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Draft Food (Tutin in Honey) Standard 2008
5 Maximum level of tutin in honey and comb honey
7 Who must demonstrate compliance
9 Option one: Holding records confirming risk managed in RMP
10 Option two: Holding records that demonstrate absence of tutu
11 Option three: Holding records that demonstrate low risk location
12 Option four: Holding test results
14 Requirements relating to sampling and testing honey (other than comb honey)
15 Requirements relating to sampling and testing comb honey
1 Title
This food standard is the Food (Tutin in Honey) Standard 2008.
2 Commencement
This standard comes into force on 1 January 2009.
3 Purpose
The purpose of this standard is to─
(a) set a maximum level of tutin in honey─
(i) for sale for human consumption; and
(ii) for export (other than to a country in relation to which a lower maximum level has been specified in a overseas market access requirement issued under section 60 of the Animal Products Act 1999); and
(b) provide for who must demonstrate compliance with the maximum level; and
(c) provide for a number of options for demonstrating compliance with that maximum level; and
(d) require beekeepers to be listed.
4 Interpretation
In this standard, unless the context otherwise requires,─
batch means a lot of homogeneous product (usually, but not necessarily, the contents of one tank)
maximum level means─
(a) the maximum level in clause 5; or
(b) if clause 5 has expired, the maximum level set in the relevant New Zealand only standard in the Australia New Zealand Joint Food Standard Code
NZFSA means the department of State known as the New Zealand Food Safety Authority
registered risk management programme has the meaning given to it in section 4 of the Animal Products Act 1999
tutin is a defined chemical compound (CAS no 2571-22-4) that causes toxicity in honey that results from honey bees gathering honeydew exudates from passion vine hoppers that have been feeding on the sap of tutu
tutu means Coriaria arborea.
5 Maximum level of tutin in honey and comb honey
(1) The maximum levels set out in subclauses (2) and (3) apply to honey and comb honey at the point of─
(a) packaging honey for sale for human consumption; and
(b) export (other than to a country in relation to which a lower maximum level has been specified in a overseas market access requirement issued under section 60 of the Animal Products Act 1999).
(2) The maximum level of tutin in honey is 2 milligrams per kilogram.
(3) The maximum level of tutin in comb honey is .04 milligrams per kilogram.
6 Expiry of clause 5
(1) Clause 5 expires on the earlier of the following dates─
(a) on the date on which a New Zealand only standard in the Australia New Zealand Joint Food Standard Code (setting a maximum level of tutin in honey and comb honey) comes into force in New Zealand; or
(b) on 1 January 2010.
(2) Despite subclause (1), if on 1 January 2010 there is no New Zealand only standard in the Australia New Zealand Joint Food Standard Code (setting a maximum level of tutin in honey and comb honey) in force in New Zealand but a New Zealand only standard in the Australia New Zealand Joint Food Standard Code is under development by Food Standards Australia New Zealand, then clause 5 does not expire until the date that the standard that is under development comes into force in New Zealand.
Part 2
Options for demonstrating compliance
7 Who must demonstrate compliance
(1) This Part applies to─
(a) the last person to pack honey that is intended for sale for human consumption in a package that comes into immediate contact with the honey; and
(b) any person who is exporting honey (other than a person who is exporting the honey to a country in relation to which a lower maximum level has been specified in a overseas market access requirement (notified under section 60 of the Animal Products Act 1999); and
(2) A person to whom this Part applies must demonstrate compliance with the maximum level by complying with one of the options described in clauses 9 to 12.
8 Beekeeper Requirements
A beekeeper who supplies honey to a person described in clause 7(1)(a) or (b) must maintain the records necessary to enable the person that he or she is supplying to demonstrate compliance with this standard.
9 Option one: Holding records confirming risk managed in RMP
(1) Option one is for the person to hold records at his or her place of business that confirm that the honey has been sourced from a processor that has undertaken his or her primary processing or apiary activities (including, without limitation, the harvesting of the honey) under a registered risk management programme.
