Managing food safety risks following flooding events
Food Safety Essentials – Flood Incidents
Our thoughts go out to the many people and businesses affected by the recent February storm. When Cyclone Gabrielle devastated orchards and other food production areas on the East Coast three years ago, our scientists dropped everything to support safe food decisions in the aftermath. Fresh produce growers and packers needed to know urgently what was safe to harvest, and later, when it was safe to replant.
Some of the findings are available here:
https://nzfssrc.org.nz/assets/Project-Reports/FW24019-Flooded-soil-risk-assessment-FINAL-June-2024.pdf
The work of NZFSSRC scientists fed into the latest Fresh Produce Safety Centre (FPSC) guidelines: Food Safety Essentials – Flood Incidents. These help growers and packhouses assess risk and take practical steps to protect consumers and their businesses following flood events.
Floodwater can carry sewage, animal waste, chemicals and harmful microorganisms that contaminate crops, soil, equipment and facilities. Even brief exposure can make produce unsafe for human consumption.
This new resource provides guidance on:
- Critical incident management
- Food safety hazards related to flooding
- Good practices to manage, minimise or eliminate flood-related food safety hazards
- Links to additional resources
The guide complements FPSC’s Fundamental Guidelines for Fresh Produce Food Safety and is designed for quick, practical use on farm and in packhouses.
For the general public, MPI has published helpful information for New Zealanders affected by flooding, and other emergencies.
https://www.mpi.govt.nz/food-safety-home/food-safety-in-natural-disasters-and-emergencies
https://www.mpi.govt.nz/dmsdocument/55615-Food-safety-in-the-home-after-flooding
https://www.mpi.govt.nz/funding-rural-support/adverse-events/dealing-with-floods
Published on: 20 February 2026
