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Food Focus August 2007

Feeding food waste to pigs

Businesses that supply food scraps to pig owners are urged to warn the food waste collectors against feeding these items to pigs if they contain animal products.

Feeding pigs food waste that contains animal products (such as meat, fish, poultry and snails), or may have come in contact with such products, is a risk to New Zealand’s livestock industries as it has the potential to spread diseases like foot-and-mouth disease.

It is illegal to feed pigs non-compliant food. Under the Biosecurity Act 1993 individuals can be fined up to $5000, and in the case of corporations $15,000.

The law requires this type of food waste to be heated to 100°C for one hour before feeding it to pigs. The easiest way to do this is to boil it for one hour, stirring frequently. The heating destroys harmful bacteria and viruses. The heating rule also applies to food prepared for human consumption, such as restaurant plate waste and home leftovers, if it has come in contact with animal products.

Pig food that doesn’t need to be heated includes:

• commercially manufactured feed

• eggs, milk and milk products, and rendered material such as meat-and-bone meal

• food waste not containing animal products, or that has not come in contact with animal products, for example green waste.

For more information visit the website: www.biosecurity.govt.nz/foodwaste or email: foodwaste@maf.govt.nz.