Officials are warning people about the food safety risk of buying illegal home-kill meat for Christmas after a Far North man was nabbed for selling sheep and pigs.

Ministry for Primary Industries compliance officers shut down an illegal home-kill operation in Kaitaia in September, but fear it may be the tip of the iceberg in the Far North. The man was issued with a written warning after reports of sheep and pig carcasses hanging in trees. Officials said it was at the lower end of offending but posed a serious health risk. Illegal home-kill includes meat bought direct from a stock owner, animals bought and slaughtered on site and animals bought and taken home for immediate slaughter.

MPI Northland District Compliance Manager Steve Rudsdale said illegal home-kill was not inspected for disease and consumers had no guarantee it had been processed hygienically.