OIA24-0652
30 September 2024
Dani
[FYI request #28281 email]
Dear Dani
Thank you for your email of 3 September 2024 requesting information relating to food recalls.
Your request has been considered under the Official Information Act 1982 (OIA).
Food recalls act to limit the consequences of a failure or error in food production and protect
consumers by removing affected product from supply. Food businesses undertake consumer-level
recalls when products that pose a food safety risk have already been sold to the public. This
involves notifying consumers of the food safety risk.
Businesses can also use trade-level recalls to protect consumers. Trade-level recalls are generally
carried out when a product has a food safety or suitability issue and has not yet been sold to the
public. This involves removing the affected product from the supply chain.
New Zealand Food Safety (NZFS), a business unit of the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI),
supports food businesses to manage the removal of unsafe food from sale by coordinating all food
recalls for food products sold in New Zealand. NZFS work with businesses to ensure the recall is
effectively carried out, and with overseas agencies to manage any imported or exported products
being recalled.
Food recalls are a sign that our food safety system is working to protect consumers.
You requested the following:
•
I would like to request a compilation of all food recalls that has happened in New
Zealand since year 2014. This include consumer level recalls and business level
recalls (which includes products that have reached distribution centers and
supermarkets).
I would like the summary to include:
-
Name of the company (business number)
-
Name of the product (including different size, portions, packages, flavours, etc).
-
Production Date and Best Before Date
-
Batch information
-
Type of hazard and category (e.g., Physical - plastic, glass, etc; Biological -
salmonella, listeria, etc).
-
Volume affected (kgs, tons)
- Volume recalled (kgs, tons)
Charles Fergusson Building, 34-38 Bowen Street
PO Box 2526
Wel ington 6140, New Zealand
mpi.govt.nz
Information on consumer-level recalls from 2014 to 2024 can be found in the links below.
This is publicly available information that is published by NZFS on MPI’s website.
(Archived Page: Latest recalls (natlib.govt.nz):
https://ndhadeliver.natlib.govt.nz/webarchive/20151129190053/http:/foodsmart.govt.nz/food-
safety/recalls/latest-recalls/
Recalled food products list:
https://www.mpi.govt.nz/food-safety-home/food-recalls-and-complaints/recalled-food-
products/
NZFS has also started publishing an annual report on consumer-level recalls which includes
further information on recalls by hazard category and commodity classification for 2022 and
2023.
Food recall annual reports:
https://www.mpi.govt.nz/food-business/food-recalls/food-recalls-annual-reports/
Your request for the volume recalled and volume affected in tons is not centrally recorded
data held by NZFS and would require substantial manual collation. Therefore, this part of
your request is refused pursuant to section 18(f) of the OIA -
that the information requested
cannot be made available without substantial collation or research.
With regard to information requested for business level (trade-level) food recalls. This part of
your request is declined pursuant to the following sections of the OIA:
• Section 9(2)(b)(ii) -
would be likely unreasonably to prejudice the commercial position
of the person who supplied or who is the subject of the information.
• Section 18(f) -
that the information requested cannot be made available without
substantial collation or research.
Should you have any concerns with this response, I would encourage you to raise these with
the Ministry for Primary Industries at
[email address]. Alternatively, you
are advised of your right to also raise any concerns with the Office of the Ombudsman.
Contact details are: Office of the Ombudsman, PO Box 10152, Wellington 6143 or at
[email address]. If you would like to discuss any food safety concerns, please contact me on 04 894 0893.
Yours sincerely
Jenny Bishop
Director Food Risk Management
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