NEWS
SNIPS
NZ Federation
of Freshwater
Anglers want
native fish such
as whitebait and
eels largely decommercalised
so they can’t
be sold to the
public, with
president
Graham Carter
saying groups
of urban
whitebaiters
are making
up to $80,000
for a “couple
of months
plundering”
Groundbreaking
camera
research has
confirmed that
New Zealand
children are
exposed
to alcohol
marketing
around 4.5 times
a day…and
researchers are
saying industry
self-regulation
does not work
Regional
Economic
Development
Minister Shane
Jones says he
didn’t expect
communes to
put in for a share
of the provincial
growth fund
but Gloriavale’s
application to
fund energy bar
manufacturing
has shown
anyone can try
Whittaker’s has
launched its very
first permanent
store located
through customs
at Auckland
International
Airport
HONEY
INDUSTRY BUZZING
A new web-based honey blending tool developed by
Hill Laboratories’ team of scientists and data analysts
will save honey distributors significant amounts
of time and money by allowing those with large
inventories to easily blend individual honeys to meet
specific sales and export criteria. With New Zealand’s
annual honey exports currently valued at $300 million
and growing, the country produces around 15,000
– 20,000 tonnes of honey annually, with most honey
bought from a supermarket being blended honey.
Hill Laboratories market sector manager for food,
bioanalytical and microbiology Mark Jones says in
a growing industry, exported honey must meet very
strict criteria set by the Ministry for Primary Industries
(MPI) and overseas markets. “Previously honey
distributors could blend honey to just a few markers,
such as MGO and sugar levels, but now with MPI’s
tightened food safety regulations, exported honey has
to meet much stricter and more complex criteria. The
Honey Blending Tool takes the guess work out and
calculates exact honey blends to meet the criteria
required.” To use the tool, honey distributors log in to
a web-based portal and enter the exact compounds
and specifications they want to achieve in their blend.
The app then scans through the honey drums in their
inventory and specifies the optimal set of drums to
make the required target blend. A large-scale honey
distributor can have more than 1000 honey drums,
weighing 300kg each, on site at a time. Jones says
the tool is easy to use, highly configurable, runs off
a cloud-based system and produces secure results.
The tool can also take into account which market
the honey is destined for and makes sure the target
blend meets that country’s overseas market access
requirements. “This is extremely important information
to factor in for honey exports,” he says. “If you
fail to meet the export country’s requirements, you
risk not gaining access to the market and being able
to sell your product there.” The tool will be particularly
beneficial for Manuka honey producers.
www.foodtechnology.co.nz 7
CHECK YOUR
TOMATOES
Irradiated Australian tomatoes are now on the shelves of fresh
produce stores and Tomatoes NZ is reminding retailers to ensure
that produce is clearly labelled as ‘irradiated’. Food Standards
Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) requires anyone selling irradiated
produce to clearly label it at point of sale, Tomatoes NZ chair
Barry O’Neil says, and the regulation applies to any irradiated
tomatoes and products containing them, both raw and cooked.
Tomatoes NZ is aware of some instances over the past few
weeks where the labelling has not occurred as it should, and has
reported these to the Ministry for Primary Industries. Irradiation
kills bacteria and other pests, including insects, and is required
of all tomatoes imported from Australia, to meet New Zealand’s
biosecurity requirements. O’Neil says New Zealand-grown
tomatoes are never irradiated and Tomatoes NZ supports
measures taken to protect New Zealand’s vulnerable horticulture
industry from pests like the Queensland fruit fly.
PLASTIC
UNDER ATTACK
Packaging New Zealand says it will be alarmed if the Government’s
ban on single-use plastic bags extends to plastic
packaging. Executive director Sharon Humphreys says plastic
packaging is effective, efficient and economic, and any suggestion
to extend plastic bans into the packaging space will impact
areas such as food safety. “Advocates of banning plastic will always
find examples of potential misuse, but those charged with
policy development need to offer a balanced perspective, which
is mindful of society’s requirements, not simply appeasement of
the vocal minority.” Humphreys says the devastating effect on
the natural environment of plastic pollution is horrifying, and a
ban will reduce rubbish. “This would be a good outcome, but it
must be acknowledged that banning bags demonises the product
- single-use plastic bags – but excuses the conduct of those
who litter. It stands to reason that if we are going to reduce the
use of these bags then we must also empower people to do
the right thing with them, or prosecute those who don’t. Our
concern is that in just tackling a single waste stream, especially
considering that a voluntary phase-out of these bags is already
well underway, it will be a distraction to establishing the urgently
needed national strategic plan for waste management and recycling
in New Zealand.”
/www.foodtechnology.co.nz
