The following advice is aimed at educating anyone who periodically or regularly donates to any of our Pātaka Kai.
Donated food needs to be safe and suitable for human consumption. Food is unsafe if it is likely to cause the person eating it harm. Food is unsuitable if it is contaminated, deteriorated, in a condition that affects its intended use, or people can’t tell what is in it. Provided the food was safe and suitable when it was donated, and came with any information needed to keep it safe and suitable, the donor is protected from civil or criminal liability under the Food Act 2014.
Donated food needs to be safe and suitable for human consumption. Food is unsafe if it is likely to cause the person eating it harm. Food is unsuitable if it is contaminated, deteriorated, in a condition that affects its intended use, or people can’t tell what is in it. Provided the food was safe and suitable when it was donated, and came with any information needed to keep it safe and suitable, the donor is protected from civil or criminal liability under the Food Act 2014.
The following advice will help you make sure food is safe and suitable. Particular care needs to be taken when donating foods that need temperature control and/or have a ‘Use-by’ date. Key points to note:
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- Food that has passed its ‘Use-by’ date must not be donated.
- Inform our kaitiaki's about any food in a donation that requires special handling or storage.
- Food marked with a ‘Best-before’ date can be donated after the date has passed, provided it is otherwise fit to eat. There may be some loss of quality after this date but there should not be any safety issue with the food.
- Food withdrawn from sale because of incorrect/faulty labelling may be donated; however, correct information about the food needs to be identified and provided with the food so consumers can make informed choices.
- Packaging, or at least the inner wrapping, should completely enclose donated food. Do not donate any food that has been exposed and may have become contaminated.
- Food must be clear of mould or slime or other signs of spoilage, e.g. packaging inflated by spoilage gasses.
- Cans that are excessively rusty or have damaged seams, or ‘spring’ at the end, or are leaking should not be donated.
- We do not accept Fresh meat or any frozen food to our pantries.
- Hot foods may be accepted with the exception that a kaitiaki has been informed first prior to donating. This should be thoroughly cooked and kept above 60°C.
When donating food:
Work closely with the Pātaka Kai team to identify:
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Additional information about food safety can be found on the MPI website at www.mpi.govt.nz. If you have any specific food safety questions not covered by the available advice please feel free to contact our Pātaka Kai team.