Food Safety

FPSC Ltd is seeking nominations to fill two Board vacancies, one from New Zealand (effective from 27 November 2019).

As we are nearing the end of winter, Biosecurity New Zealand’s fruit fly response in the Northcote area is about to step up again, with the focus on maintaining controls and resuming baiting and more intensive trapping.

"It is that continued vigilance that led to the discovery of another single male fruit fly on 15 July in a trap in the current controlled area, 350 metres from where the last was found on 31 May," says Biosecurity New Zealand spokesperson Dr Catherine Duthie.

Despite the large on the ground efforts, another male fruit fly was found last week in one of the network of fruit fly traps.

Controls on the movement of fruit and vegetables in Devonport and Ōtara have been lifted. The restrictions in place on the movement of fruit and vegetables and the current baiting programme in Controlled Zones in the North Shore suburb of Northcote remain in place.

One of the new finds is inside the current Zone A and the other is in Zone B.

A fourth male Queensland fruit fly has been found in Northcote and another Facialis fruit fly has been found in Ōtara.

Further biosecurity restrictions on the movement of fruit and vegetables in the Auckland suburb of Northcote are being put in place, following the find of a third Queensland fruit fly in the area.

A second Queensland fruit fly has been found in a surveillance trap in the Auckland suburb of Northcote. The detection was in what is known as Zone A in Northcote and was 113 metres from the original detection there.

A second Facialis fruit fly has been found in a surveillance trap in the Auckland suburb of Ōtara, just 70 metres from the first detection earlier in the week.

Ministry for Primary Industries will be presenting on the three recent fruit fly findings and will be providing clarity to industry on the protocols required when transporting fresh fruit and vegetables in and through the Controlled Areas.

Surveillance activity in Auckland will be stepped up following the discovery of a second Queensland fruit fly on the North Shore.

A second type of fruit fly, (Bactrocera facialis - the "facialis fruit fly") has been found in a surveillance trap in the Auckland suburb of Otara.

Biosecurity New Zealand is investigating a find of a single male Queensland fruit fly in a surveillance trap in the Auckland suburb of Devonport.

United Fresh was pleased to be part of the Biosecurity New Zealand Forum in Auckland today where the  Biosecurity 2025 Implementation Plan was launched by the Biosecurity 2025 Steering Group.

TAG has been working on three activities within the Biosecurity field; The fruit Fly Council, the Government Industry Agreement (GIA) process and the National Biosecurity Competency Network (NBCN).

Myrtle rust has been detected in Manawatu for the first time, the Ministry for Primary Industries confirmed today. The fungus was found on a young ramarama (Lophomyrtus) in a planted area off Victoria Esplanade in Palmerston North.

United Fresh Technical Advisory Group members have attended several conferences as reported in this update.

For the latest update on Myrtle Rust visit here:

For the latest update on Myrtle Rust visit here:

Join the United Fresh Executive and Members for our AGM and Members’ Meeting followed by refreshments, at Mantells on the Water in Auckland.

The Biosecurity space is getting busy!

Our United Fresh AGM & Members meeting held in Auckland on Thursday 12th May 2016 was well received by around 80 of our members

MPI Surveillance Manager Brendan Gould says two weeks of trapping, fruit sampling and testing have passed and no further Tau flies have been found.

No further Tau Flies have been detected. The total remains as 1 male Tau Fly detected.

No further Tau Flies have been detected. The total remains as 1 male Tau Fly detected.

MPI will be establishing a Controlled Area this afternoon in Manurewa, South Auckland as a result of a single Tau fly detection.

With your support, the Queensland fruit fly is no longer residing in Auckland.

General Situation remains unchanged since the November update.

General Situation remains unchanged since the October update. No additional fruit flies have been detected since the last report.

We are pleased to present our Biosecurity, Food Safety & Traceability and Food Law Workshop in partnership with the Ministry for Primary Industries.

The precautionary measure of withdrawing Mexican grapes from sale has been taken by many retail outlets due to the discovery of Black Widow spiders among the shipment.