Guidance and forms for dairy processors
Manuals, guidelines, and forms for managing food safety in dairy. Included are documents on dairy heat treatment, pathogen management plan, dairy maintenance compounds, novel technologies, risk organism response, and more.
Guidance for dairy processors

This guidance document provides clarification for dairy processors who undertake alkaline phosphatase testing as a quality control test.

Import information for manufacturers of infant formula products

InformationPamphlet

Specifies requirements for controlling risk organisms and gives guidance on preparing Risk Organism Response Plans for processors of dairy material and product



Sets out additional criteria for general dairy processing by dairy processors and dairy risk management programme operators.

Sets out additional criteria for the processing of raw milk in farm dairies.

DPC 3: Animal Products (Dairy): Approved Criteria for the Manufacturing of Dairy Material and Product.

Pursuant to clause 9 of the Animal Products (Dairy Processing Specifications) Notice 2006, I, Carol Barnao, Director (Standards) issue the “DPC 4: Animal Products (Dairy): Approved Criteria for Storage and Transportation of Dairy Material and Products” for the purpose[s] of-
(1) Setting out additional criteria for the general dairy processing of dairy material or dairy products that are valid and appropriate requirements against which to assess such operations.
(2) The criteria in this document are to be used by recognised agencies and persons when evaluating or verifying a risk management programme covering dairy processing activities unless alternative criteria have been recognised as valid and appropriate, and approved.


This guideline is designed to assist staff of regulated parties (dairy product manufacturers, etc), Recognised Agencies (RAs) and New Zealand Food Safety Authority (NZFSA) in the practical implementation of the NZFSA Criteria for Dairy Factory Water. It provides guidance for the development of a Water Management Plan

What's involved when export containers of dairy product issued an NZFSA official assurance are officially opened prior to export by NZ Customs officers.

- Dilution calculation worksheet [DOCX, 133 KB]
- Dilution calculation worksheet [PDF, 22 KB]
It is important that milk and milk products offered for sale do not contain residues at levels that exceed allowable maximum residue limits (MRL). Accordingly NZFSA specifications require that risk management programmes (RMP’s) must ensure that intervention occurs when they become aware of residues above the maximum residue limit (MRL), or suspect that the dairy material may contain residues above the MRL.

- Dilution calculation worksheet [DOCX, 133 KB]
- Dilution calculation worksheet [PDF, 22 KB]
This guideline sets out a process for assessing disposition options for dairy material or dairy product manufactured from raw milk which contained, or may have contained, residues of an inhibitory substance, veterinary medicine or agricultural compound.
Forms for dairy processors

- AP49 Processing Categories Tables [PDF, 1035 KB]
- Application Guidelines for Approvals under the Animal Products Act [PDF, 327 KB]
If you process or manufacture animal products, you may need to register a risk management programme (RMP) with MPI. Use this form to apply for registration of your RMP.


- AP4 Registration of Risk Management Programme [PDF, 712 KB]
- AP49 Processing Categories Tables [DOCX, 351 KB]
Processing categories are used to aid in the registration of a Risk Management Programme or Amendment to a RMP as required under sections 20 and 25 of the Animal Products Act 1999 (APA) and for the purposes of review and/or update as required under section 26 of the APA.

If you make certain minor amendments to your risk management programme (RMP) that do not require registration, you must notify MPI. Use this form to notify MPI of any minor amendments to your RMP that do not require registration.

- AP6 Risk Management Programme amendment registration [DOCX, 524 KB]
Use this form if you wish to make significant amendments to a registered risk management programme.

Use this form if you are an RMP operator changing recognised agencies, or where an agreement with a recognised agency has been terminated.

Advice of designated operator and/or designated persons.

Use this form to notify the Auckland Dairy Certification Unit of changes to the accountable and/or designated persons for the purposes of applying for an Official Organic Assurance for your consignment.

Dilution calculation worksheet

To be completed when a country export requirement specifies the exported dairy products to be from an approved premises covered by a RMP.

Use this form to apply for approval or recognition of a dairy maintenance compound under regulation 30(1) of the Animal Products (Dairy) Regulations 2005.

Must be completed and held by the farm dairy operator and a copy made available to the operator of the farm dairy risk management programme.


For the purposes of recording the outcome of an animal health veterinary assessment. To be held by the RCS farm dairy operator as a record for a minimum of 4 years.

- DPF 304 Alternative Criteria [DOC, 427 KB]
Under section 10 of the Animal Products (Dairy Processing Specifications) Notice 2011, alternative criteria may be approved by the Director-General in a particular case, provided the alternative criteria can demonstrate, to the Director-General’s satisfaction, that the required outcomes will be achieved.

Apply for verification of dairy product that has left and returned to NZ so it can be released in NZ or be re-exported with official assurance.