Health officials try to find way out of a jam

Ian and Gloria Crawford have made jams and other goodies for charity for the past 12 years. Photo / Northern Advocate

Health authorities are working to find a way around regulations that ban homemade jams and pickles from being sold to the public, after a complaint was laid against a hospice fundraiser.

The issue arose when the Far North District Council's environmental health service acted on a report of the sale of pickles and jams through the Hospice Shop in Kerikeri.

Funds raised from the sweet and savoury spreads contributed $5000 to hospice funds each year.

The operation came to a halt when the council's environmental health officers determined that the activity was illegal under the provisions of the Food Hygiene Regulations, which require people who regularly cook home foods for public consumption do so in a kitchen separate from their home kitchen.

Council spokeswoman Alison Lees said the second-kitchen option was not one jam makers could pursue and so their products were removed.

Among those affected are Gloria and Ian Crawford, of Waipapa, who have made jams and other goodies for charity for 12 years.

The incident has sparked national scrutiny about the issue of charitable home bakers and the regulations, which are recognised as outdated and will be replaced by a new Food Act that places the emphasis on the degree of risk that a food operation might present to public health.

The council's general manager of environmental management, Fran Mikulicic, Hospice Mid-Northland general manager Shelley Kirton and New Zealand Food Safety Authority assistant director Glen Neal are working on a solution that will enable the restoration of the fundraising initiative.

The authority's advice is that the best way of being exempted from the Food Hygiene Regulations of 1974 is to register a Food Safety Programme.

Ms Mikulicic said all parties wanted to see the issue resolved as quickly as possible so that jam makers could resume their "commendable" work.

Mr Neal said the Food Safety Authority had become aware of the 35-year-old regulations only last week.

"It's a really unfortunate incident. The law isn't based on common sense and we're looking to improve things."

- NORTHERN ADVOCATE