"Easy as Pie" is NZFSA's latest release on DVD. It shows food businesses how simple it is to manage food safety with the help of a Food Control Plan (FCP) that can be used as a template food safety programme under the current Food Act.

The DVD features businesses across New Zealand that share their experiences with implementing an FCP. One of those is Wellington's Featherston Bar and Grill where manager Tony Hewitt says when he first saw the FCP he was a bit daunted by how comprehensive it was. "But then I started reading through it and realised it was just a matter of turning theory into practice," he says.

An FCP identifies potential food safety risks at each point in the food handling process – from receiving and storing goods to preparing, cooking and serving food.

Specialist Advisor Penny Tregear says judging from the interest so far the DVD "easy as pie" is destined to become a crowd pleaser. "Copies have been going out the door in a steady stream since it was launched in September 2010 and the feedback we are getting from councils around the country is that food businesses are finding it a really useful resource to come to grips with the FCPs."

Under the Food Bill currently before Parliament, it is proposed that commercial businesses in the food service and catering sector will be required to operate under an FCP and will need to document their food safety practices.

Parliament will decide whether to pass the Food Bill into law, but even without a new Food Act, restaurants and cafés can operate an FCP now. This is because the Food Act 1981 allows operators to be exempted from the Food Hygiene Regulations 1974 and instead operate under an approved Food Safety Programme and still keep their relationship with their local council. The FCP explained in the DVD is a 'template' food safety programme that has been approved by NZFSA.

The template contains a ready-made set of procedures a food business operator can use to manage the food safety aspects of their business. The FCP also has an accompanying diary for recording activities, such as purchases, wastage and maintenance. Step-by-step information and checklist style tools show staff how to manage risks to protect customers.

Penny says business operators are probably doing a lot of what is contained in the FCP already, but having it all recorded ensures consistency. "For the operator having this log of either daily or weekly activities and agreed procedures makes troubleshooting much easier if something does go wrong. This is because operators are able to see if staff have missed some of the protocols, such as using the right cooking time and temperature, or cleaning procedures."

Businesses interested in adopting an FCP can get a copy from their local council. Free copies of the "Easy as Pie" DVD can be obtained by phoning 0800 NZFSA1 (0800 693 721).

(SOURCE: New Zealand Food Safety Authority, Food Connect Summer 2010)