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Proposed changes to the National Microbiological Database (NMD) Notice 2016

Your views sought

From 29 June 2016 to 10 August 2016 the Ministry for Primary industries (MPI) invites comments on proposed changes to the National Microbiological Database (NMD) specifications.

The NMD programme for red meat and poultry primary processing defines specific protocols, including:

  • training of samplers
  • collection of samples
  • laboratory procedures
  • review and response to results by operators.

The routine data gathering from this sampling programme enables operators to ensure their processing meets microbiological targets to ensure safe food production. 

Consultation documents

Draft Specifications for National Microbiological Database for Consultation [PDF, 916 KB]

Related information

The Campylobacter Troubleshooting Guidance has already been published and is not part of the consultation, but will continue to provide guidance for the new Specifications for National Microbiological Database. 

Download the Campylobacter Troubleshooting Guidance [PDF, 611 KB]

Current NMD requirements

Animal Products (National Microbiological Database Specifications) Amendment Notice 2016 [PDF, 164 KB]

Animal Products (National Microbiological Database Specifications) Notice 2015 [PDF, 121 KB]

Schedule: Animal Products (National Microbiological Database Specifications) Notice 2015 [PDF, 2 MB]

The three documents that form the current NMD are all combined into the proposed Draft Specifications for National Microbiological Database for Consultation.

What’s being proposed

The proposed changes MPI is seeking your feedback on, are in the Draft Specifications for National Microbiological Database for Consultation which have been restructured to facilitate ease of use by primary processors of red meat and poultry. The intention of the Draft Specifications for National Microbiological Database for Consultation is to standardise and extend the sampling programme to include:

  • all processors of red meat – bobby calf, adult beef, deer, goats, pigs, sheep and lamb, ostrich and emu
  • poultry – chickens including smaller more specialised types, end-of-lay and breeders, ducks and turkeys.

For poultry, the microbiological performance targets for Salmonella in chickens has been updated to facilitate improved process control, and the new Campylobacter Prevalence Performance Target (PPT) of the NMD Notice 2016 amendment will be incorporated.

In addition to this, the microbiological performance targets for red meat have been updated to facilitate improved process control.

After consultation

The intention is for the Notice to be finalised after consultation and issued on 22 August 2016 coming into effect from 3 October 2016 (at the beginning of the NMD fourth quarter 2016), with some interim provisions until 12 December 2016 for those participating for the first time, or for those where new sampling criteria are specified in the NMD sampling programme.

Making your submission

Submissions on the proposed changes to the NMD can be made by email to nmd@mpi.govt.nz

Make sure you include in your submission:

  • 'NMD proposed changes' in the subject line of your email
  • your organisation's name (if you are submitting on behalf of an organisation)
  • your contact details (for example, phone number, address and email).

Information can be submitted by post, but must be posted in time so that it arrives at MPI no later than 5pm on 10 August 2016.

The mailing address is:

NMD Consultation
Chemical and Microbiological Assurance
Ministry for Primary Industries
PO Box 2526
Wellington 6140
New Zealand

Find out more

This consultation follows a previous one that closed on 4 December 2015.

MPI proposed changes to the National Microbiological Database (NMD) Notice

Submissions are public information

Any submission you make becomes public information. Anyone can ask for copies of all submissions under the Official Information Act 1982 (OIA). The OIA says we must make the information available, unless we have a good reason for withholding it. You can find those grounds in sections 6 and 9 of the OIA. Tell us if you think there are grounds to withhold specific information in your submission. Reasons might include, it's commercially sensitive or it's personal information. However, any decision MPI makes to withhold information can be reviewed by the Ombudsman, who may require the information be released.