The new bill set out by the New Zealand government is set to help the country save up to 40 million dollars in food safety compliance costs. The bill itself took up to ten years to be created. With over 470 pages worth of important information and was first introduced in Parliament in May 2010, New Zealand is seeing the results of this new incentive.
The most revolutionary thing about this bill is its shift in focus. No longer will it be focusing on the premises that the food is prepared on, rather it will be looking at the activities within the food business. There will be a stronger focus on maintaining healthy food safety practices in the industry, which will help keep the practices in the food businesses in good condition.
New Zealand Food Safety Minister, Nikki Kaye, states that this new bill will help business owners save money on compliance costs. It will also make it safer for consumers because the businesses will be more wary in the way the approach the food safety standards. Storage of food and the cleanliness of the area of course is important, but the cleanly practices during food preparation is what is consumed by the customers.
Furthermore, food business owners also believe that the new bill will benefit food regulatory regime. Food and Grocery Council chief executive Katherine Rich believes that New Zealand is a country dependent on food production and the new bill will help ensure modern food safety laws.
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