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Introduction to bakery and grain-based product processing
Find out the requirements you need to meet if you make bread, cereals, cakes, biscuits, and other baked and grain-based products intended for sale.
Bakery products – what they are
Bakery and grain-based products include:
- bread or bread-derived products, including bagels, pita bread, tortillas, pizza, or fruit bread
- desserts, such as cakes, pies, pastry, crumbles, eclairs, sticky puddings, brownies, and slices
- breakfast cereals, biscuits, or crackers
- pasta and noodles.
Meeting requirements
If you make baked or grain-based products, in most cases you must operate under the Food Act 2014.
You may be required to have a registered risk management programme under the Animal Products Act 1999 if you:
- make baked products containing animal products (for example, meat pies), and
- they are intended for export.
Read more about risk management programmes
You must also meet the requirements of the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code.
Find out more about food manufacturing requirements
Additional requirements for bread
Under the Food Act, you also need to comply with additional requirements if you manufacture bread and bread products. You must use iodised salt, and you may voluntarily add folic acid.
Iodine fortification of bread and bread products
Folic acid fortification of bread
MPI research into bakery products
Foodborne illness is an important food safety concern. MPI does industry research, especially with high-risk food products. This includes some baked products.
For example, in 2007 MPI did a survey into the microbiological quality and handling practices of high-risk bakery products. The results showed that most bakeries used good food safety practices.
Food safety and suitability research
Who to contact
If you have questions about bakery and grain-based processing, email info@mpi.govt.nz
