Changes in rules for selling food

Food Control Plans
Downloading the Food Control Plan for food service and catering businesses
Food Handler Guidance
Why make changes to New Zealand Food Law?
How do I find out more information?
Related links

Note: Version 2 of the Food Control Plan will be available from 10 July 2009.

A new system to regulate the domestic food industry has been designed following four years of consultation and policy development. While a new Food Bill is being developed to enshrine the new system in law, some parts of it are being trialled under the current Food Act.

Food Control Plans

The proposed law means food business operators will actively manage food safety. Most operators will use a Food Control Plan to help them do this. A Food Control Plan consists of a set of procedures which document the controls a business has in place to manage each risk in their particular process. There are two types of Food Control Plans:

1. Off-the-peg Food Control Plans

An off-the-peg Food Control Plan is a ready-to-use system for managing food safety. They will be developed by NZFSA for food sectors where processes are similar across that sector. More information about off-the-peg Food Control Plans can be found here .

NZFSA working with local councils

Before the new Food Bill is passed, NZFSA and most of New Zealand’s local councils are working together in a scheme called the Voluntary Implementation Programme to implement an off-the-peg Food Control Plan for the food service and catering sectors.

Downloading the Food Control Plan for food service and catering businesses
	Learn more about the Food Service and Catering Food Control Plan and download it in English, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese and Hindi. The Diary, as well supporting information resources and consumer brochures can also be found here.

2. Custom-made Food Control Plans

Custom-made Food Control Plans are written by operators of complex businesses to suit their particular process. They could be developed from scratch or adapted from one or more off-the-peg Food Control Plans.

In preparation for the new system, NZFSA is developing support tools to help operators develop their own custom-made Food Control Plan . The following have been released so far:

• The Hazard Database provides information on food safety hazards that can occur in New Zealand foods.

• Draft guidance for developing procedures is available to pilot and we would appreciate feedback by the end of June 2009.

The type of Food Control Plan that a business uses will depend on the level of risk posed by the products of that business. Not every business will need a Food Control Plan; some businesses will be covered by a National Programme, or Food Handler Guidance.

Food Handler Guidance

Food Handler Guidance brochures are designed to provide food safety advice to people who sell food infrequently or who or, as part of their business sell food to few people. So far, the following Food Handler Guidance brochures have been released:

• Hot tips for a safe and successful sausage sizzle

• Food safety tips for selling food at occasional events

• Food safety tips for event organisers

Why make changes to New Zealand Food Law?

New Zealand’s food regulatory regime has not been thoroughly reviewed for over 30 years.

Since 2003 NZFSA has been conducting a major review of New Zealand’s domestic food laws in order to:

• address inequities in the way the food industry is regulated across the country

• clarify the roles of the regulators (NZFSA, Public Health Units and Local Councils)

• stem the continued rise in the number of reported foodborne illnesses.

NZFSA intends to move food regulation from an inspection-based system to a risk-based approach. This means that instead of the responsibility for food safety being placed on inspectors to find any problems, responsibility is moved to the person in charge of the food operation who must be proactive in the way they manage food safety and suitability and must demonstrate how they manage food safety. This will bring New Zealand practices in to line with most other developed countries.

When the new Food Bill is enacted there will be a five year change-over period for other sectors. In the lead up to a sector’s change-over there will be training, updating sessions and information materials available.

How do I find out more information?

• Your local council will keep you up-to-date with developments.

- Contact details for your local council [Local Government Online]

• NZFSA produces a free quarterly newsletter (4degreesC) for food retail businesses which you can subscribe to by sending an email to: 4dCEditor@nzfsa.govt.nz or call 0800 693 721.

• Bookmark this page to read updates on the changes!