1. What does it mean for Early Childhood Education Services
Food Act 2014
What does it mean for Early Childhood Education Services

2. What’s the Food Act? New law to improve food safety
First change since 80’s – focused on managing risk
Applies to childcare services that sell food or provide it as part of a paid service.

3. Why does it apply to ECE services?
Foodborne illness can make people, especially young children, very sick. The law is designed to protect them
A number of kids get sick from foodborne illness in childcare centres each year. They are vulnerable, food safety is an important part of keeping them safe.

4. What’s a risk-based approach?
Not a one-size-fits-all approach - different types of regulation depending on what you do
Higher risk food activities regulated more strictly that lower risk ones.
Focuses on things that make the most difference to food safety

5. How does the law apply to early childcare?
National Programmes 2
Centres that cook or prepare food
No registration – Just make safe and suitable food
Home based services
Snacks like fruit or crackers
All ECE services must make sure the food they serve is safe and suitable.
Some services also need to register and meet some requirements. This depends on what they do.
ECE centres or kōhanga reo that cook meals, or prepare food like sandwiches or salads, need to follow a national programme 2.
Those who only serve fruit or pre-packaged snacks don’t need to register, as this is very low risk
Home based services don’t need to register. But they are still required to make sure that food is safe and suitable, and can be checked and held accountable if they make people sick.
This was a decision made by select committee, and went through wide ranging consultation with the sector and the public. This decision was made based on the sphere of impact, and the difficulty in separating home-based services from nanny or baby-sitter services.

6. Activities not covered by the Act
Some activities are also outside the scope of the Act
Food brought in lunchboxes, birthday cake donated for shared morning tea - no sale of food, so not covered by Act
Curriculum catering (preparing food with the kids) also outside of the scope of the Food Act.

7. What do centres need to do?
Register
Most likely with your local council
Renew every 2 years
Meet food safety requirements
Follow some procedures
Keep some records
Get checked
By a food safety ‘verifier’ to make sure food is safe
Within one year for existing businesses. Every three years after that if food safety going well.
Those that need to register, will work under a national programme 2
A ‘National Programme’ is a set of rules for those serving medium to lower risk foods. It involves registering, following food safety requirements, and getting checked.
It balances need to protect children with desire to keep regulation and costs down

8. What procedures do you need to follow?
Food safety training
Temperature control
Cleaning
Separation
Hand Hygiene
Focus is on the most important food safety factors – like cooking food to the right temperature, cleaning, washing hands, keeping cooked and raw food separate
Training doesn’t need to be a formal qualification – but people need to know what they are doing to keep food safe
We’ve been out to visit centres, in our experience they were doing a lot of these things already. There were some new things – like using a thermometer to check if large pieces of chicken were cooked properly.
We’ve prepared tailored guidance so ECE centres know what to do

9. Record keeping: Minimal records required
E.g. poultry temperature, time taken to chill leftovers, food safety issues
Template provided
Centres have to keep some minimal records, e.g.
Write down that your poultry was cooked to 75 degrees
If you have leftovers that you’re keeping to serve tomorrow, record the time it takes to chill them.
Write down if you have a food safety issue, and what you did about it.
There’s a template provided.

10. What is verification?
Verification plays a vital part in food safety system as it is how we check that people are making safe food
Agencies that can verify you are listed on the MPI website. You need to contact one before you register, but you won’t be checked straight away. Existing centres have up to a year after they’ve registered to have their first verification.
A few childcare centres have experienced problems finding a verifier in their area. MPI is currently putting in place an action plan that will increase the number of verifiers across the country, and ensure consistent, affordable pricing.
Centres that can’t find one should contact MPI

11. What are the costs? Registration Every two years Set by local council
Verification
Every three years for centres that manage food safety well.
$115 to $210 per hour
2 – 3 hours if no food safety issues.
You need to pay for registration and verification (being checked).
Registration is once every two years, and each council sets their own fees.
You’ll be verified once every three years if you are managing food safety well.
Verification agencies set their own fees, and hourly rates vary from about $115 to $210 per hour. We expect verification to take around 2 – 3 hours in most childcare centres if there are no food safety issues.
If centres can’t find one in this price range, they should contact MPI

12. When do centres need to register?
New centres need to register under the Food Act as soon as they open.
Existing centres must apply to register by 31 March 2017.

13. Resources: Speak to your local council
MPI website:
Where do I fit? tool
Steps to a national programme 2  
Guidance for early childhood centres and kōhanga reo 
Template for keeping records  
Top 5 food safety factors for childcare centres