Protecting and enhancing New Zealand’s reputation for world-leading food safety

The New Zealand Food Safety Science & Research Centre (NZFSSRC) was established to harness the best of scientific expertise from across industry, government and research providers.

Our aim is to provide an internationally credible science base for decision-making in public health and the food industry. Our work focuses on better ways of detecting hazards in the food production chain and reducing the risk of food-borne illness to consumers.

Consumers

As the Centre develops over time, research outcomes and news items will become available. Advice on food safety can be found here.

Industry Membership

Current NZFSSRC Industry Members include organisations from the dairy, meat, poultry, seafood and horticulture sectors. Their membership provides them with access to world-class, industry-focused research capability in the area of food safety. For information on the benefits of becoming a member of the Centre, click here.

Researchers

The NZFSSRC is a collaboration of seven research organisations, Massey University, the University of Auckland, The University of Otago, ESR, Plant & Food Research Ltd, AgResearch and the Cawthron Institute. The NZFSSRC science strategy is based on a capability matrix. Further information about our science can be found here.

Research | News:

Assessing and ranking food safety risks for the fresh food sector

In 2014, an outbreak of yersiniosis affecting around 220 people was attributed to fresh produce, probably lettuce and carrots, although this could not be confirmed.

ESR to conduct HRC-funded research into yersiniosis

With a doubling of reported yersiniosis cases in under five years, ESR science leader Dr Brent Gilpin will be using a $1.3m grant from the Health Research Council (HRC) to learn more about the bacterium,Yersinia enterocolitica, its effects on people, and likely sources of infection, including undercooked pork, pets, farm anima

Prime Minister visits Palmerston North to hear about food science research

The Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, and Finance Minister Grant Robertson, turned their attention to food science and technology on 17 September, the day that the country’s second quarter GDP results showed a 12.2% contraction. The good economic news was that food sector returns were hardly dented by the pandemic.