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Common food safety terms

Common food safety terms We have put together a list of common food safety terms and what they mean. Contaminant Something that shouldn't be in food and can make the food unsafe to eat. Examples are harmful chemicals, physical objects (e.g. glass, metal fragments) and microorganisms ('germs', bacteria, viruses, parasites - see definition below). Cross contamination When harmful microorganisms or chemicals spread between food, surfaces, hands or equipment. For example, if a cutting board used to prepare raw chicken is then used to prepare salad vegetables, microorganisms from the chicken juice on the board will spread to the salad. Because the salad won't be cooked, the microorganisms will not be killed before it is eaten. Environmental sample A small…

Published 22 December 2020

Risk Analysis in Food Regulation

Risk Analysis in Food Regulation This publication describes how FSANZ uses risk analysis to manage a diverse range of food-related health risks. The risk analysis process used by FSANZ is based on the internationally accepted codex Risk Analysis Framework. The document provides a broad overview of the FSANZ process; it is not intended to provide detailed information on the approach used by FSANZ in assessing particular types of foods, e.g. food contaminants or substances added to food. To produce this work, the previous booklet The Analysis of Food-Related Health Risks was systematically reviewed and updated over the course of two years. This latest edition now includes additional information on how FSANZ undertakes a nutritional risk analysis (the assessment of both…

Published 4 December 2021

Binational Food Industry Dialogue

Binational Food Industry Dialogue The Binational Food Industry Dialogue (BFID) provides a forum for ongoing engagement between FSANZ and the food industry. It supports information sharing on common issues of interest, offers industry perspectives on standards development, enhances understanding of FSANZ processes, and facilitates collaboration on matters arising from significant food incidents. BFID membership includes major retailers, peak industry bodies, and several government agencies to provide updates and support conversations.   Member organisations…

Published 16 September 2025

Australian Branded Food Database

Australian Branded Food Database We're developing a database of branded food products sold in Australia. The Branded Food Database will provide a central source of brand-specific information to support our standards development work and development and monitoring of Australian Government public health policy and nutrition initiatives. We also aim to publish a subset of branded food data to help people make informed decisions about the foods and beverages they buy. Over time, we hope to link the database with other datasets to provide a more comprehensive picture of food and nutrient consumption patterns in the Australian population. The database The Branded Food Database is a three-part system that will deliver secure, integrated data collection, storage, analysis, publication…

Published 30 March 2023

Shaping food safety culture

Shaping food safety culture Achieving a strong food safety culture takes effective leadership and commitment, and contributions and support from everyone in your business. This document outlines some simple practices you can put in place to develop, shape and strengthen your business's food safety culture. Keys areas you may choose to improve are:

• leadership − creating a vision on food safety and 'walking the talk' to inspire your team
• workplace environment  − effective two-way communication and a supportive environment where staff feel confident to contribute
• staff knowledge  − more than training: applying their knowledge on the job to result in the right behaviour, every…

  Published 30 September 2025

2019 Key Foods program

2019 Key Foods program In 2019, FSANZ undertook an analytical program to update and expand our food composition data holdings. Sixteen foods were selected for nutrient analysis for which we hold no data, or the data we do hold is out-dated and may no longer reflect the products available for consumption. The nutrients selected to be analysed differed for each food depending on what data was available, the quality of the data, and whether the nutrient was likely to be present in the food. Sampling Eight samples were purchased for each food. The foods were sampled across Victoria and the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). For some samples, multiple items were required to ensure an appropriate sample weight was obtained (i.e. one sample of lollies included 2-3 bags). Sampling was…

Published 7 August 2023

Values, Governments, and Food Regulation

Values, Governments, and Food Regulation In 2006, FSANZ commissioned the University of New South Wales to prepare a discussion paper on Values, Governments, and Food Regulation. The review, prepared by Dr Stephen Coleman, draws together the research relating to the increased attention on food safety, primarily focusing on ethics and public policy, but also political science. The review summarises the key points to be considered when attempting to develop an appropriate policy for government intervention in the production and sale of food. The key issues explored include:

• the role of government in liberal democracies such as Australia and New Zealand,
• issues of individual rights to liberty and autonomy, and
• the role that values can appropriately play in the development of governmental policy with…

  Published 10 June 2017

Dioxins in food: Supplementary Info

Dioxins in food: Supplementary Info Dioxins in food The following supplementary information is not included in the report ' Dioxins in food: Dietary Exposure Assessment and Risk Characterisation.' Summary of individual congener analytical results for each sample, by each food type.

• File Summary of all food (195KB)

Published 23 March 2013

Supplementary food colours report

Supplementary food colours report (June 2012) Following the publication in 2008 of the Survey of added colours in foods available in Australia Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) has received new information which has allowed FSANZ to update the estimated dietary exposure of children to added colours. This new information includes:

• updated food consumption data from the 2007 Australian Children's Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey
• revised Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) from the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) for Quinoline Yellow and Sunset Yellow FCF and
• typical use level data from the confectionery industry on the typical usage levels of five…

  Published 28 February 2014

Statistics on food recalls in Australia

Statistics on food recalls in Australia sfasdfasdfad Add block Subscribe to recalls Follow us on Facebook and Twitter, or sign up to our food recall alert to be notified of new food recalls. See subscription channels…

Published 27 October 2022