Kate Wilkinson

Wellington, Sept 22 NZPA - The outdated Food Act will be replaced, Food Safety Minister Kate Wilkinson says.

The Act imposes unnecessary compliance costs and does not do enough to protect consumers, she said.

A new Food Bill will be introduced in the next year and should be in place by late 2010 or early 2011.

It will include an enhanced imported food regime, clarification of the New Zealand Standard for all food sold in New Zealand, a restaurant grading system, replacement food hygiene regulations and improved penalty provisions.

Ms Wilkinson said a review of New Zealand's food regulation found duplication and gaps in the laws.

The new regulations will put the responsibility for food safety on the operators and will move from an inspection-based to risk-based approach, she said.

The changes will be checked by a performance monitoring system.