Source: NZ Ministry for Primary Industries
Have your say
New Zealand Food Safety is inviting comments on the proposed changes to the Food Notice: Requirements for Registered Food Importers and Imported Food for Sale. This consultation mainly covers 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 will be of interest to registered food businesses involved in the importation, manufacture, and retail sale of these products.
This consultation opened on 15 December 2025. All submissions must be received by 5pm on 15 February 2026.
Consultation documents
Related documents
The current food notice
Background information and 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 are also being introduced to strengthen the import controls for these products.
Making your submission
Email your feedback on the draft notice by 5pm on 15 February 2026 to import.systems@mpi.govt.nz
A submission form is available to help you complete your submission.
Submissions form [DOCX, 68 KB]
While we prefer email, you can post written submissions to:
Imported food standards
Food risk management directorate
New Zealand Food Safety
Ministry for Primary Industries
PO Box 2526
Wellington 6140
New Zealand.
What to include
Make sure you include in your submission:
- the title of the document for consultation
- your name and title (if applicable)
- your organisation’s name
- your contact details (such as phone number, address, and email)
- any requests for confidentiality of specific information you provide.
Submissions are public information
Note that all, part, or a summary of your submission may be published on this website. Most often this happens when we issue a document that reviews the submissions received.
People can also ask for copies of submissions under the Official Information Act 1982 (OIA). The OIA says we must make the content of submissions available unless we have good reason for withholding it. Those reasons are detailed in sections 6 and 9 of the OIA.
If you think there are grounds to withhold specific information from publication, make this clear in your submission or contact us. Reasons may include that it discloses commercially sensitive or personal information. However, any decision MPI makes to withhold details can be reviewed by the Ombudsman, who may direct us to release it.
