Food Safety Standards for Australia
(September 2005)
Note : The Food Safety Standards do not apply in New Zealand. The food standards treaty between Australia and New Zealand does not include food hygiene standards.
There are four food safety standards contained in Chapter 3 of the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code. These standards require businesses to follow food safety practices and use food premises and food transport vehicles that meet specified requirements.
Why were the Food Safety Standards developed?
The Food Safety Standards were developed:
- to provide more effective food safety regulations and reduce the level of food-borne illness in Australia;
- to provide nationally uniform food safety standards for Australia so businesses operating in more than one State or Territory have only one set of requirements;
- to replace existing food hygiene regulations that were sometimes significantly out-of-date; and
- to introduce less prescriptive regulations, that are simpler to comply with and give businesses more flexibility to determine the best way for them to comply with the requirements - providing food safety is not compromised.
What are the four food safety standards?
Standard 3.1.1 Interpretation and Application
Standard 3.1.1 is an introductory standard, which explains the main terms used within the Food Safety Standards, such as the meaning of 'safe and suitable food'. It also applies the other three standards to food businesses in Australia with some exceptions. For example there are exemptions from some of the provisions for charities and community groups and also for temporary premises and home-based food businesses. Note: If you are unsure about whether any of the standards apply to your food business, contact your State or Territory health department.
Standard 3.2.1 Food Safety Programs
Standard 3.2.1 is based on the internationally accepted principle that the best way to keep food safe is to control the hazards that can arise during the production, manufacturing and handling of food. To that end Standard 3.2.1supports Standard 3.2.2Food Safety Practices and General Requirements and Standard 3.2.3 Food Premises and Equipment. Under Standard 3.2.1, a food business must be able to show that it complies with the other standards through an independent audit process.
In December 2003, the Australia and New Zealand Food Regulation Ministerial Council (ANZFRMC) agreed that food safety programs would be required from some types of food business. These are businesses that serve ‘riskier’ types of food, serve people that might be more susceptible to illness than the general population or carry out ‘riskier’ food operations in their business.
In summary, these food businesses are:
- food service in which potentially hazardous food is served to vulnerable populations (eg hospitals and nursing homes);
- producing, harvesting, processing and distributing raw oysters and other bivalves;
- catering operations serving food to the general population; and
- producers of manufactured and fermented meat.
The fact sheet Standard 3.2.1 Food Safety Programs and the fact sheet
Standard 3.2.2 Food Safety Practices and General Requirements
Standard 3.2.2 sets out specific food handling controls related to the receipt, storage, processing, display, packaging, transportation, disposal and recall of food. Other requirements relate to the skills and knowledge of food handlers and their supervisors, the health and hygiene of food handlers, and the cleaning, sanitising, and maintenance of the food premises and equipment within the premises. If complied with, these requirements should ensure that food does not become unsafe or unsuitable. The fact sheet Food Safety Standard 3.2.2 Food Safety Practices and General Requirements provides more information.
Standard 3.2.3 Food Premises and Equipment
Standard 3.2.3 sets out the requirements for food premises, fixtures, fittings, equipment and food transport vehicles. If food businesses comply with these requirements, they will find it easier to meet the food safety requirements of Standard 3.2.2. The fact sheet Food Safety Standard 3.2.3 Food Premises and Equipment provides more information.
Need more information?
Copies of the standards, the guides to these and other fact sheets and supporting material can be found on the FSANZ website ( http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/ ). Food businesses may also seek advice directly from the Environmental Health Officers at their local council, or from their State or Territory health or health services department and Public Health Units. Information can also be accessed through the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing http://www.health.gov.au/
Food Standards Australia New Zealand
Australia PO Box 7186
Advice Line : 1300 652 166 | New Zealand PO Box 10559 Ph: 64 4 473 9942
Advice line : 0800 441 571 |
(Updated September 2005)