Traders' trust tackles market food safety issue

WANGANUI'S River Traders' Trust is hoping to blaze a trail for other markets on the issue of food safety.
The big question is whether market food should comply with the same hygiene rules as restaurant food.
Market convenor Annette Main said negotiations with Wanganui District Council were at a delicate stage, but she hoped for a solution that would benefit everybody without jeopardising the market.
The weekly Saturday morning market in Moutoa Quay has grown from the handful of stalls it started with in February 2005.
Visitors and regulars could now expect to find 40 to 50 stalls on a winter weekend and 70 to 80 in summer. About half of these sold food.
Stalls on the "growers' green" were for Wanganui produce only.
But Ms Main said the trust had decided not to join the New Zealand farmers' market organisation as a full member because there wasn't enough local produce available to meet national criteria.
About 1000 people stroll through the market on a winter weekend, buying, looking, chatting and eating.
With those numbers, the council couldn't ignore any food safety issue.
Ms Main said the trust always knew stallholders would have to adhere to council's safe food guidelines, and had asked them to get information from council officers.
Six weeks ago officers went to the market and talked to food sellers about where the did their preparation.
The messages the stallholders got were mixed and some have been left puzzled.
Only a few of the 20 with food stalls would probably need their kitchens assessed for hygiene. These were mainly people who did home baking.
Fruit and vegetable stalls were exempted. Jam and pickle makers were expected to list ingredients and nutritional values on labels.
A workshop was held for stallholders to inform them about food safety, and also about correct weights and measures. The risk of different food types was being assessed by council.
Customer services manager Stuart Hylton said stalls at the market would have to comply with food health regulations, which required registration.
"Exemptions can only be granted through the Medical Officer of Health and we are working with (them) to determine how they can each meet compliance standards, be registered and if needed gain exemption."
Ms Main was waiting to hear more about the risk level before she resumed discussions with council.
"I'm going to be talking to them about what's relevant to a market situation."
In the meantime, food sellers were carrying on as usual, using basic food safety rules such as hand washing and food covering.
The same questions were arising at every New Zealand market. Stallholders can get information about likely requirements at www.nzfsa.govt.nz.