Posts from the "Latest News" category
FR: Australia and New Zealand Create a GFSI Local Group to Elevate Food Safety and Consumer Trust
PR Newswire: The Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) is pleased to announce the formation of a Local Group in Australia and New Zealand as part of its regional outreach model. The new group, GFSI AusNZ, is the seventh GFSI Local Group, joining existing groups in Japan, China, Europe, US-Canada, Mexico and South Latam. Fifty local industry members have expressed interest in participating in the group, whose Steering Committee already comprises leading retailers, manufacturers and food service companies including Woolworths Group, The Coca-Cola Company, Coles Supermarkets, Kerry, Campbell Arnotts, Fonterra, McDonalds and Goodman Fielder.
Read Article →UK: IBM launches blockchain platform in Melbourne, Australia
Software Testing News: IBM has successfully launched its blockchain platform in a data centre located in Melbourne, Australia, according to a ZDNet report published last Monday (Feb.11th). The platform will allow customers to run their applications on the cloud, provided that they abide by data sovereignty requirements. Colchester explained that the blockchain platform will be used to revolutionise the whole supply chain and food safety industry in Australia.
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Fresh Produce Tampering: Prevent, Prepare, Respond
Auckland Workshop – Monday 4 March 2019
Join the Fresh Produce Safety Centre A-NZ team and United Fresh NZ on Monday 4 March at 2.30pm for an afternoon event that will help you and your organisation prevent, prepare and respond to future fresh produce food tampering.
Speakers include:
MPI Manager of Food Compliance, Melinda Sando & Communication Manager Sid Pickering
The Agrichain Centre Managing Director & United Fresh Food Safety Representative Anne-Marie Arts
Panel Session: United Fresh New Zealand Chair Jerry Prendergast & Foodstuffs Ltd Head of External Relations Antoinette Laird
FPSC A-NZ Chair Michael Worthington & Technical Manager Richard Bennett
What you will learn:
Better understanding across stakeholders of expectations and responsibilities
A window on best practice at each stage of the supply chain
Knowing who to contact if you suspect a tampering event
Improved compliance with food defence requirements in food safety standards
Improved attitude/culture – taking tampering seriously
Highlight another reason for optimum transparency
Understanding the associated incident management activity that the business may be required to manage
Networking drinks will follow this panel event.
To register please click here. This event is free for financial supporters of the FPSC A-NZ and members of United Fresh NZ.
Not a member? $50 to attend or pledge support of FPSC A-NZ here.
NZ: Woman admits putting needle in strawberry, sparking health alert
NZ Herald: A mother-of-two has admitted making up a story about finding a needle in strawberries bought from a New Zealand supermarket. Jaydean Temperley, 26, was charged last month with making a false complaint to police and by deception causing a $3565 loss for Pak’nSave supermarket, Timaru. The court heard how the supermarket destroyed 2040 punnets of strawberries following the initial complaint and police investigation.
Read Article →NZ: Kiwis find chewing gum, lizards, pills in their food
Stuff: Condoms have been found in potato chips, used chewing gum in a kebab and medication tablets nestled in dried cranberries. They’re just some of the baffling things Kiwis have plucked out of their food over the past five years. And while some of it boils down to blunders by manufacturers, it can also be malicious and costly, industry bodies say.
Read Article →NZ: Horticulture supports harsher penalties for food contamination
Horticulture New Zealand: Horticulture New Zealand supports a Member’s Bill, announced today, that will introduce harsher penalties for people who intentionally contaminate food, or threaten to do so. "Recently, we have seen some incidents of intentional contamination of fruit in both Australia and New Zealand and people need to understand the full and serious implications of such sabotage," Horticulture New Zealand chief executive Mike Chapman says.
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FPSC A-NZ Annual Conference 2019
The sixth annual conference of the Fresh Produce Safety Centre Australia and New Zealand will be held at The Refectory, Level 4, Holme Building, Science Road, The University of Sydney on Wednesday 14 August 2019 from 8.30am – 6.00pm.
Post-Conference resources can be found here.
FPSC A-NZ Announces New Board Directors
On Wednesday 19 December 2018 at the FPSC A-NZ AGM, two new board directors were endorsed.
The FPSC A-NZ board along with myself welcome Dr Jocelyn Eason and Brendan Hayes as incoming board directors.
Thank you to all the applicants for the board roles. It is pleasing to have such a strong field of talent with which to inform the selection process.
And special thanks to outgoing board directors Catherine Richardson and Belinda Hazell for their time and commitment in serving the Centre.
Read more.
AU: A barcoded apple is more important than you may realise
Food & Beverage Magazine: What is the significance of barcoding every single apple in a mountain of fruit at the supermarket? It seems a tedious process when an apple is surely just an apple. But, an apple is much more than what is seen at face value. It comes with a history – a place of origin, a past in which it was grown in specific soil and shipped in a certain container. This is valuable information, even for the humble apple, as a food recall could affect any product at any time.
Read Article →Seeking Director Nominations
The Centre has recently undertaken a major strategic review and is forging a dynamic new pathway as the leading organisation in food safety in the Australasian fresh produce industry.
Under its Constitution, two Directors are required to retire annually and are eligible to re-nominate for election. Therefore, FPSC A-NZ is seeking nominations to fill two Board vacancies, one from Australia and one from New Zealand (to become effective as from 19 December 2018). These are voluntary roles. The Board meets four times per year – usually twice by teleconference.
Candidates should have a sound knowledge of the fresh produce industry and experience in working on boards and/or industry advisory boards.
Skillsets to include one or more of food safety, innovation, R&D, communication, marketing, events, funds procurement and fresh produce operations.
Interested candidates should complete the Director Nomination Form and return to info@fpsc-anz.com no later than 5pm Tuesday 11 December 2018.