New guidance and a supporting template are now available to help food importers understand, carry out, and document safety and suitability assessments before importing food into New Zealand. Safety and suitability assessments are an important part of ensuring imported food is safe, suitable, and com...

New Zealand Food Safety has published an update to the Further Processing Guidance Document, for secondary processors of non-dairy animal products.  The Further Processing Guidance Document helps secondary processors of non-dairy animal products meet the requirements of the Animal Products Act ...

New Zealand Food Safety has issued the updated Food Notice: Food Service and Food Retail Business Food Control Plan templates issued under section 39 and made changes to the Simply Safe and Suitable Food Control Plan template.  Food Notice: Food Service and Food Retail Business Food Control Pla...

New Zealand Food Safety has updated the ‘A guide to Alcoholic Drinks – what’s in them and how to label them’ following recent amendments to the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code arising from Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) Proposals P1049 (carbohydrate and sugar claims o...

An updated version of the IFS Guidelines for effective Foreign Body Management was issued in 2025, and provides a risk based approach to identifying and controlling foreign matter hazards in food premises. Review and download the guidelines here....

New Zealand Food Safety issued their annual Food Recall Summary Report for 2025 this week, which confirmed 57 consumer-level food recalls. Of the 57 recalls, 37 were initiated for domestically produced foods and 20 were for imported foods. Allergens in food were the leading cause for recalls in 2025...

Update: New caffeine rules approved (FSANZ proposal P1056) On 10 March 2026, the Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) Board approved changes to the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code (the Code) introducing new rules for caffeine and guarana extract. Businesses will have two years from...

New Zealand Food Safety has issued the new Food Notice: Requirements for Registered Importers and Imported Food for Sale 2026.   Food Notice: Requirements for Registered Food Importers and Imported Food for Sale 2026 (issued 1 May 2026 and effective from 1 February 2027) [PDF, 849 KB] This Noti...

New Zealand Food Safety (MPI) have recently published the Food packaging rules and guidance webpage. This provides information about food packaging-related requirements, including guidance on choosing packaging that keeps food safe and suitable, aspects to consider if businesses want to research sub...

The UK IFST offers free webinars on a range of food industry topics, from food safety, food innovation, sensory science, food processing, food science and nutrition. These can be viewed here...