There are two pathogenic species of the Cryptosporidium parasite that infect humans; C.
parvum and C. hominis. C. parvum can also infect bovines. When excreted by the host, the
environmental form of Cryptosporidium is the oocyst, which contains four sporozoites, and is
a very resilient organism that can withstand many environmental stresses including
chlorination.

When undertaking cost recovery the New Zealand Food Safety Authority (NZFSA) will base its decisions on Government guidelines and high level principles as set out in the Treasury-produced ‘Guidelines for Setting Charges in the Public Sector’ and the Audit Office’s ‘Guidelines on Costing and Charging for Public Sector Goods and Services’. NZFSA takes into account constitutional principles as set out in Parliament’s Standing Orders and guidance received from reports of the Regulations Review Committee.

The New Zealand Food Safety Authority (MPI) generally does not regulate non-commercial food. This means that non-commercial food and related activities are generally not subject to legal requirements for food safety. ‘Non commercial' food is food not intended for sale. Non-commercial food activities include wild food gathering, hunting, and recreational catch; and home vegetable gardening, fruit cultivation, rearing domestic animals for food, homekill slaughter, and home cooking.

The Clostridium botulinum types involved in infant botulism belong to Group I and produce
type A, B and to a lesser extent type F toxins. When spores of the organism are ingested by
infants (who have an incomplete intestinal microflora) they may become established and
grow.

Organic food is treated in the same way as all other foods by the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI).

Ciguatera fish poisoning is solely caused by the consumption of seafood contaminated with
toxins produced by dinoflagellate microalgae, particularly Gambierdiscus toxicus. While
there are isolated reports of ciguatera fish poisoning resulting from consumption of nonfinfish
species, the disease is usually caused by the consumption of large finfish species from
circumtropical regions.

This Risk Profile concerns B. cereus in rice, as this food has often been associated with food
poisoning outbreaks where B. cereus has been identified as the causative agent. B. cereus
bacteria may produce either or both of diarrhoeal and emetic toxins. The disease caused is
generally considered to be mild and of short duration.

This paper is part of the New Zealand Food Safety Authority’s scientific evaluation of foodborne hazards. The focus is the bacterium Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP), which has been reported as a possible food contaminant, particularly in dairy products.

This report was prepared to provide scientific advice to food safety risk managers in New Zealand Food Safety Authority on the feasibility of defining a "short shelf life" for ready-to-eat (RTE) foods that can support the growth of Listeria monocytogenes, but during which growth might be so low as to cause no significant threat to public health.

Clostridium botulinum and related organisms are anaerobic bacteria that can grow in food and produce an extremely potent neurotoxin (BoNT) causing a food poisoning syndrome known as botulism. Internationally BoNT-producing organisms are of particular concern to seafood producers because one group of these organisms (Type E) naturally occurs in the marine environment and can grow and produce toxins at refrigerated temperatures. The aim of this research was to determine the prevalence of BoNT-producing organisms in the New Zealand marine environment.

The production of sheep and lamb meat is a significant part of the economy of New Zealand. Technological advances over many years have enhanced the efficiency, productivity and hygiene of sheep meat production, none more so than the introduction of inverted dressing (Longdell, 1992) where the de-pelting operation starts at the cleaner end of the carcass, and the pelt is moved downwards towards the rear, more contaminated, end.

This is a summary NZFSA report on the proposed post mortem examination procedures for the carcasses and viscera of adult sheep slaughtered in New Zealand. It provides an effective set of procedures that will continue to provide an equivalent level of performance for detection and removal of abnormalities of food safety and suitability importance. This set of procedures will also mitigate against any inadvertent cross
contamination with zoonotic pathogens that might result from unnecessary carcass handling.

The current bovine post mortem procedures in New Zealand for the examination of the gall bladder, pericardium, penis and reticulum were scientifically evaluated as to their contribution to food safety. A risk profiling approach demonstrated that the following changes to current procedures would not affect food safety outcomes: no examination of the gall bladder, examination of the pericardium included within viewing of the heart, examination of the penis when saved as for human consumption by viewing and examination of the reticulum by viewing during examination of the gastro-intestinal tract.

NZFSA commissioned Cawthron Research Institute to conduct a microbiological survey to determine the levels of total and pathogenic Vibrio parahaemolyticus (Vp) and Vibrio vulnificus (Vv) in Pacific oysters (Crassostrea gigas) collected from commercial growing areas in the North Island of New Zealand.

While disease caused by this organism is uncommon, the clinical consequences are often
serious. Two forms of disease are now recognised; a serious invasive disease and a non-invasive gastroenteritis. It grows at refrigeration temperatures in the presence or absence of air.