Taking food into NZ

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Taking food into NZ

Postby davidmorr » Tue 18 Feb, 2014 10:56 am

I'm sure this has been covered before, but I could not find it :-(

I'm heading off to NZ in a couple of weeks for some tramping. I would like to have all my food measured out and packed for each day of the tramps. (Don't want to be spending time in Christchurch and Nelson packaging food…)

I was wondering whether I am likely to have any problems at the airport doing this?

And do they still insist on inspecting tents? Been a few years since I was last there.
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Re: Taking food into NZ

Postby wayno » Tue 18 Feb, 2014 11:07 am

just about anything thats raw or has the possibility of containing live seeds isnt likely to get through...
commercially prepared food shouldnt have a problem
any meat you've prepared yourself may have probs.. home preserved food may also have probs, depends how the border security person wants to treat it...

http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/files/re ... o-know.pdf
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Re: Taking food into NZ

Postby Walk_fat boy_walk » Tue 18 Feb, 2014 11:35 am

davidmorr wrote:And do they still insist on inspecting tents? Been a few years since I was last there.


Yep. Poles, boots, gaiters etc. inspected on the spot... tents taken into a different room for detailed inspection. Doesn't take too long if they're clean.
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Re: Taking food into NZ

Postby davidmorr » Tue 18 Feb, 2014 11:53 am

Thanks Wayno. It's still a bit vague, isn't it.

My concern is that I cannot tolerate gluten (wheat, pasta, flour, etc), and it can be difficult to find suitable gluten free products with the limited time between arriving and starting to walk. I was hoping to bring most of the unusual stuff with me, and just pick up things that are commonly available in Christchurch.
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Re: Taking food into NZ

Postby wayno » Tue 18 Feb, 2014 11:58 am

there will be someone selling that in chch if you do a search. if you're bringing in food thats commercially prepared packaged food it should be fine if its not live food
legumes and rice are a good way of avoiding gluten, pink lentils can be cooke pretty quickly, lentils in general cook a lot quicker than beans
to save fuel, i bring them to the boil and turn the cooker off, let it sit for as long as you can, bring it to the boil again later to finish off the expansion and cooking and it uses minimal fuel.
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Re: Taking food into NZ

Postby wayno » Tue 18 Feb, 2014 12:13 pm

make sure you've had a good wash mate, or they'll put the fire hose on you and scrub you clean :wink:
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Re: Taking food into NZ

Postby Strider » Tue 18 Feb, 2014 12:18 pm

Surely an online source exists in NZ that can post to a local address for you to pick up when you arrive?
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Re: Taking food into NZ

Postby wayno » Tue 18 Feb, 2014 12:19 pm

doesnt matter, it will still be xrayed and if necessary inspected and if necessary confiscated or returned to sender
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Re: Taking food into NZ

Postby ninjapuppet » Tue 18 Feb, 2014 12:25 pm

i dehydrated my own beef and brought it in last year. customs did inspect it and ask which meat it was.
some types of meat are not allowed, but beef from Australia is ok

No issues.
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Re: Taking food into NZ

Postby bernieq » Tue 18 Feb, 2014 1:11 pm

davidmorr wrote: ... but I could not find it
A search for "NZ food" will turn up a few threads, including this one : http://www.bushwalk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=11615
ninjapuppet wrote:i dehydrated my own beef and brought it in last year. customs did inspect it and ask which meat it was.
some types of meat are not allowed, but beef from Australia is ok
I think you were very fortunate, NP. In general, home-dried meat would not be permitted - but it does depend on the 'on the spot' evaluation of the Bio-Security officer.

davidmorr wrote:And do they still insist on inspecting tents?
Yes - the extent to which they inspect is partly dependant on how you present - dirt on the boots will induce close inspection of everything.

I've always worn my (scrupulously clean) boots so I can present them easily. Most times, I've been waived through after that.

Once, on opening my case, a big black spider ran out ! The officer killed it and laughed - then had a good look through the lot!

davidmorr wrote:I would like to have all my food measured out and packed for each day of the tramps. ... I was wondering whether I am likely to have any problems at the airport doing this?

