New Zealand Food Safety is out with a risk-based action plan for the next year that incorporates a whole-of-food chain approach to the identification, selection and implementation of new control measures to significantly reduce the foodborne campylobacteriosis burden in New Zealand.
The Action Plan includes: prioritization of selected actions for immediate evaluation/implementation; identification of a further list of potential control measures on the basis of current knowledge, and establishing a framework for their systematic evaluation, prioritization and implementation; setting of a public health improvement goal for the reduction of foodborne campylobacteriosis; and a lead-in to medium-term control measures that will likely be implemented in out-years 2022-2023.
Under the plan, New Zealand Food Safety will be primarily responsible for agreed actions and reporting against the work schedule. Industry will have responsibility for implementing both legislated and non-legislated actions.
The Action Plan includes:
- prioritization of selected actions for immediate evaluation/implementation;
- identification of a further list of potential control measures on the basis of current knowledge, and establishing a framework for their systematic evaluation, prioritisation and implementation;
- setting of a public health improvement goal for the reduction of foodborne campylobacteriosis; and
- a lead-in to medium-term control measures that will likely be implemented in out-years 2022-2023.
New Zealand Plan principles:
- The Action Plan will continue to be progressed collectively with government, industry and other interested parties.
- A set of immediate actions will be complemented by a parallel set of medium-term actions that evolve from collaborative workshops.
- A whole-of-food chain approach will be taken in identification and selection of possible control measures, which will be initially categorised as follows:
- those based on good hygienic practice; or
- those that are hazard-based; or
- those that are risk-based.
- Wherever possible and practical, actions and implementation of control measures will be on the basis of risk assessment and estimated levels of risk reduction (risk-based measures). However, some measures will likely be selected on the basis of reduction in levels of contamination at different steps in the food chain (hazard-based measures) and some will likely be selected qualitatively on the basis of good hygienic practice.
- Risk management decisions on control measures will include inputs on the level of scientific justification (as above), practicality and likely costs.
- Progress will be subject to formal reporting, including performance against any regulatory targets and the public health goal.
(To sign up for a free subscription to Food Safety News, click here.)