2022 New Zealand Food Awards

NZFS have been partners and sponsors of the New Zealand Food Awards for many years. The awards are an opportunity to promote and recognise excellence in the food and beverage sector. The last few years have shown us that this sector is more important than ever before for New Zealand and will play a pivotal role in supporting our economic recovery from the effects of COVID-19.

NZFS sponsored the 2022 Primary Sector Award, the five finalists were Beard Brothers - Beef and Blue Cheese Sausage, Bellefield Butter Co - Honey and Lemon Cultured Butter, Bostock Brothers - Organic Free Range Chicken, Mt Cook Alpine Salmon - First of Season Malossol Caviar, and Poaka Artisan Cured Meats - Salami Whole – Chorizo. At the gala dinner earlier this month Hon Meka Whaitiri, Minister for Food Safety announced the winner, Poaka Artisan Cured Meats who also won the Cuisine Artisan Award and the Supreme Award.

Congratulations to all the 2022 finalists and winners.

Directed verification of registered food importers

If you are working with a Registered Food Importer and they have questions about Directed Verification, you can direct them to this new web page on the MPI website which outlines some key information.

Plastic phase-outs

Since 1 October 2022, the first stage to remove and ban certain single use plastic products from New Zealand has come into effect. These regulations focus on removing polystyrene food and drink packaging, which is resin code 6.

More information on the specifics of the ban can be found here on the Ministry for the Environment website and guidance for sellers and manufacturers of products banned can be found here.

Risk of Hepatitis A from frozen berries - update

As previously communicated, a consumer level recall was published on the NZFS website on 4 October of Pams brand Mixed Berries, Two Berry Mix, Smoothie Berry Mix, and Raspberries along with existing advice to heat treat all frozen berries.

NZFS has provided guidance to consumers on how to make frozen berries safe to eat, including a video. A poster to remind consumers on how to handle frozen berries safely has been created by NZFS and will be displayed in major supermarkets nationwide, on shelves where frozen berries are stocked.

Importers and users of frozen berries have been advised to consider the risk of Hepatitis A and ensure due diligence when sourcing frozen berries. 

Territorial Authorities and Verifiers please note that when you are verifying businesses who retail or uses frozen berries (for example local dairies, cafes) please check they are aware of the recall and are not selling or using recalled products. If they have been selling any of the recalled product, they should have removed affected product from sale.

When you are verifying businesses who use frozen berries in general, please ensure that they are aware of the increased risk of Hepatitis A as a hazard and have taken appropriate measures to ensure they are supplying or producing safe and suitable food. 

Verifiers Needed for Animal Products Act Businesses

NZFS are encouraging agencies to consider offering verification services under the Animal Products Act 1999 (APA) for the food sectors struggling to find verifiers.

The sectors regularly seeking verifiers are extractors and processors of bee products for export, egg producers and processors, dairy farms/manufacturers/stores (particularly dairy products for domestic market), and dual operator butchers.

To verify these sectors, agencies need to be recognised for verification of Risk Management Programmes under the APA.

To become recognised, agencies need to meet criteria detailed in the APA and relevant Notices, including:

• be accredited as a Type A or Type C inspection body issued in accordance with ISO 17020; 
• meet recognition criteria set out by Part 8 of the APA which includes fitness and properness checks;
• submit an AP8 application form and fee.

Individual verifiers must also meet criteria detailed in the APA and in relevant Notices, including:

• undergo a technical assessment;
• achieve a quality system audit qualification;
• apply to MPI, submitting the AP7 application form and fee.

For further information visit our website.

Continuing Professional Development

Congratulations to those of you who have completed all the CPD requirements for the year 2021/22. We are analysing the data and will provide you with an update in the next Food News.

CPD Self -Assessment and Learning plans for Year 2022/23

We are now in the 2022/23 Continuing Professional Development Year. You will need to complete your self-assessment and two learning plans by 30 November 2022. Your Learning Plans (at least one for the Professional pathway and one for the Technical pathway) should capture your learning and development goals from now until 30 September 2023.

Email us at ContinuingProfessionalDev@mpi.govt.nz if you have any questions, concerns, or feedback. 

Learning resources in The Food Safety Academy

We would like your feedback on what learning resources or content you would like to see added to the Food Safety Academy.

The Academy was designed to provide a collaborative platform combining MPI-developed content and a means to share knowledge, expertise, resources and information.

Please let us know:

• which new topics you would like to see covered in the Academy;
• which existing resources you would like to see developed further or updated;
• which type of learning resource you find most useful (for example case studies, e-learning modules, podcasts, directories, slide presentations, videos, recorded webinars or other);

• how we could better facilitate collaboration amongst the community.

Email your feedback to  continuingprofessionaldev@mpi.govt.nz by 5pm 30 November 2022

Food Act Template Review Project

On 18 October 2022, New Zealand Food Safety opened consultation on the Food Notice: Requirements for Food Control Plans and National Programmes, and Food Notice: Food Service and Food Retail Business Food Control Plan templates issued under section 39. The Simply Safe & Suitable template food control plan is included in this consultation.

We need your help to make sure the rules are clear and easy to understand. You can have your say on these changes here. Submissions close at 5pm on 14 November 2022.