I have previously emailed Bio-Security with a list of the components of the food I'm bringing in (the home dehydrated bits - I, also, bag them up into meals) - not so much to see if it's OK but more so I have the email at arrival to demonstrate that I do have care about quarantine.

If you were to take dehy meat, pack it separately so that, if it's confiscated, you don't lose the whole meal. Previously, I've taken BC dehy mince (unopened) so I can add it to the meal on the tramp.

Let us know what you decide to do and how you get on.

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Re: Taking food into NZ

Postby wayno » Tue 18 Feb, 2014 1:15 pm

aparently now when you're heading across the ditch, they scan your luggage in aus and send the images to nz border security and they are ready for you at the other end in advance...
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Re: Taking food into NZ

Postby bernieq » Tue 18 Feb, 2014 1:26 pm

wayno wrote:they scan your luggage in aus and send the images to nz border security
Where did that info come from, Wayno?

I suppose NZ could have a contract with AQIS to scan but it doesn't seem very efficient. NZ still needs the hardware (and staffing) in-country to scan everyone else - so what's the benefit to NZ for scanning in Australia ?

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Re: Taking food into NZ

Postby wayno » Tue 18 Feb, 2014 1:28 pm

heard it or read it somewhere on the news, the scanned images were sent across the tasman
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Re: Taking food into NZ

Postby davidmorr » Wed 19 Feb, 2014 8:22 am

Ok, here's how to find out what is acceptable……

Go to the MPI site and go to the Contact Details page:

http://mpi.govt.nz/AboutMAF/ContactUs/t ... fault.aspx

In the form, leave the category as "All MPI General Enquiries", and describe exactly what you want to bring in.

I got a reply within 24 hours (see below). You could probably e-mail this address too:

Quarantine_Enquiry <Quarantine_Enquiry (you know what goes here) mpi.govt.nz>

This is what I asked and the reply. I will print this out and take it with me.


Dear David, Yes, all the foodstuffs as mentioned below all be allowed entry into New Zealand.

Please declare all food items upon your arrival here in New Zealand.

Philip BACON
QI 1189

Quarantine Enquiries | Border Clearance Services Directorate | Verification and Systems Branch |Ministry for Primary Industries| Auckland International Airport| PO Box 53066 | Auckland 2150 | New Zealand
Telephone: 64-9-909 8614| Facsimile: 64-9-909 8600 | Web: http://www.mpi.govt.nz

Disclaimer: The information in this email is correct at the time of sending. Import Health Standards and other regulations are subject to change. Please visit our website for up to date information. A final decision on whether an item is a biosecurity risk is at the discretion of the Inspecting Quarantine Officer.

-----Original Message-----
From: xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Tuesday, 18 February 2014 2:52 p.m.
To: Info Biosecurity
Subject: Bringing food on a visit

Category: All general biosecurity enquiries
Message:
I am coming to New Zealand in a couple of weeks to spend a few weeks tramping in the South Island.

Unfortunately, I have difficulties with some foods, specifically foods containing gluten (wheat, rye, barley, flour, pasta, etc) and dairy. If I eat anything containing these things, I can become quite sick and would be unable to do the tramping that I am coming for.

I have found even where I live here in Australia, it can be difficult to find suitable food products. With limited time between arriving in Christchurch and starting to walk, I suspect I might have trouble finding suitable foods. Even the prepackaged dehydrated meals are problematical as they usually use flour to thicken the sauces.

I was wondering if it is permissible to bring some of these specialist foods with me? They will be in their original commercial packaging. There will be no meat or dairy products, and no honey.

The things I would like to bring include:

Gluten free crackers for making lunches and at breakfast.
Cashew nut spread (like peanut butter/paste but made with cashews).
Gluten free breakfast cereals suitable for tramping, i.e., compact and low weight. These may contain quinoa or rice grains and possibly dried fruit or sunflower seeds.
Muesli or cereal bars containing dates and other dried fruits and nuts.

All of these will have been bought in Australia, but are made from local or imported ingredients.
I have spent some time looking around the various New Zealand government web sites for advice, but none are very specific.

I would be grateful if you could advise me whether these sorts of products would be acceptable. Otherwise, I may have to delay my tramping until I can find something to eat.

Thank you.
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