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Māori, Pacific and other cultures

Food is an important part of most, if not all, cultures. Your culture can influence where or how you purchase, gather, prepare, cook, serve and distribute food. Safe handling of food is important for everyone - at home, on the Marae and for large gatherings.

Food safety for Maori – on the Marae and at home

Hangi is the traditional Māori way to cook food. Safe food handling and food hygiene practices are important with all food, including hangi.

A guide is available for anyone involved in preparing a hangi. It includes keeping it safe from pathogens (bugs) that can cause illness. It covers all aspects of a hangi and describes how to manage each step to achieve a safe outcome. This is not about how to cook a hangi, but more about how to cook it safely.

Safe food practices when preparing and cooking a hangi – on the Marae or at home

Māori customary fisheries regulations [Ministry of Fisheries]

Food safety for Pacific peoples

An umu is the traditional Pacific Island way of cooking food. Just as for a hangi, safe food handling and food hygiene practices are important.

The guide ‘Umu Pasifika’ – covers the process of buying, transporting, storing, preparing, cooking and serving an umu safely. It also covers how to minimise food safety risks at each step, including when keeping leftovers. It addresses food safety issues relevant to Pacific peoples, such as bringing in food from the Pacific Islands eg, palusami and seafood, and delicacies such as Povi masima and raw fish salad. This guide includes several languages - English, Samoan, Tongan, Cook Island Maori and Nuiean.

Umu Pasifika – food safety for Pacific peoples

Bringing umu packs into New Zealand

Taking food between New Zealand and the Pacific Islands

What you can and cannot bring into New Zealand [Biosecurity New Zealand]

Food safety for other cultures

For all peoples of any culture, safe food handling and food hygiene is important.

New Zealand is a multicultural nation and this has influenced the great variety of foods that are readily available. Some foods are higher risk and need extra care in their preparation, cooking and storing, to ensure they are safe from foodborne illnesses.

Sushi – making and storing it safely

Rice – safe cooling of cooked rice

Shellfish – safe collection, handling and storage

Related links

Collecting shellfish and keeping it safe

Hunting, collecting and fishing

Take extra care with higher risk and some specific foods