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FSP – Register your FSP

Once you have developed your FSP, you need to register it with NZFSA. When you register your FSP, you are also applying for exemption from the Food Hygiene Regulations. If your FSP is approved, your details are published in the Food Safety Programmes register.

Food Safety Programmes register

2 ways to register

There are 2 ways to apply for your FSP to be registered:

• Option A: Full approval (this can be a less expensive option)

• Option B: Conditional approval

The basic steps for each type of approval are shown below.

For more details, refer to the ’Approval of a Food Safety Programme’ booklet.

Approval of a Food Safety Programme: Applying for exemption from the Food Hygiene Regulations 1974 [PDF 198 KB]

There is a fee for registering your FSP. The fee is stated on the application form below.

Application for an exemption from the Food Hygiene Regulations 1974 & approval of a Food Safety Programme [PDF 137 KB] [Word/RTF 261]

Option A: Full approval of FSP

For full approval, you need to get an external audit conducted prior to applying for registration. This audit must be carried out by an NZFSA-approved FSP auditor. The audit must be ‘closed-out’. This means that you must have corrected any faults (‘major non-conformances’) that the auditor may have found in their initial inspection, by the date they specify.

Auditors for FSPs

Process for full approval

1. You send NZFSA your completed application form, Food Safety Programme outline, and closed-out audit report. NZFSA requires all of these documents to proceed with your application.

2. NZFSA assesses your Food Safety Programme application against a checklist.

3. NZFSA either approves your FSP or rejects it. Approved FSP: NZFSA grants you exemption from the Food Hygiene Regulations, sends you a certificate to confirm this, and adds your details to the public FSP register. Rejected FSP: NZFSA contacts you or your nominated auditor. NZFSA gives feedback and asks for the additional information to be provided within a certain timeframe.

4. NZFSA informs your local authority (council) and your local public health unit that your FSP has been approved.

5. Your NZFSA-approved auditor conducts an annual audit of your FSP.

6. Your NZFSA-approved auditor notifies NZFSA annually that your audit has been closed out. If you pass the audit, the audit company sends you a certificate confirming this.

Food Safety Programme outline

The Food Safety Programme outline is made up of sections of your FSP. These are listed below.

• The scope of your operation

• Product flow diagram

• HACCP tables

• Identified CCPs (critical control points)

• Training procedures.

Option B: Conditional approval of FSP

For conditional approval, you have 28 days to get your FSP audited.

Process for conditional approval

1. You send NZFSA your completed application form and full Food Safety Programme.

2. NZFSA assesses your Food Safety Programme application against a checklist.

3. NZFSA conducts a peer review

4. NZFSA either grants your FSP conditional approval, or rejects your FSP.

5. NZFSA informs your local authority (council) and your local public health unit that your FSP has been approved with conditions.

6. Your NZFSA-approved auditor conducts an initial audit of your FSP within 28 days.

7. Your NZFSA-approved auditor notifies NZFSA that an audit has been closed out. If you pass the audit, the audit company sends you a certificate confirming this.

8. Your NZFSA-approved auditor conducts an annual audit of your FSP.

9. Your NZFSA-approved auditor notifies NZFSA annually that your audit has been closed out. If you pass the audit, the audit company sends you a certificate confirming this.

Next steps

Once your FSP has been registered, you need to follow it, keep it up to date, keep records and have it audited regularly by an independent NZFSA-approved auditor. FSP registration does not expire, but it can be revoked if you do not pass audit. If there is a change in ownership, you move premises or change your procedures; you need to let NZFSA know. NZFSA may need to review new procedures to make sure that you are still producing safe and suitable food.

For more on your responsibilities, see ‘Operate your FSP’.

Operate your FSP

For more about getting your FSP audited, see the page below.

Auditing FSPs

Contact

approvals.fssi@nzfsa.govt.nz

Updated 9 June 2010