Food Safety: Guidance for food safety auditors
Information for food safety auditors
on compliance assessment of food safety programs
and the Food Safety Standards
October 2001
Introduction
The aim of this publication is to guide food safety auditors in the appropriate procedures for auditing food safety programs and the Food Safety Standards. State and Territory Governments have established these procedures, with the assistance of the Australia New Zealand Food Authority (ANZFA), to ensure that there is a nationally consistent approach to the way in which food businesses across Australia are assessed for compliance with food safety programs and the Food Safety Standards. These procedures and their consistent application are important to both food businesses and consumers as they help to maintain the integrity of the audit system. The integrity of the audit system is paramount in ensuring the production of a safe food supply for all Australians.
An audit system has been developed by ANZFA for the purposes of auditing food safety programs and is described in the publicationFood Safety: An audit system, published in March 2001.
A food safety program is based on Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) principles and is a documented program that systematically identifies potential hazards in food handling operations that, if not controlled, may lead to the preparation of unsafe food. ANZFA recognises that food safety programs are in line with international best practice and has recommended that food safety programs become mandatory for all food businesses in Australia.
Food safety programs are a requirement of one of four food safety standards in Chapter 3 of theAustralia New Zealand Food Standards Code. The standards are:
Standard 3.1.1 Interpretation and Application
Standard 3.2.1 Food Safety Programs
Standard 3.2.2 Food Safety Practices and General Requirements
Standard 3.2.3 Food Premises and Equipment.
These standards do not apply in New Zealand.
The Food Safety Standards 3.1.1, 3.2.2 and 3.2.3 are currently being introduced by State and Territories, and should be in place in all jurisdictions by mid-2002.
Standard 3.2.1 Food Safety Programsis a ‘model’ standard. It will only apply to food businesses if a State or Territory Government chooses to introduce a mandatory requirement for food safety programs for some or all types of food businesses. If a State or Territory does introduce a requirement for food safety programs, it has agreed to use this ‘model’ standard.
Although food safety programs have been required for food businesses in some sectors of primary industry for some time, currently Victoria is the only State where food safety programs are required for food businesses in the food service sector. This is required by the Victorian Food Act, not by the adoption of the ‘model’ standard.
State and Territory Health or Human Services Departments are responsible for food regulation and enforcement under State and Territory Food (or Health) Acts. States and Territories are currently reviewing their Food (or Health) Acts to support the introduction of nationally consistent offences, defences and other legislative arrangements for the sale of safe and suitable food. States and Territories have agreed to amend their legislation in accordance with the terms of an intergovernmental agreement to adopt provisions of a Model Food Act. The Model Food Act describes the roles and responsibilities of food safety auditors and other matters related to auditing. This publication includes the provisions of the Model Food Act in shaded boxes identified by the section number and explains these provisions in detail.
Auditors should note that States and Territories may produce handbooks or other guidance materials on the roles and responsibilities of food safety auditors assessing food businesses located within their jurisdictions. These information materials may refer to relevant sections of the State’s or Territory’s Food (or Health) Act. Auditors should ensure that they are aware of, and comply with, any such guidance material.
Under the Food (or Health) Acts, Health or Human Services Departments may delegate some of their responsibilities under the Acts to local government or councils. However, delegation is likely to differ between jurisdictions. The term ‘enforcement agency’ has been used throughout this publication to represent State and Territory Health or Human Services Departments or their delegates.
The audit procedures are based on international best practice for managing system audits: the international standard ISO 10011-1. This standard is published in Australia and New Zealand as standards AS 3911.1 and NZS 10011.1 respectively. The international standard only provides general requirements for undertaking audits, and must be interpreted to reflect the Australian food regulatory environment.