New Zealand Food Safety: changes for importers of frozen berries

New Zealand Food Safety has published a revised Food Notice for importers and food imported for sale in the country. This notice will come into force on 1 August 2024 and have an 18-month transition period, ending on 31 January 2026.

The revised Notice:

1. Changes the imported food category of frozen berries from Increased Regulatory Interest (IRI) food to High Regulatory Interest (HRI) food.
2. Changes the scope of the frozen berry category, with clearance required only for ready-to-eat frozen berries and specified frozen berry products. Frozen berries intended for further processing will not require food safety clearance.
3. Lists the berries that are included under these rules and clarifies the products that are excluded.
4. Introduces a new food safety clearance pathway for frozen berries, by providing evidence of third-party certificates of overseas manufacturers certified to a GFSI-recognised standard.
5. Allows food safety clearance of canned bovine meat products from the EU or UK with evidence of an EU or UK identification mark.

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