(2) The records must be kept for four years.
10 Option two: Holding records that demonstrate absence of tutu
(1) Option two is for the person to hold records at his or her place of business that─
(a) identify the geographical location of the hives from which the honey has been harvested (either on a topographical map at the standard scale of 1:50,000 or by global positioning system); and
(a) demonstrate that there are no tutu bushes within a 5 kilometre radius of that geographical location by one or more of the following means:
(A) an aerial photograph or numerous ground photographs taken within the 12 month period before the honey was harvested:
(B) a recent topographical map at the standard scale of 1:50,000:
(C) a detailed record of the outcome of a thorough ground search undertaken within the 12 month period before the honey was harvested.
(2) The records must be kept for four years.
11 Option three: Holding records that demonstrate low risk location
(1) Option three is for the person to hold records at his or her place of business that─
(a) identifies the geographical location of all of the hives from which the honey has been harvested (either on a topographical map at the standard scale of 1:50,000 or by global positioning system); and
(b) confirm that each of those locations is in a low risk area.
(2) A low risk area is─
(a) south of the southern boundary of the areas controlled by the following Councils:
(i) Tasman District Council (as constituted by Local Government (Nelson-Marlborough Region) Reorganisation Order 1989, Gazette 1989, p 2375); and
(ii) Marlborough District Council (as constituted by Local Government (Nelson-Marlborough Region) Reorganisation Order 1989, Gazette 1989, p 2375); and
(iii) Kaikoura District Council (as constituted by Local Government (Nelson-Marlborough Region) Reorganisation Order 1989, Gazette 1989, p 2375); or
(b) above 1100 metres altitude.
(3) The records must be kept for four years.
12 Option four: Holding test results
(1) Option four is for the person to hold test results of samples taken and tested in accordance with the relevant requirements described in clause 13 or clause 14.
(2) The results must be kept for four years.
13 Application of this Part
This Part applies to persons involved in sampling and testing of honey as part of complying with option four (see clause 12).
14 Requirements relating to sampling and testing honey (other than comb honey)
(1) For honey (other than comb honey), a sample must be taken from each batch of honey before it is put into containers for retail sale.
(2) Before taking a sample of honey from a batch, the honey must be thoroughly mixed to ensure it is homogeneous.
(3) The sample must be submitted for testing to a laboratory that is accredited to ISO 17025.
(4) The person to whom this Part applies must, as soon as practicable, ensure that the results from the sample submitted for testing are submitted to NZFSA.
(5) The laboratory may combine samples from multiple batches for analysis if─
(a) asked to do so by the person seeking the test; and
(b) doing so will not compromise the test result.
15 Requirements relating to sampling and testing comb honey
(1) For comb honey, a sample must be taken by –
(a) collecting all of the honey that drains out when the comb honey is cut; and
(b) mixing the collected honey together.
(2) A sample from each apiary must be collected on each harvest date.
(3) The sample must be submitted for testing to a laboratory that is accredited to ISO 17025.
(4) The person to whom this Part applies must, as soon as practicable, ensure that the results from the sample submitted for testing are submitted to NZFSA
(5) To avoid doubt, this is the only means by which comb honey can be sampled.
16 List of beekeepers
(1) Every beekeeper must provide the following information to the New Zealand Food Safety Authority:
(i) his or her name; and
(ii) if applicable, the name of the company under which he or she is trading; and
(iii) contact details; and
(iv) geographical location of his or her hives.
(2) Every beekeeper must advise the New Zealand Food Safety Authority if there is any change to the information referred to in subclause (1).
Explanatory note
This note is for explanatory purposes only.
This food standard sets a maximum level of tutin in honey. The standard provides a number of options for demonstrating compliance with the maximum level. The standard also requires beekeepers to be listed with the New Zealand Food Safety Authority.
The maximum level for tutin in honey is set on clause 5. However, on the expiry of clause 5 the maximum level will be set in a New Zealand only standard in the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code.
New Zealand Food Safety Authority
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