31 Dec 2009

Banned jam maker gets all clear for pickles too

9:59 pm on 31 December 2009

A Northland woman banned from making jam for her local hospice shop is back in full production after a gap of four months.

Gloria Crawford, a 68-year-old retired farmer from Waipapa, was told by council inspectors she could no longer make jams and pickles for sale because she didn't have a registered kitchen.

But the Food Safety Authority overruled what it described as absurd regulations, and allowed her to continue by submitting a food safety programme.

Mrs Crawford says she passed the jam test several weeks ago, and now she's had the all-clear for her sauces and pickles.

"They stood and watched me make a batch of jam and that was fine, I met their criteria there.

"And then the sauces and pickles came up. I got these questions and seemed to answer them satisfactorily so they said well that's okay, go for it."

Mrs Crawford says new food regulations being brought in next year should make life easier for charity jam makers.