New Zealand Food Safety has issued the new Food Notice: Requirements for Registered Importers and Imported Food for Sale 2026.
This Notice comes into effect on the 1st of February 2027. It includes the updated import requirements for:
- dried spices,
- milk and dairy products,
- bivalve molluscan shellfish (BMS) and BMS products,
- and tahini and sesame paste products.
New Zealand Food Safety also published the review of submissions on the proposed changes to the notice.
Background
New Zealand Food Safety invited comments on the proposed changes to the Food Notice: Requirements for Registered Food Importers and Imported Food for Sale. This consultation mainly covered the proposed changes to the import requirements specified in the draft notice for the following high regulatory interest foods:
- dried spices (chilli, pepper and paprika)
- milk and dairy products
- bivalve molluscan shellfish (BMS) and BMS products
- tahini and sesame paste products.
This consultation has been of interest to registered food businesses involved in the importation, manufacture, and retail sale of these products.
This consultation opened on the 15th of December 2025 and closed on the 15th of February 2026.
Summary of proposed changes
Certain imported foods that present a significant food safety risk to New Zealand consumers are categorised as High Regulatory Interest (HRI) food or Increased Regulatory Interest (IRI) food. This categorisation of imported foods allows for a targeted approach by New Zealand Food Safety to managing imported foods based on food safety risk. Imports of HRI food require border clearance for entry, whereas IRI food may require border clearance, if specified by a notice.
The current import requirements for dried spices, dairy products, BMS and BMS products, and tahini and sesame paste products are specified in Schedule 1 of the current notice. This schedule does not provide clear and thorough information on the import conditions and clearance requirements that must be met by registered importers of these HRI foods. The proposed changes to the notice will improve the clarity and transparency of the relevant import requirements. New requirements for tahini and sesame paste were also being introduced to strengthen the import controls for these products.
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