New Zealand proposes food safety regulation changes

The New Zealand Government has opened consultations on proposed updates to the ‘Simply Safe & Suitable’ food control plan template. The initiative aims to reduce administrative burdens for food businesses by minimizing paperwork and focusing on significant risks.

Proposed changes include implementing a modular template that businesses can tailor to their specific operations, reducing repetitive requirements, and simplifying language to make rules easier to understand. The plan also seeks to create clearer links between hazards, monitoring, and corrective actions.

Food Safety Minister Andrew Hoggard stated that the proposals are intended to cut unnecessary complexity and duplication. This follows recent regulatory adjustments, such as providing free online food safety training, easing rules for exporters, and revising registration requirements for home-based cake makers.