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Skills and knowledge for food handlers
Skills and knowledge for food handlers It's important your food handlers and their supervisors have the skills and knowledge to handle food properly so that it's safe to eat. What are the requirements? Under Standard 3.2.2 - Food Safety Practices and General Requirements, you must make sure the people who handle food, and their supervisors, have the skills and knowledge to keep food safe and suitable to eat. Additional requirements may apply to food service businesses that handle potentially hazardous food - see our information on Standard 3.2.2A Food Safety Management Tools. What training is needed? Formal training in specific courses is not…
Published 30 September 2025
Baby spinach recall concluded
Baby spinach recall concluded Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) can confirm that all affected products, linked to the Riviera Farms baby spinach, have been identified and recalled. FSANZ CEO Dr Sandra Cuthbert said the national food regulation system worked collaboratively to identify the source of the affected baby spinach, and products it was subsequently incorporated into. All affected products have now been recalled.It has been confirmed the recalled spinach products were sourced from one producer with the spinach all located in one field. The producer has been proactive and cooperative in addressing the issue.Dr Cuthbert said Australia has a world leading food regulation system and farmers and food regulators across the country work tirelessly to ensure Australian's have access to safe and nutritious food. Incidents like these occur infrequently, and…
Published 22 December 2022
Food irradiation
Food irradiation New provisions permitting the irradiation of fresh fruit and vegetables as a means of controlling the spread of insect pests like fruit fly across our quarantine borders were gazetted in the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code (the Code) on 22 July 2021. This follows FSANZ's May 2021 approval of an application by the Queensland Government Department of Agriculture and Fisheries to irradiate all types of fresh fruit and vegetables as a phytosanitary (pest control) measure. For more information about this application see: Application A1193 - irradiation as a phytosanitary measure for all fresh fruit and vegetables Irradiation of fruit and vegetables…
Published 22 July 2021
Food traceability
Food traceability Being able to track food through all stages of production, processing and distribution will make it easier and quicker for you to recall it if something goes wrong. What are the requirements? Traceability requirements are listed under the following standards: Standard 1.2.2 - Food Identification Requirements, for labelling food Standard 3.2.2 - Food Safety Practices and General Requirements, for food receipt and food recall Primary production and processing Standards 4.2.1 to 4.2.9. What does it mean for me? You should know the details about the food on your premises including where it came from and where it…
Published 30 September 2025
Call for comment on new food safety management standards
Call for comment on new food safety management standards Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) is seeking public comment on proposed new food safety management standards for food service and retail businesses. Interim FSANZ CEO Dr Sandra Cuthbert said the proposed amendments to the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code (the Code) were designed to strengthen food safety management practices and introduce nationally consistent, risk-proportionate standards to reduce rates of foodborne illness. “The food services sector is vitally important to the Australian economy and our way of life,' Dr Cuthbert said. “The majority of businesses do an excellent job in providing Australians with safe food, however our assessment of food safety management practices in the sector has found a need for strengthened standards to…
Published 14 February 2022
Call for comment to permit the use of a genetically modified processing aid subtilisin
Call for comment to permit the use of a genetically modified processing aid subtilisin Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) is calling for public comment on an application to permit the use of a protein engineered variant of the enzyme subtilisin as a processing aid to hydrolyse proteins in foods. FSANZ CEO Sandra Cuthbert said the application seeks approval to permit the use of a protein engineered variant of the enzyme subtilisin from a genetically modified strain of Bacillus subtilis. This strain contains the subtilisin gene from Bacillus clausii as a processing aid for hydrolysing proteins in food. “A microbiological assessment concluded that the host organisms have a long history of safe use in food and is not pathogenic or toxigenic. A toxicological assessment combined with a dietary exposure assessment…
Published 31 January 2024
Food handling skills and knowledge
Food handling skills and knowledge Chapter 3 (Australia only) Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code NOTE: The Food Safety Standards do not apply in New Zealand. The provisions of the food standards treaty between Australia and New Zealand do not include food hygiene standards. Under Standard 3.2.2 Food Safety Practices and General Requirements, the owners of food businesses are responsible for making sure that people who handle food or food contact surfaces in their business, and the people who supervise this work, have the skills and knowledge they need to handle food safely. The only exception to this requirement is for charitable or community fundraising events, which sell food that is not potentially hazardous or that will be properly cooked and then eaten straightaway. The…
Published 11 February 2016
Call for comment on food made from a new genetically modified canola
Call for comment on food made from a new genetically modified canola Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) is calling for comment on an application to allow food from a new genetically modified (GM) canola. The application seeks approval to permit food derived from canola line LBFLFK which has been genetically modified to produce omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFAs) and for tolerance to imidazolinone herbicides. If approved, the canola could be imported into Australia and New Zealand as refined oil or as an ingredient within a food. FSANZ CEO Dr Sandra Cuthbert said the oil could be used as an ingredient in food products to provide an alternative source of dietary omega-3 LC-PUFAs, which are not found in measurable levels in non-GM canola. “Our safety assessment found no potential…
Published 20 June 2022
Home-based food businesses
Home-based food businesses If you're a home-based food business, you need to meet the same food safety requirements as other food businesses - regardless of the size of your business or how often you sell food. Am I a home-based food business? Home-based food businesses use their home (or someone else's) to handle food for sale. This includes preparing food for local markets or school canteens, catering for events, B&Bs, farm-stay or childcare businesses and online food sales from home. What are the requirements? Home-based businesses must comply with relevant parts of the Food Standards Code, including: Standard 3.2.2 - Food Safety Practices and General Requirements…
Published 30 September 2025
Food safety basics
Food safety basics Follow these key steps to reduce the risk of foodborne illness for yourself, your family and friends. Check your food is safe to use Before you prepare any food, make sure it is safe: For people vulnerable to illness, avoid higher risk foods - read Food safety for vulnerable people to find out more. For people with food allergies, check the ingredients and allergen statements on packaging. All food recalls consumers need to know about are listed on our…
Published 8 July 2025