Appendix 2

Definitions

NZFSA: Dairy & Plants definitions of terms can be found in their “Glossary of Terms,” available on the Dairy & Plants website (www.nzfsa.govt.nz/Dairy/).

Accountable person
The person named in an NZFSA-approved RMP who is responsible for all operations covered by the RMP, and for ensuring that those operations comply with regulatory requirements.

Approval
Written confirmation from NZFSA pursuant to the Dairy Industry Regulations 1990 where action or participation is dependent on the Director-General of NZFSA’s formal acceptance or permission.

Approved
Approved by the Director-General of NZFSA pursuant to the Dairy Industry Regulations 1990.

Assessment
Systematic examination of an individual, organisation, plan, programme, or system against regulatory requirements.

Code of practice
Document developed and owned by industry, which sets out means of meeting regulatory requirements. Codes of Practice may be approved by NZFSA as the basis for satisfying all or part of the dairy industry regulatory requirements

Conflict of interest
Any circumstance which may undermine or detract from the impartiality and/or independence of an individual or organisation.

Corrective action
Action taken to rectify, eliminate the causes of, and prevent recurrence of any problem/failure/non-compliance identified in a plan, procedure, process, product, programme, or system.

Critical hazard
A hazard that could result in contamination that could be injurious to health or contamination by foreign matter.

Critical non-compliance
An action, event or omission which may result in:

  • Failure of dairy produce to comply with regulatory requirements;
  • Failure to follow the lawful direction of an Inspector;
  • An alleged offence against the Dairy Industry Act 1952 or Dairy Industry Regulations 1990;
  • A critical situation;
  • Failure of a critical control point within an NZFSA-approved programme or plan;
  • Failure to identify when dairy produce is non-conforming;
  • Failure to stop a non-compliance;
  • Failure to keep accurate and complete records;
  • Failure to provide accurate, complete, and timely reports;
  • Failure to dispose of non-conforming dairy produce in compliance with regulatory requirements;
  • Failure to prevent recurrence of a non-compliance; and/or
  • Failure to rectify a non-compliance within the specified timeframe.

Critical situation
Any situation which, in the professional judgement of the Inspector, places public health, animal welfare, market access, official assurances, national good, or NZFSA’s credibility at risk, or where an offence is suspected.

Dairy produce
Milk, cream, butter, cheese, and any other product of milk or cream.

Dairy product
Dairy produce intended for sale in, or export from, New Zealand for human consumption; and

  • Includes raw milk or cream intended for sale in New Zealand for human consumption as raw milk or cream; but
  • Does not include raw milk or cream intended to be processed before sale in New Zealand for human consumption.

Evaluation
Assessment of an individual, plan, programme, or system to determine compliance with regulatory requirements. This will involve review of documentation and, in some cases, review of operations or observation of practice. It is undertaken by a competent individual contracted to an impartial agency (e.g. TPA or National Assessor, NZFSA Compliance Group).

Foreign matter
Any extraneous thing:

  • That is injurious to health or harmful; or
  • That is offensive; or
  • The presence of which would be unexpected or unreasonable in food of that description prepared or packed for sale in accordance with good trade practice.

Inspector
A person appointed under section 4 of the Dairy Industry Act 1952 with powers under that Act, the Animals Act 1967 and the Food Act 1981, including the Director-General of NZFSA.

NZFSA Compliance
The Compliance and Investigation Group of NZFSA, reporting to the Director, Compliance and Investigation Group.

NZFSA
The department within the New Zealand government responsible for the compliance to dairy standards as they apply to the Animal Products Act.

Non-compliance
Any failure to comply with regulatory requirements.

Non-conforming
In relation to dairy produce, any that is suspected or known not to meet regulatory requirements.

Pests
Harmful or destructive organisms which may affect product safety.

PSR
Product Sample Request

Recognised Agency (RA)
Organisation approved by NZFSA to carry out evaluation and/or verification services.


Risk Management Programme (RMP)
A programme of conditions, processes, procedures, measures, and standards to be complied with, performed, undertaken, taken, or met in relation to:

  • Any process or activity related to dairy produce, ingredients used in the manufacture of dairy products, or both; and
  • Sampling, examination, inspection, and testing, or any of those actions, relating to any such process or activity; and
  • The recording and inspection( by persons with qualifications and experience approved by the Director-General for the purpose) of information relating to any such action;

and (without limiting the generality of the foregoing) may include conditions, processes, procedures, measures, or standards relating to the production, manufacture, storage, or transport of dairy produce.

Registration
The official process whereby NZFSA formally confirms approval by the Director-General pursuant to the Animal Products Act 2002. Applies to individuals, organisations, laboratories and premises; includes adding those to its records, and other administrative aspects.

Safe
In relation to any dairy product, “safe” means satisfactory, fit for human consumption, and not having in it or on it any pathogenic organisms

  • That are present in an amount that makes the product harmful or injurious to the health of the people who may eat or drink it; or
  • That are not present in an amount that makes the product harmful or injurious to the health of the people who may eat or drink it; but
  • By virtue of their ability to reproduce, to produce toxins, or both, make the product potentially harmful or injurious to the health of the people who may eat or drink it.

In relation to any dairy produce that is not a dairy product, “safe” means satisfactory, and fit for the manufacture of dairy products.

Satisfactory
In relation to any dairy produce means:

  • Not having in it or on it any harmful or injurious substances;
  • Not being, or containing, decomposed, dirty, rotten, spoiled or diseased substances;
  • Not affected by disease;
  • Not affected by any objectionable taint or smell;
  • Not containing any foreign matter; and
  • Not condemned under Section 9 of the Dairy Industry Act.

Service provider
Organisation approved by NZFSA to carry out evaluation and/or verification services.

Significant change
Any change made to key staff, environment, premises, equipment, facilities, process or product which may affect food safety.

STI
Standard Transfer Instruction

Validation
Assessment of a plan, programme or system that it is complete, is being implemented as documented, and is delivering the expected outcomes. It is undertaken by the owner of the plan, programme or system.

Verification
Application of methods, procedures, tests and other checks to determine compliance with NZFSA-approved plans, programmes and systems, and to confirm the ongoing applicability of those.