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NZFSA Policy Statement on Wild Food

The freedom to harvest food from the wild is part of the “kiwi” way of life. There are potential risks to public health from this activity, but it is not the intention of the New Zealand Food Safety Authority (NZFSA) to regulate wild food hunted or harvested for personal consumption. Food hazard risks will be managed or reduced through the provision of information sufficient to ensure that consumers can make safe decisions.

NZFSA acknowledges the importance of wild-gathered food for Māori communities and the importance of identifying the tikanga around traditional food gathering and handling practices, to ensure that where relevant, this is incorporated in food safety messages targeted at whanau, hapu and iwi.

NZFSA will continue to carry out research, including compiling data on quantity of consumption, frequency and location of gathering; identifying sources of foodborne illness, and identifying new and emerging risks from wild foods.

NZFSA will continue to monitor shellfish toxicity and ensure that the Marine Biotoxin Programme meets the needs of non-commercial gatherers.

Background to the NZFSA’s policy on wild food

Non-commercial wild food includes animals, fish, plants and insects that are hunted or harvested for personal consumption. Such gathering of wild foods is not subject to monitoring or risk management in the way that commercially available food is.

A review of non-commercial wild food undertaken by NZFSA concluded that wild food does not present a major risk to public health in New Zealand. However, the review did reveal a lack of reliable information on harvesting and consumption patterns of wild food, on how to safely harvest and eat wild foods, and about the sources of foodborne illness. Based on the currently available data the three wild food groups with the highest risk ranking are shellfish, deer and pigs.

NZFSA’s Strategy for Involving Māori in Food Safety and Consumer Protection Issues will underpin the implementation of the Wild Foods Project for Māori communities.

NZFSA has developed educational resources for the public – a Wild Food Safety DVD and two complementary booklets, ‘Food Safety for Hunters’ and ‘Food Safety for Seafood Gatherers’.

NZFSA monitors shellfish toxicity through the Marine Biotoxin Programme, so that consumers of non-commercial shellfish can be advised when shellfish in their area is unsafe to collect and eat. The other two foods that were identified as potential high risk were deer and pigs.

Further Information about the NZFSA Wild Food Policy:

Review of Wild Food for Non Commercial Use

NZFSA Position Paper on Non Commercial Wild Food

Hunting, Collecting, Fishing and Homekill

This page was last updated on 16 February 2009.