I’m planning a hangi. What do I need to know?
I think a restaurant in my area is unclean and has made me ill. What can I do to get it checked out?
The food I bought was past its use-by date. Who do I contact?
How do I make sure food products I buy from the supermarket are healthy?
I’m planning a hangi. What do I need to know?
The first thing you need to do is check with your local authority whether you will need a permit. Regulations vary depending on the local authority. You will need to have the right equipment and think about correct placement of the hangi pit to avoid drains, septic tanks or dry foliage. Make sure you work hygienically, purchase safe, approved meat, and store the meat safely to stop any bugs growing on it and your guests getting sick.
It’s a good idea to read this hangi guide first which will tell you everything you need to know about planning a safe hangi.
I think a restaurant in my area is unclean and has made me ill. What can I do to get it checked out?
You can talk to a health protection officer through your local hospital or contact your local council’s environmental health officer. Your council or hospital can help direct you to the right person. They may arrange tests and try to find the source of the food poisoning to protect others. If you are sure that the restaurant was the cause of the illness you could ask them for your money back.
The food I bought was past its use-by date. Who do I contact?
You will need to be clear on what exactly the date means on the food that you have bought. Different dates mean different things.
A best-before date just means that the quality of the food may begin to change on that date. This is not a safety issue and food can be sold and eaten after this date.
A a use-by date means food should not be eaten after that date. It is illegal to sell food with an expired use-by date.
Legally, goods have to be of acceptable quality. If the use-by date has expired then you should be able to get a refund from the shop or the producer might have a money-back guarantee. Check details of this on the packaging. If you are concerned that you have been sold food which is past its use-by date then you can contact the Food Safety Authority.
New Zealand Food Safety Authority
68-86 Jervois Quay
PO Box 2835
Wellington
NEW ZEALAND
Phone: +64 4 894 2500
Fax: +64 4 894 2501
How do I make sure food products I buy from the supermarket are healthy?
The Heart Foundation of New Zealand has developed a ‘Tick shopping guide’ to make it easier for you to shop for healthier food. Food with the ‘tick’ symbol has been independently tested for sodium levels, saturated fats, kilojoules, fibre and calcium. Food manufacturers have to pay to get their food tested to see if it deserves the ‘tick’, so be aware that not all healthy foods will have this endorsement.