Update from Vincent Arbuckle, DDG, NZFS

Kia ora koutou,

Welcome to the October 2025 edition of Food News.

This month, I attended the annual New Zealand Food Awards (the Awards), hosted by Massey University. The Awards celebrate food and beverage excellence and innovation in New Zealand.

For almost 20 years, New Zealand Food Safety (NZFS) has been a proud supporter of the Awards and is a major sponsor of the Primary Sector Award category.

The winner of the Primary Sector Award this year went to Aoraki Salmon for their cold smoked salmon – blackcurrant with kāmahi honey product. Other finalists for the Primary Sector Award were: Airborne Honey (Mānuka honey MGO 300+), Gut Comfort (Prebiotic kiwifruit powder), Kiwi Sorbet (Red & Green), Mitchells Nutrition (Beef tallow), and Mīti (Smokey kānuka and honey beef bites).

You can read more about our involvement in the Awards on the MPI website.

Ngā mihi nui,

Vincent Arbuckle
Deputy Director-General, New Zealand Food Safety

Making Biltong 

‘Making biltong’ card for businesses registered under My Food Plan is now available. The card is available here; Steps to getting a 'My Food Plan'.

A reminder to complete simulated recalls

Please remind food businesses to complete their simulated recalls if they haven't already.

Businesses with a plan or programme under the Food Act, Wine Act, or Animal Products Act, as well as importers and exporters, are required to conduct a simulated recall at least every 12 months.

All food businesses have a part to play in the food chain and can be affected by a food recall at any time. All food businesses should understand what a food recall is and how it can affect their businesses.

A simulated recall is used to help food businesses prepare for the real thing by testing their procedures. A simulated recall can help a food business to identify any gaps in their traceability and recall procedures or demonstrate that they are working well.

Businesses can visit the How to do a simulated (mock) food recall webpage on the MPI website for further information.

Getting started on Continuing Professional Development for 2025-2026

The 2025-2026 Continuing Professional Development (CPD) year has now begun. New and updated resources are available on the Academy to help you understand and complete your CPD requirements. Steps 1-3 are due by 30 November, so plan ahead to meet this deadline.

Make sure you check out the CPD guide for information on extended leave and extensions. Getting in touch with us early helps to keep the CPD programme running smoothly and your records are up to date.

Continuing Professional Development drop-in Q&A sessions

The Shared Services team are hosting drop-in Q&A sessions for verifiers and CPD managers to help you prepare for next year. If you missed the October sessions, there are three sessions scheduled across November. Calendar invitations have already been sent. If you have not received them or would like them re-sent, please email foodacttraining@mpi.govt.nz.

New learning in the Food Safety Academy

Two new courses were recently added to the Academy – ‘Verifying template biltong production’ and ‘Asking questions effectively’. You can always see the latest updates in the Academy on the homepage so log on regularly to see what’s new.

Close-out dates for MPI Approvals applications

For the Christmas/New Year period, most MPI sites will be closed from 12.00pm 24 December 2025 and will open again on 5 January 2026. Emails will not generally be monitored during this time except for those that relate to public safety.

Please remind any food businesses you work with that if MPI Approvals receives complete applications under the Animal Products Act 1999, Food Act 2014, Wine Act 2003 and Organic Exporters by Friday 14 November 2025, the Approvals Team will aim to process these before Christmas. If further information is required, applications are unlikely to be approved before the end of the year and any complete application received after Friday 14 November 2025 also may not be approved until the New Year.

Support for exporting innovative food and fibre products

The Regulatory Advice Service recently launched a new webpage. The webpage is designed to connect businesses exporting innovative food and fibre products with the right support networks and tools to take their ideas to market.

The webpage lists:

• some key organisations that can help businesses with their ideas; and
• MPI support programmes and funding that may be available.

If you engage with any exporters of innovative food and fibre products, be sure to send them this webpage: Support for exporting innovative food and fibre products.

New Buying safe food online webpage

NZFS recently published a new webpage to help raise consumer awareness about the risks of buying food online and how to shop safely.

The webpage provides practical tips and guidance on:

• choosing trusted sellers;
• checking product information and food labels;
• ensuring food is packaged and delivered safely; and
• what to do is unsafe food is suspected.

Buying food online is convenient, but not all sellers follow the same rules. This resource supports our shared goal of ensuring food sold in New Zealand is safe and suitable - whether it’s from a local business or overseas.

We encourage you to share this resource with your networks and help promote safe food practices.

How to buy safe food online

Prevention is better than cure: join us for World Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness Week

From 18-24 November, join MPI, industry and professional bodies to promote the importance of keeping livestock and pets healthy to reduce infections and the use of antibiotics.

This year, the theme for World Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness Week (WAAW) is “Act Now: Protect Our Present, Secure Our Future.” Find out more on the MPI website: Controlling and preventing antimicrobial resistance.

Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) is a global health and development threat, occurring when bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites develop resistance to antimicrobial agents. As a result, antibiotics no longer work and make infections difficult or impossible to treat. Misuse and overuse of antimicrobials are the main drivers in the development of drug-resistant pathogens.

Infection prevention and control is one of the key principles in reducing AMR, with vaccination being one of the most effective tools available to prevent infection.

New Zealand’s veterinary and farming professions are working to reduce antimicrobial use in animals, particularly those that are critically important to human and animal health. MPI encourages livestock and pet-owners to manage their animals’ health through good husbandry and vaccinating where possible to reduce the need for antimicrobials.