Food Act 2014

Provisions relating to recognition, territorial authorities, administration, and enforcement - Powers and enforcement - Powers and duties of food safety officers

313: Duties relating to imported consignments

You could also call this:

"What happens to imported food that's been stopped at the border"

When food or a food-related accessory is seized and detained under section 306, you need to know what happens next. If it is still with Customs or has not been cleared by the Ministry, a food safety officer must tell Customs or the Ministry in writing. The food safety officer has a role in deciding what happens to the food or accessory.

You must wait for the food safety officer's written consent before releasing the food or accessory from Customs' control or destroying it. Customs or the Ministry is in charge of making sure this happens. They must not release or destroy the food or accessory without the food safety officer's consent.

The food safety officer's consent is important in this process. Customs or the Ministry will keep the food or accessory until they get the consent.

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This page was last updated on 5 June 2025

View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM2996446.

Topics:

Health and wellbeing > Food and water safetyImmigration and citizenship > Border controlBusiness > Industry rules

312: Power to test samples of food or examples of food-related accessories, or

"Food safety officers can take and test food samples to check they are safe"

314: Detaining food or food-related accessory seized, or

"What happens to seized food or items after a food safety officer takes them"

Part 4Provisions relating to recognition, territorial authorities, administration, and enforcement
Powers and enforcement: Powers and duties of food safety officers

313Duties relating to imported consignments

If food or a food-related accessory seized and detained under section 306 is still under the control of Customs or has not been given a biosecurity clearance by the Ministry, the food safety officer must give written notice to Customs or the Ministry.
Customs or the Ministry must ensure that the food or food-related accessory is not released from the control of Customs, or destroyed by Customs or the Ministry, until the food safety officer has given his or her written consent.