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New Food Rules – what you need to know

In the Domestic Food Review, Government has agreed to update New Zealand’s food laws to make them simpler and ensure that food business operators deal with risks more effectively. A new Food Bill will replace the Food Act and all subsidiary laws (eg, Food Hygiene Regulations).

This intends to move food regulation away from an inspection-based system, to a risk-based approach. 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.

The new Food Bill will move away from the registration of premises, instead to the registration of a plan on how the business will ensure its food safety is adequate to prevent foodborne illness where possible.

The following information is also available in pdf New Food Rules – what you need to know [240K]

What does this mean to me?

The new law means food business operators will need to actively manage food safety. This will be done using a Food Control Plan.

A Food Control Plan will be a folder containing a record of the procedures that your business follows to manage food safety, as well as checklists to fill in to record information such as temperatures, cleaning schedules, training etc.

When will the changes start?

These changes will start in July 2008 with a five year change-over period. In the lead up to that time there will be training, updating sessions and materials available.

When will I need to have a Food Control Plan?

The date that businesses in each food sector will need to have their Food Control Plan registered is yet to be finalised. These will be advised during the second half of 2007, however it is expected that food service type businesses such as cafés and caterers will be the first groups to be brought into the system.

Will every food business need a Food Control Plan?

No, some businesses will be covered by a National Programme, or Food Handler Guidance (which is educational only).

National Programmes are likely to cover sectors that provide food in bulk, such as growers. Food Handler Guidance will cover small or infrequent businesses such as some suppliers at Farmers’ Markets and Bed and Breakfast operators.

How do I get a Food Control Plan?

There are two main types of Food Control Plans:

1. An off-the-peg Food Control Plan is a ready-to-use plan that a food business operator fills out to record how each food safety aspect of their business is managed. Off-the-peg Food Control Plans are designed to meet the needs of small-to-medium sized businesses, including cafés and restaurants, rest homes and daycare centres.

They will be available from your local Council or free of charge from NZFSA’s website and will be registered with your local Council. Mostly, your local Environmental Health Officer will check that your business is following its Food Control Plan annually, or more frequently if required.

2. Larger or more complex businesses will develop their own custom-made Food Control Plan. These can be developed by modifying an off-the-peg plan, or written from scratch. They will need to be evaluated by an approved evaluator before being registered with NZFSA.

Where can I get help to meet these requirements?

Local Councils, NZFSA, private verifiers, training providers, and industry associations and groups will all play a role assisting food operators move to the new system.

How do I find out more information?

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

• Updates can be found on NZFSA’s website

• NZFSA also produces a free newsletter for food retail businesses, 4degreesC. Email: 4dCEditor@nzfsa.govt.nz or call 0800 693 721 to subscribe.