Food Safety

Wednesday 1 July, 2009

Auckland Regional Public Health Service (ARPHS) has mutually agreed with the New Zealand Food Safety Authority (NZFSA) not to renew their ‘Clearing House’ contract and ‘Food Suitability’ contract which expired on 30 June 2009. The New Zealand Food Safety Authority (NZFSA) Verification Agency (VA) has, from 1 July 2009 taken over from Auckland Centre Clearing House (ACCH) the border clearance and related activities for imports of food into New Zealand.

NZFSA has set up an Auckland office of the Compliance & Investigation Group (CIG). This office will be responsible for delivering services previously delivered by the ARPHS Food Safety Team (i.e risks surrounding food safety incidents/events, non compliance related to Food Hygiene Regulations registered premises).

From 1 July 2009, food complaints, designated officer approvals, hygiene related matters and food safety programmes should be referred to:

Phone: (04) 894 2500 or 0800 NZFSA 1 (0800 693 721)

Fax: (04) 894 2501

All NZFSA import permit applications must be sent to:

Email: imported.food@nzfsa.govt.nz

Fax: 09 909 6208

Phone: 09 909 6210 or 09 909 6211

ARPHS continues to manage food borne notifiable diseases as per the Health Act (1956) and the Communicable Disease Manual (1998).

NZFSA Application Forms and Publications

Application forms and Imported Products Criteria

• Food Act 1981
• Food Safety Regulations 2002
• Food (Fees and Charges) Regulations 1997
• Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code
• Imported Food Standard Management Rule

ARPHS no longer publishes the Food Safety and Imported Products Advice. This has been replaced by a newsletter called “4 degreesC” that is published by NZFSA along with other food safety publications.