Council helps food businesses understand new law

Council is coming to the aid of local food outlets to help them understand the changes that are going to affect their businesses under the new Food Act.

Group Manager Regulatory Services Kevin Currie says Council is helping businesses comply with the new regulations.

“We want to assist operators. We have held a series of workshops to help them transition to the new regime which were attended by about 80 people and were well-received.

”Subsequently we conducted individual mentoring at the businesses themselves to assist the operators implement their food control plans. This resulted in just over 40 businesses transferring on to the new system.”

The Food Act 2014 comes into force across the country tomorrow (subs: 1 March), placing a greater emphasis on operators taking responsibility for managing food safety. Businesses must tailor their food control plans to their particular operation and demonstrate they are preparing food that is safe and suitable.

The Act applies to a wide range of businesses, including any which make, sell, grow or transport food commercially. This includes those who serve food as part of their business, like schools or care homes.

It radically changes our food regulatory regime. Instead of previous regulations and local bylaws, a single set of rules for training, registration and other food safety aspects is being introduced nationally.

The main changes in the Act include:

• focusing on the processes of food production, not the premises where food is made
• food control plans (FCPs) for higher-risk activities and national programmes for those which are lower-risk
• a sliding scale where businesses that are higher-risk, from a food safety view point, will operate under more stringent food safety requirements and checks (a meat pie manufacturer will be treated more stringently than the corner dairy which reheats the meat pies)
• improving compliance and enforcement

Part of the intent is to reduce compliance costs for low-risk businesses (coffee carts, honey manufacturers, fruit and vegetable shops, corner dairies, petrol stations, boutique breweries etc, or those which sell only pre-packed food).

However the Act also places more responsibility on everyone working in the food industry to make sure that food is safe and suitable to eat. For example, people can sell food they have made at home, but must meet the same food safety standards as other businesses.

Minor and technical offences will be dealt with faster and more effectively, but penalties for the worst offences have been strengthened.

From 1 March, anyone who starts a business that involves food (or operators changing ownership) must follow the new law. This includes anything from restaurants to market stalls or internet cake sellers.

Existing businesses also need to make changes, but have longer to do so. There is a phase-in period whereby different types of premises will transfer to the new regime over the next few years.

Businesses wanting to know more about the Act can go on to the website of the Ministry of Primary Industries, which has developed a tool—Where Do I Fit?—to help them work out where their food activity or business fits within the new Food Act rules. By answering a series of questions you can find out what you'll need to do to comply with the Act.

The tool can be found at https://www.mpi.govt.nz/food-safety/food-act-2014/overview/

Council also has information on its website at http://www.kapiticoast.govt.nz/services/A---Z-Council-Services-and-Facilities/food-act-2014/

Anyone who has questions or requires further assistance can contact Julie Lloyd, the Council’s Environmental Health Team Leader, on 0800 486 486.

ENDS

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