Linda Hall: New food laws take the biscuit

At the rate we are going, stall holders at food markets won't be able to offer tastings and everything will have to be double-wrapped.

The new food laws seem way over the top to me.

The way we are heading there will be no such thing as farmers' markets or food stalls at galas because anyone making food for the public will have to jump through so many hoops it just won't be worth it.

I fear for the cream and scones at school galas and the good old sausage sizzle.

At the rate we are going, stall holders at food markets won't be able to offer tastings and everything will have to be double-wrapped.

I do understand that there have to be regulations.

We in Hawke's Bay understand that better than the rest of the country, after what we have just been through with the water.

However, people the world over have sold their wares to make a living or raise money for charity for hundreds of years.

The new rules cover every single transaction where food and money are exchanged.

So, if a baker is going to sell their goods at a fair they have to pay to get a food control plan, get their kitchen inspected and keep a diary of baking and cleaning.

That includes online for people selling cakes for special occasions.

I know someone who does this. She's a solo mum and tops up her income by selling the most amazing cakes. She doesn't sell hundreds of them.

There is no way she can afford what I understand is close to $1000 to "be legal".

It's just crazy.

What is even crazier is that although the Ministry for Primary Industries states the new rules are to protect us, charities, church groups and schools can sell food for charitable, philanthropic or cultural reasons up to 20 times, then they have to register.

So I guess that means the kitchens people are cooking those goods in are clean 20 times a year but after that they are not safe to cook in and we the public need to be "protected".

What will be next? Will the inspector have to come around if you are having more than 20 people for dinner?

What about the backyard barbecue or the hangi?

What about parties and funerals where people all gather and bring food?

It's PC at its worst. People attending markets and galas know the food at the cake stall is made in someone's kitchen.

It's their choice if they want to buy it.

As for kitchen inspections, if there really are dodgy cooks out there, what's to stop them cleaning up for the inspectors then falling back into bad habits as soon as the officials are out the door?

We've all seen those telly programmes where health inspectors visit restaurants and find the kitchen in a filthy state.

Once again it will be the people who don't need to comply who will do so and those who have caused the rules to be changed who won't.

Although I must say I haven't heard of any mass sickness from food anywhere in New Zealand ... only the water and that wasn't the home cooks' doing.

- Linda Hall is assistant editor of Hawke's Bay Today.