland and Timaru visiting food businesses to understand their operation and interaction with New Zealand’s food safety system. In Timaru, I visited Mount Cook Alpine Salmon, Juice Products New Zealand, and DB Breweries. While in Auckland, I spent time with Lactalis-Mainland Dairy, New Zealand Pure Dairy, and Ingham’s. I thoroughly enjoyed visiting these businesses. It’s interesting to see how they apply tailored food safety practices for their own operations.

The businesses I visited this month and the strong uptake of our Food Safety Basics modules demonstrate the sector’s dedication to building positive food safety cultures. Thank you to the verifiers who play an important role in supporting businesses to strengthen and sustain this commitment.

Ngā mihi nui,

Vincent Arbuckle
Deputy Director-General, New Zealand Food Safety

Proposed updates to the Simply Safe and Suitable Food Control Plan Template  

In October, as part of the Food Act Improvement Programme, we will be requesting feedback on the anticipated changes to the Simply Safe and Suitable template food control plan (SSS). The proposed amendments to Version 7 of SSS include:

• a simpler and more modular format;

• clearer information on critical food safety controls; 

• reduced or simplified record-keeping requirements where appropriate; and

• reduction of duplicated information.

The consultation will be live on the MPI webpage from early October, and you will have until 15 November to submit comments. You can find the consultation documents and how to submit on the MPI website: Consultations.

Online survey: New Zealand Food Safety is seeking feedback from food, beverage, or animal products exporters

New Zealand Food Safety is running a quick 20-question survey to help better understand the needs of exporters and tailor resources to help meet their New Zealand exporting requirements.

If you’re responsible for managing your organisation’s export requirements with MPI, please take part. All responses will remain anonymous.

The Navigators (a research agency) is conducting the survey on behalf of New Zealand Food Safety. You may have recently received an email about this survey from The Navigators. If not, click on the link below to participate.

To start the survey, please follow this link: New Zealand Food Safety Exporter Survey

If you do not manage the exporting requirements of your organisation, please forward this information to the appropriate person – one completion per organisation is preferred.

For further information, please contact:

Penny Turner, Director, The Navigators

Email: penny.turner@thenavigators.co.nz   

Grace Powell, Manager – Regulatory Advice Service, New Zealand Food Safety

Email: grace.powell@mpi.govt.nz 

New Food Act application forms

To make the MPI Food Control Plan (FCP) amendment application process clearer and more efficient, the existing FA11FCP Amendment Application Form has been replaced with two separate forms:

• FA11T - for amendments to template FCP registrations.
• FA11C - for amendments to custom FCP registrations.

The new forms are designed to reduce confusion and minimise rework.

 We have also increased the use of plain language and added clearer instructions to parts of the forms that businesses often find difficult.

If you are a verifier and have MPI-registered operators wanting to make amendments, please advise them about the new forms.

All our forms are available here - Forms and documents for Food Act plans and programmes

Action: Please update your bookmarks, templates, and guidance material to reference MPI’s forms FA11T and FA11C instead of the FA11FCP amendment form.

Updated Hemp Seeds as Food Guidance now available

New Zealand Food Safety has updated ‘A guide to hemp seeds as a food’ following recent amendments to the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 1977. The amendments now allow hemp cultivation, use, and supply without a license.

These updates align the guidance with the new hemp cultivation notification requirements and ensure information on importing, using, and exporting hemp reflects current practice.

Read the updated guidance here: A guide to hemp seeds as food.

2025-2026 Continuing Professional Development year ends on 30 September

30 September is the final day of the current Continuing Professional Development (CPD) year and the deadline to complete all CPD steps.

Make sure to check the CPD Guide or CPD Manager Guide for details about requesting extensions or taking extended leave if you or your staff are unable to meet this deadline.

Academy upgrade and offline period

The Academy will be undergoing a significant upgrade for the 2026-2027 CPD year. To complete the upgrade, the Academy's annual offline period will be longer than usual.

The Academy will be unavailable from 1 October until 23 October while we carry out the upgrade and testing needed to ensure the new system is ready for users.

If you would like to contribute your thoughts on our new learning search features, please click here to complete a short survey: Academy learning activity search options

HACCP for Evaluators

New Zealand Food Safety is currently developing a new course on Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) for evaluators. We value your thoughts and suggestions on the subject while we develop this learning material. Please click here to complete a short survey: Share your thoughts on a new HACCP course for evaluators.

Updated Further Processing Guidance Document is now available

New Zealand Food Safety has published an update to the Further Processing Guidance Document, for secondary processors of non-dairy animal products. 

The Further Processing Guidance Document helps secondary processors of non-dairy animal products meet the requirements of the Animal Products Act 1999. It also supports businesses operating under the Food Act by providing clear information on further processing requirements and good industry practices.

The updated guidance includes a revised Concentration and Drying section that brings together current requirements and references in one place. It also updates references throughout the guidance to align with the Animal Products Regulations 2021 and the Animal Products Notice: Production, Supply and Processing, helping industry access clear and up-to-date information.

Read the updated guidance here: Further Processing: Heat treatment, Commercial Sterilisation, High Pressure Processing, and Concentration and Drying – guidance document.

Titiro’s new name: COVES

On 22 September, Titiro was renamed “Collaborative Oversight, Verification and Enforcement System” (COVES). While the name is different, COVES’ functionality remains the same.

COVES is the online tool for recording:

• verifications of businesses operating under the Food Act 2014; and
• enforcement outcomes.

Information contributed by our co-regulatory partners through COVES helps New Zealand Food Safety monitor and oversee the delivery of the food regulatory system.

Information about COVES can be found on MPI’s website - Coves: The Food Act verification and enforcement recording system.